But even though that unrealistic approach does not seem to be present, Decker deals with the real pressures and conflicts of office life, particularly in a "changing workplace." The conversations are real; the pressures are real; the conflicts are real; the language is real; and all of the personalities seem real to me.
Decker does also seem to teach some lessons in this book through his characters and the circumstances they go through. One of the more important ones, it seems to me, is that he shows how opportunity as well as challenge and obstacles can come from changes in an organization. And though these were specifically related to a corporate takeover, to me, Decker's message was broader than just that context. He also points out ways to avoid or minimize conflict in the workplace and ways to handle it differently. And he does this by example -- that is, through the dialogue between...
First, he makes you think about yourself in those types of situations. You can't help but relate to one or more of the characters in some way, and then when you see how that characters either does or does not handle something very well, the reader can learn from it just as the character does. And the second item is he makes you want to be more positive about change, not just in the workplace but everywhere. And because the little candle company ultimately succeeds, it seems it makes his advice even that more potent and real. Definitely, a book I would recommend.
Bibliography
Decker, C. (2004). Lessons from the hive: The buzz on surviving and thriving in an ever-changing workplace. New York: Kaplan Business.
