We all love to hate our jobs.  Everyone moans about the same things:  we're not listened to; we're not trusted; we spend our time in pointless meetings; were weighed down by bureaucracy; we hate our boss; we're overloaded and work saps time and energy from the rest of our lives.

It shouldn't be like this.  Work ought to be, and can be meaningful and fulfilling.

InWhat's Wrong with Work? Blaire Palmer shows how work can change.  Confronting all the big problems head-on, the book shows what you can do about each one, to make work better for you and those around you, now.

Packed with case studies and tips,What's Wrong with Work? is essential reading for the modern office.

Blaire Palmer is one of the most experienced and respected executive coaches, creative facilitators and trainers in the UK.Blaire began her career as a journalist, and spent many years as a top news producer, working on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme and Woman's Hour. Her experience in posing powerful questions and shaping the agenda has proved invaluable in her subsequent career.Since 2000, Blaire has run her own coaching and consulting business, Optimum Executive Coaching Ltd (trading as Blaire Palmer). She has worked with a large number of clients, including GlaxoSmithKline, Airbus and Microsoft, gaining thousands of hours of coaching experience training leaders, working with teams and facilitating large events.Blaire is the author of two previous business titlesThe Hyper Creative Personality (New Holland, 2007) andThe Recipe for Success (A&C Black, 2009).

Acknowledgements ix

Introduction: The 5 Frustrations of Work and How to Fix them for Good 1

When Work Works 23

Frustration 1: Waste-of-Time Meetings 47

Frustration 2: Mis-Leadership 89

Frustration 3: Blurred Vision 137

Frustration 4: The Silo Mentality 183

Frustration 5: Unfairness 217

Final Thoughts: The Real Work 259

Notes 275

About the Interviewees 281

About the Author 285

Index 287