However, the topic of working in an emotionally healthy business environment is appropriate for both business owners and employees to consider. Business owners should strive to create a work environment that everyone can flourish in – q.e.d their business will be successful (Law of Attraction). Workers need to take responsibility for their own choices and actions. We must recognize that our emotional, spiritual, and physical health is tied together.

This book is about living your own life. It’s about making the necessary changes to how you view things, your reactions, and ultimately your actions to move forward. It’s about being truthful to yourself and others. It provides a solid framework for your professional and personal life. Certainly one that should be embraced and used daily.

I found that I could easily identify with the concepts as they were presented and liked the interactivity and engaging style of the author. The book has a warm “tone” that allowed me to eagerly read this completely in one sitting and then go back for details and the homework. The three principles, which form the cornerstones of Dr. Paris’ work, are

1. Tell the truth, always
2. Speak for yourself
3. Declare your interdependence

Dr. Paris has written this book with several worksheet sections so that you can really use this book to self assess and figure out your starting point. For some, this may be the point of not moving forward due to fear of admitting a few things. I urge you to continue. The Clover Principle is aptly named as Paris simplified the steps (in a 3 leaf clover concept) to help people to follow along and it’s easy to revisit sections to refresh a point.

With the recent investment frauds and past Enron scandals over the past years, I was not surprised to see some of the statistics about lying at work, college, or home used in the book. There was even a slam on the advertsing and marketing realm (my profession) with the example of marketing products that “4 out of 5” professionals recommend….” Ouch!

Based on a recently attended semiar on business ethics, I can see that it is apparently an issue of great concern for many business owners. This book and our discussion at that seminar brought up the Rotary Four-Way Test, a fifty-year old ethics test. As a current Rotarian, It has been a favorite of mine as long as I can remember. Dr. Paris’ point in using this reference and the entire chapter is to be “truthful to yourself and others.” Both need to happen for you to be at peace with yourself.

I really took to heart the chapter on Speak for Yourself. When problems occur at work, it’s really easy to jump on someone else’s mistake. After reading this part, I resolved to work harder in this area. Understanding your motives, when you should speak up and the repercussion are the key take aways.

Declare Your Interdependence

None of us go the journey alone. We can’t work in a company without help. Paris comments, “Recognizing how everything is connected can be a hard sell in a country that celebrates its independence every Fourth of July.” I felt her most important point for me was “when something is consistently going wrong in a work relationship, we are part of the problem.” This statement caused me to go to a staff member and tell her I was angry about something. I admitted it happened everytime so I likely was doing something to cause the problem. This person was truthful with me about what I was doing that didn’t allow her to do her job correctly. It does work.

Time to Go

Dr. Paris also addresses when its time to leave a job. It is no fun working where you are dissatisfied or unfulfilled. It is even worse if the situation is comprimising your health as Dr. Paris showed in several of her case studies. She asks us “Are you getting a good return in terms of satisfaction, self respect and dollars?” The last resource section of the book cites several good books for finding your passion, assessing your talents, and taking the next steps. Having read some of these books, I would agree they are right on to help someone to the next step in a career changing process.