Cut to the Chase: And 99 Other Rules to Liberate Yourself and Gain Back the Gift of Time

by Stuart R. Levine

Just before CEO and consultant Stuart Levine appeared on the Today Show to promote his bestselling book The Six Fundamentals of Success, cohost Matt Lauer said to him, "You know what really drives me nuts? When people come into my office for a five-minute conversation and an hour later, they're still there! Why can't they cut to the chase?"

Lauer's question echoed the concerns Levine has heard from business people and top executives at every level: How can I get more done? How can I stay focused? How can I condense my workday so that I can become more successful and yet spend more time with my family?

Levine's answer? By cutting to the chase. The people who thrive at work are the ones who make best use of their limited time and energy. They approach each task with clarity and purpose. They prioritize. They don't allow others to waste their time. In Cut To The Chase, Levine has distilled the expertise of hundreds of CEOs, managers, and professionals into 100 concise, invaluable lessons about how to get to the point, stay on track, and be more successful in everything you do.

In an age where we spend more hours at work than ever before, Cut To The Chase is the indispensable guide to making the most of your time so that you can lead a happier, more balanced life.

Genres: Business, Self Help, Nonfiction, Productivity, Personal Development, Leadership, Management

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Antonio Costa]

A practical list to save your time and respect the time of others.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic rules for the workplace. Things I pretty much knew, but sometimes it's nice to go back and reinforce those principles. Where I disagree with him is on the subject of toxic people. He takes the traditional belief of distancing yourself from them in the work place. Maintaining a professional level. My own experience, over years of working with some real psychotics is that they won't let you distance yourself, and if you attempt to do they, they will create a scene. Even the author admits one time where he lingered in taking steps to release someone who was causing disruptions. I've been through that situation myself, and he makes a valid point when he says, "It took over a year for the other employees to regain ground and resume their own work focus." I agree. It can have tremendous impact. As harsh as it sounds, I have found that with toxic people, who are essentially bullies (but perhaps with mental health issues as well) you have to pound them into the ground and for some odd reason, they seem to grasp that...rather than say, professional distance or kindness or patience or any other thing one might offer up as a solution from a sane, rational person. You aren't dealing with sane, rational people. You cannot treat them as such. Writing as a professional I am sure Mr. Levine didn't wish to say these things, so I'll say them for him. Get rid of these people. ASAP.

[Allisonperkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid book; light on substance, high on concept. If you find yourself overwhelmed at work, this book does have a few ideas on how to gain back some of your time. The majority of the ideas boil down to taking in less information, empowering the people around you, and knowing when to, politely, bring someone around to their point.

Most of the information here has been presented elsewhere. What Mr Levine does bring is a concise, crisp summation together into one short, easy to read book. This is something we should all be thankful for as most of us don't have time to read, interview, talk with all of his sources that he brought together.

What struck me most about "Cut to the Chase" is simply how Mr Levine stresses, time and again, that the real reasons behind his book is to give you, the reader, more time to do and spend with those who are most important to you. I find this message reassuring in the high pressure world of business today.

[Matt Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cut to the Chase and 99 Other Rules to Liberate Yourself and Gain Back the Gift of Time (2006), Stuart Levine
I absolutely loved everything about Cut to the Chase by Stuart Levine from the metallic blue book jacket to the last chapter. If you are an amateur or professional time manager, I'll bet you will enjoy this book as much as me. Usually, I would say 99 chapters is a little much and I will say it would be tough to remember all 99 rules Levine presents. However, in each chapter he cuts to the chase. The title and content of each chapter packs an incredible amount of insight and entertainment without being watered down. Many topics did not present new ideas to me, but I found those refreshing to have come from such a successful author.

The only critique I have for Cut to the Chase is that several chapters seemed overly obvious, but I realize other readers may find them insightful.

[Eva]

Notes from Kindle:

If you’re not comfortable saying “You’re killing me,” try “Time out.”

It’s not always about you.

Know when you’re not needed.

Don’t grandstand.

When you’ve concluded the meeting and discussed all the points you wished to cover, ask the other people you’re meeting with if they need anything else from you. If not, recap any next steps you’ve agreed upon and let them know when they’ll be hearing from you again. Then thank them for their time. Close the conversation cleanly with something like “I look forward to working with you,” or “Talk to you in a couple of days.”

Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment.

[Fredrica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the reminder of how to govern oneself with others, so that you don't come out on the losing end all the time. This is a must read. It can be read in one day, or an hour if you have time. Simple facts of life, but quick. The book does cut to the chase.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has a couple of good points I can apply to my own situation. Quick read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this to help me be more efficient at work.

[Hksupercool]

The book is very good. You should buy it.

[Jan Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read and a good review of things you know and those you intuitively know. I read it in preparation for facilitating a meeting.

[Jesse Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

: talk about multitasking and smart working. not the most fun read ever, but practical and worthwhile habits to implement in ones life.

[Peter Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

chalk full of real-life advice that you can actually put into use and it was practical.

[Frank Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read, I enjoyed it! Very practical advice.

[Lori Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A should-read book on time management which is a critical competency as you manage your career or startup.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with good tips. Next step, re-read to apply one tip each day.

[Bryant Troupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives 99 bottom line rules to help you become more productive. It doesn't go a lot into details but can give you main points.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Save time? Sure! Read it in two sittings instead of one (grins). I'm a fan of the ideas.

[Eric Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for most people with helpful tips.
GREAT book for office workers and people in large corporations.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insights on every page.

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem with this book is that most of the advice probably *would* give you back significant amounts of work time/mental space, but at the expense of all your work relationships. And long-term, that’s just not a good strategy.

[Jenny Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is good, but not great. I'd say borrow it first.

[Ahmed Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

i found it very useful book

give idea , give ways 2 tidy your ways