Tracy, Diane (A.) 1951-

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TRACY, Diane (A.) 1951-

PERSONAL:

Born 1951, in Lynn, MA. Education: Graduated from Florida State University, 1973.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Tracy Communications, P.O. Box 603, Chester, CT 06412. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

The Bowery Savings Bank, New York, NY, senior vice president and director of communications, c. 1984; Tracy Communications, Chester, CT, president.

WRITINGS:

The First Book of Common-Sense Management: How to Overcome Managerial Madness by Finding the Simple Key to Success, Morrow (New York, NY), 1989.

The Power Pyramid: How to Get Power by Giving It Away Morrow (New York, NY), 1990.

Take This Job and Love It: A Personal Guide to Career Empowerment, McGraw-Hill (New York, NY), 1994, reprinted as Take This Job and Love It: How to Turn the Job You Have into the Job You Want, Sourcebooks (Naperville, IL), 2001.

(With William J. Morin) Truth, Trust, and the Bottom Line: 7 Steps to Trust-Based Management, Dearborn Trade (Chicago, IL), 2001.

Blue's Clues for Success: The 8 Secrets behind a Phenomenal Business, Dearborn Trade (Chicago, IL), 2002.

SIDELIGHTS:

Diane Tracy's experience in corporate communications led her to form her own consulting firm, establish herself as a corporate speaker, and pen several "how-to" books for corporate managers and employees. Her speaking and coaching clients include AT&T, MetLife, IBM, MTV, Kodak, Philips Electronics, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Tracy's first book, The First Book of Common-Sense Management: How to Overcome Managerial Madness by Finding the Simple Key to Success, sets out to help corporate managers hone their people skills in order to motivate and lead. Library Journal's Robert Logsdon found it "simple, easy to read and informative at a very basic level."

Her next guide, The Power Pyramid: How to Get Power by Giving It Away, presented managers with ten principles to empower employees and team members, centered on sharing power and responsibilities. Richard Paustenbaugh of Library Journal felt Tracy "does a good job of bringing together the numerous standard procedures for the sharing of power … but she offers little in the way of new and insightful commentary."

Take This Job and Love It: How to Turn the Job You Have into the Job You Want shifted Tracy's focus from management to the employees, helping them bring unreal job expectations back down to earth and encouraging them to take some responsibility for their job situation. In the process Sue McKimm of Library Journal noted that Tracy "employs many of the slogans and principles of the twelve-step movement" while writing "in a popular style that makes for quick reading."

Truth, Trust, and the Bottom Line: 7 Steps to Trust-Based Management, written with William J. Morin, again offers managers tips in "coaching" employees. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt "the authors offer sound explanations and practical blueprints," but "are at their best when providing clear examples."

In an interesting variation on the formula, Blue's Clues for Success: The 8 Secrets behind a Phenomenal Business details Tracy's experience working as a consultant for the popular children's program. The book describes the process of producing the show, including the ideas behind how it was created and marketed, as Tracy looks to Blue's Clues as a case study in a successful merging of creative and business visions. A Publishers Weekly contributor's only complaint was that "no one featured … has anything critical to say" about the show and the "relentless optimism … may be less than optimal for discerning executive readers." The contributor allowed, "The book's strongest sections describe how the story lines and animation are developed. Parents, teachers and business people will also be interested in the company's innovative approach to market research and testing."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Journal of Economic Literature, March, 1991, review of The Power Pyramid, p. 218.

Library Journal, March 15, 1989, Robert Logsdon, review of The First Book of Common-Sense Management, p. 83; February 1, 1990, Richard Paustenbaugh, review of The Power Pyramid, p. 103; February 1, 1994, Sue McKimm, review of Take This Job and Love It, p. 94.

Management Review, February, 1990, review of The First Book of Common-Sense Management, p. 60.

Publishers Weekly, February 26, 2001, review of Truth, Trust, and the Bottom Line, p. 71; June 17, 2002, review of Blue's Clues for Success, p. 55.