For Greene County News

CINCINNATI – John Ballard, Ph.D. of Beavercreek, professor in the School of Business at Mount St. Joseph University, admits the book he had been meaning to write for years took a lot longer than expected. Ballard is an award-winning management scholar and author of dozens of academic papers.

“This is the book I wanted to give my son and daughter when they entered the workplace,” he said of his children, now college graduates with successful careers. “Unfortunately, I’m a slow writer.”

Ballard is referencing his new book, “Decoding the Workplace: 50 Keys to Understanding People in Organizations” (Praeger, 2015), which is a career development book aimed at a mass market of business readers and people in the workplace who want to “up their game.” In the book, Ballard shares his knowledge of organizational behavior, both as a professor and from his experiences as a manager and consultant, specifically helping readers figure out what’s going on around them. Just as he does in the classroom, Ballard illustrates with many stories about workplaces experiences, including his own, to make connections with research and organizational life.

“I know this book will help many people, especially those who might be starting careers,” he said. “To be successful in your organization, you need to understand what’s going on around you in the workplace, such as ways others try to influence you or how your organization’s culture affects you. If you understand some of the dynamic aspects of the workplace, you have a better chance of unlocking opportunities.”

Gregg Popovich, President and Head Coach of the San Antonio Spurs, was one of the early readers of “Decoding the Workplace” and endorsed the book. “John Ballard breaks down the workplace into its parts and then shows how the parts work,” he wrote. “His fundamental approach is insightful and should help anyone improve his or her ‘people IQ.’”

“Decoding the Workplace” is available through online bookstores such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Mount St. Joseph University is an undergraduate and graduate Catholic university that provides an interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curriculum emphasizing values, service and social responsibility.

John Ballard is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received his Ph.D. from Purdue University.