Are outer demands for more success, more money, and more prestige overwhelming your inner longings? Is your work no longer energizing you? Years of frenetic activity and blind ambition have robbed many people of the joy and fulfillment they once crave and failures they fear have come to define them.

But there is hope, and it can be found in a few simple yet timeless stories.

The great Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen succinctly illuminated life's challenges in his treasured fairy tales for children and adults. And now, the powerful lessons of these classic folk tales have been ingeniously applied to the complexities of the modern workplace.

In addition to the concise summaries and probing analysis of H C Andersen's tales, The Ugly Duckling Goes to Work includes the author's new translations of the full texts, which restore the humour and rich detail often muted in previous English translations. Simple but never simplistic, these insightful interpretations and translations of some of the most cherished stories ever written will help you look deeply at your life, laugh lightly at your flaws, and make the changes needed to build a more meaningful, joyful work life.

Reviews

'The Ugly Duckling Goes to Work is full of wisdom for the workplace. It also enchants the heart.' — Ken Blanchard, co-author The One Minute Manager

'I don't like this book... I love it. Mette Norgaard illuminates Hans Christian Andersen's wisdom, brilliance, humour, and insights eloquently... this is a great book that you will read, re-read, and share with those that you love and with whom you work.' — Mark Hansen, co-creator, Chicken Soup for the Soul