In a previous book review, I talked about a book that was meant to help people find jobs. But what if you find yourself on the opposite side of the spectrum?

Picture this: You've got the perfect job, a managerial or perhaps even a high-ranking executive position. You've had this job for about fifteen years and you're at the top of your game. Life is good.

Then without warning, the other shoe drops. Your company is bought out - the CEO retired and the new guy wants to shake things up. Or your rival got promoted instead of you. Suddenly, you're not the Golden Child anymore. You've become expendable and before you know it, they're showing you the door.

This very thing has happened to the three authors of the book I Didn't See it Coming: The Only Book You'll Ever Need to Avoid Being Blindsided in Business. Nancy C. Widmann, Dr. Elaine J. Eisenman, and Amy Dorn Kopelan were successful execs in their respective fields, but were caught unawares by changes in their companies. They banded together to write this book to help others avoid the same fate.

What's really great about this book is that although it's relatively short (only nine chapters), it's jam-packed with a lot of information and advice. Each chapter flows nicely, written in a casual (i.e., no stiff business jargon) but straightforward manner. The chapters are peppered with real-life stories of people who either succeeded or failed to avoid the land mines in their business. Some of the stories are straight from the authors' personal experiences. At the end of every chapter is a quick recap of the take home points, which is a nice touch.

The authors had an odd way of arranging the chapters in I Didn't See it Coming, but they discussed their reasoning during the Introduction. Specifically, the first chapter immediately thrusts the reader into emergency preparation mode by focusing on how to create an exit strategy in case the worst happens. Some of the steps include creating an exit fund and increasing your professional marketability. The authors consider the exit strategy a "corporate pre-nup," and explained that this step is crucial because once it's in place, people will feel more secure in managing their career and moving up the corporate ladder.

Chapters 2-8 assumes that an exit strategy has been developed, which leaves one free to focus on how to navigate smoothly through the business mine field. For example, Chapters 2 and 3 offer tips on developing one's leadership style, while Chapter 5 gives advice on how to work well in a team situation. The book comes full circle in Chapter 9, as the authors provide ten red flags to signal that the end is near, and how to survive the "day of reckoning". Here are some of those red flags, and what they really mean:

•  You're handed unattainable profit goals (management is squeezing you out).
• Unfamiliar attorneys are noticed on the executive floor (your company is buying or selling).
• Your boss will no longer approve any capital expenditures (you have lost power).

I Didn't See it Coming is a great wake-up call to managers and other higher-ups who have become complacent in their jobs and think they'll be there forever. Sadly, that's sometimes not the case. Anything can happen at any moment, and if you don't want to be caught off-guard, then I recommend reading this short book. Of course it still won't feel good if you do get a pink slip, but at least you'll be prepared.