I heard the audio version of the Book: Career Warfare: 10 Rules for Building a Successful Personal Brand and Fighting to Keep It by David F. D’Alessandro recently. Following are notes from it.
Short Summary: It is a book on how to climb the career ladder while handling the hurdles and opportunities. The author covers anecdotes from his experience, making it even more interesting. For anyone in the work environment, I would rate it a 4/5.
Notes (They are from last chapter to first):
-Do not stop being a contender. Aka keep your edge from ages 30-60:
1. Don’t be a generic, be a Tylenol. Fear and sluggishness will settle in.
2. Get back on the horse. Go for the promotion.
3. Ask for a promotion. Never punch it at work.
4. Do not settle for cheap such as 5 percent rise, a better health plan. Field job with no raise, so they can come back. Latter you will make up more than this.
5. Moments of importance will happen, hard to control. Use the ones which are opportunities. Be ready and plan for them
6. Gamble shrewdly. Take risks, particularly department goals. No new job every 2-3 years.
7. Create a brain trust.
8. Tinker with success. Try to explain the reasons why.
9. Do not cross the lines of integrity.
10. Unexamined reputation is not worth it. Be conscious of what is your reputation.
-What do you want to be said at your retirement party?
-Do not let them see you sweat and you won’t sweat for long. HP CEO Carly fiorina and the proxy battle with Packard family.
-Keep an eye on when the standards have changed. At work, in public.
-Do something that reminds you there is a world outside work. Garden. Travel. Hike.
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Be gracious, but pick a fight if needed.
Be aware of your competitors.
It’s always showtime
Be on watch all day. There might be career altering opportunities.
Meetings are the stage where you build your brand. Or show your worst qualities. Use them well.
Work where you are learning and your brand is thriving. Do not get stuck. Note, he has worked at John Hancock for 20 years.
4. Use the pickle fork
-do not embarrass yourself. Toilet VP guy.
-dress well.
-do not judge another person by looks.
-about maintaining tact including at parties.
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The idea is to learn from a boss, make contacts and grow.
If you stop learning and get lulled into mediocrity, you might end up on your 40s-50s working for someone 10 year younger and wonder what happened.
Types of bosses: patriarch, wimp, mentor, one way, paraiah.
Rule 3: Put your boss on the couch
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Rule 2: your mgr is your co-brand.
Your image with his peers is due to your boss.
Hierarchy and credit taken is often the way of corporate career. Get use to it.
Never criticize your boss. Ever.
3 types of employees. Sycophants, Contrarian, Balanced.
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Five attributes for success.
-bring company money
-tell the truth.
-keep your promise. Deliver on time.
-be discrete, use information, do not pass it along.
-have people want to work for you. People are your project. Use stick or just sweet talk.
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-Promotions, decisions happen in a casual environment. Based on your brand and in minutes. What Is the first thing people think when they think of You?
-Rule 1: develop an external perspective to your actions.
Take humble tasks to be noticed by Execs.
Strive to put everyone in a good light.
-Get noticed.
Interesting example of exclusive restaurants. How by putting their reviews, he got access to seats there.
Finally
-Manage your brand. Like a Mercedes you are expensive and are expected a high performance.
