This book was recommended by a career blog for 20-somethings. After my own recent experience of not really understanding what bosses generally want out of employees, I thought it might be a useful read. I was correct. On the same trip to the library, I also picked up Work 101 by Elizabeth Freedman (Ms. Freedman found it necessary to include MBA after her name, which gives a sense of the intended audience for this book).
Work 101 was recommended by the same blog. It focuses almost exclusively on how to behave in the super-corporate setting of trading companies, ad-firms and other places where an MBA is the currency. As a result the advice is all given in this context and it is hard to suss out the information that is relevant to me in my engineering-centric world.
45 Things, on the other hand, looks more fundamentally at problems that occur when people are in subordinate relationships. Most of the recommendations are common sense---use correct spelling in your emails, don't lie, don't argue about politics or religion at work---but are good to be reminded of. Others were suggestions that weren't obvious to myself---watch who you hang out with at work, as bad attitudes can easily rub off, how to stand up to bullies---but make sense now that I've read them.
Overall, what I learned was:
- Be consistent.
- Don't be too weird.
- Be respectful all the time.
- Think for yourself.
- Be nice.
I'd definitely recommend 45 Things for anyone who, like myself, doesn't always "get" a lot of human interaction stuff, but can learn to. Work 101 is best left for those looking to climb the corporate ladder.
Personal integrity. That is to say, "Don't lose touch with your own identity and decency," or, said another way, "Remember who you are working for: yourself, your immediate superior -- to ensure that what is being demanded of him or her from above is more likely satisfied promptly than not -- and, I think, "The People."
ReplyDeleteThis matter of the people stands large with me: if we understand we work for them [i.e., the betterment of the nation at all levels through personal example that sets an outward ripple in motion], then we may more surely keep a grip on our inner/inward selves.
For some, this appears more easily achieved than for others, but I suspect that is not the case: I think everyone, even those who own and run their own, find themselves in the same postion vis a vis others person and ideals.
I suspect you will have less trouble keeping this grip than not.
It's been very gratifying to hear people of all ages say they find the book useful. That although they knew many of the rules, they had let their performance "slide" and needed to be reminded. Other rules, just as you said, were not so obvious but made sense once they were pointed out.
ReplyDeleteI've always believed that information is power, and my hope is that by reading this book, I've given workers a sense that they have more control over their career success than they may have believed. One more noted: I'm writing a blog with more career information that I hope others will find useful: www.45things.com
Anita Bruzzese