Common Sense Ideas for Becoming the Career Star You Are Meant to Be

Today is Wednesday, so this post is on Outstanding Performance. 

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to meet and work with Jerry Porras, co author of the business best seller, Built to Last.  Jerry was a delight to work with – generous with his time and his thoughts.  He made some very helpful comments when I was in the process of revising the manuscript to one of my books Using Values to Turn Vision Into Reality.

I was pleased to see that he – and Stewart Emery and Mark Thompson -- has a new book out: Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters.  They interviewed over 200 successful people for this book – many like Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs and Quincy Jones are well known. 

They found that all of the people they interviewed had three traits in common:

• Meaning: Every one of the successful people interviewed said that what they did mattered deeply to them. 
• Thought Style: All of the interviewees have a highly developed sense of accountability, audacity, passion and optimism.
• Action Style: All of the successful people interviewed find ways to take effective action.

Let’s take a look at these traits in the context of becoming an outstanding performer. 

Meaning: I believe that you must enjoy what you do and care about it.  I am passionate about helping others succeed.  I love to watch my coaching and consulting clients accomplish great things.  I care deeply about helping others.  Outstanding performers feel the same way about their work.  One of my friends is an executive with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.  He is passionate about helping kids build better lives.  Another friend loves soccer.  At one time, he was the chief marketing officer for Adidas soccer.  Now, he runs a company that connects sponsors and people who run soccer events.  All of these people take great satisfaction form the work they do.  They find personal meaning in it.  If you don’t get excited about going to work everyday, you probably are in the wrong job.  It takes courage to make a switch, but if you’re going to become a star, make the switch and do something where your passion will show.

Thought Style: Accountability is key here.  I tell people that one of the things I enjoy most about being self employed is that I can take a few minutes to myself every New Year’s Eve and say “congratulations, you made it through another year without a real job”.  I say that only half jokingly.  I take great satisfaction in knowing that everything I have, I have earned by my own work.  Ask any entrepreneur and he or she will tell you a similar story.  You don’t have to be an entrepreneur to be an accountable person.  All it takes is the willingness to accept responsibility and to hold yourself accountable for doing what you say you’ll do.  Accountability is a mind set.

Action Style: The Nike ads sum it up “just do it”.  Take action.  Enjoy your successes, and learn from your failures.  Don’t get paralyzed into inaction because of what could go wrong.  Do something!  Remember the old saying “it’s usually easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission”.  This approach to life and work has served me well.

In short, Success Built to Last offers some really great common sense advice on becoming an outstanding performer.  Pick up a copy and read it.  You’ll love the stories of the people profiled there – more importantly, you’ll find some great ideas to put into play.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my other blogs: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a business, and www.CommonSenseDay.com to learn more about Use Your Common Sense Day -- November 4, and to read stories of common sense in action; and my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.