Preface

Years ago, Jack Hanigan, a Corning, Inc. vice-president, told a young group of us newly hired people, “It’s not your supervisor’s job to persuade you that you are capable and deserve more money or a promotion or both. It’s your job to persuade your boss you are capable.”

You, and you alone, are responsible for your future. Plenty of people will have suggestions—your boss, your peers, Human Resources, your spouse—but it ultimately comes down to you.

I contend that the content of all work, and I mean all work, can be broken down into five component parts: KNOWING, DECIDING, ASSIGNING, INFLUENCING and COPING. In order to be truly successful at your job, master each and every one of them. That’s all there really is to it.

Having said that, I should add that simply reading the book is not enough. You must apply what you have learned and make sure you are competent in all five parts of your work. Compare it to your automobile. You may have bought it because you liked the way it looked, or how it handled. But, if the engine misses, or the windows leak, or the brakes squeal, or the tires wobble, you’ve got a lemon. All the parts have to be working properly, and the same goes for you and your work.

The body of the book is five chapters—one each on KNOWING, DECIDING, ASSIGNING, INFLUENCING and COPING. The Epilogue gives you the steps to take to success.

• Let's start with KNOWING. Regardless of what you do, you have an obligation to know what you are doing. You must know the field you are in and your job requirements. If you work for an organization, you must know all about it, its suppliers, and its customers. It should come as no surprise to you to learn that Norman Rockwell, the preeminent American illustrator, knew what he was doing. What you should take note of, however, is how he acquired his expertise.

          Ask yourself: How am I doing on KNOWING?

• Even if you never pick up a paintbrush in your life, believe me, you will learn from the success of Norman Rockwell—just as you will from Rosa Parks, Herb Brooks, and Dwight Eisenhower, whom we'll learn more about in the chapter on DECIDING. Rosa Parks, a tailor's assistant, made a single, simple decision that sparked the Civil Rights Movement in America. Herb Brooks, a hockey coach, made hundreds of small, but very important decisions that gave us one of the greatest victories in sports history. And General Dwight Eisenhower was charged with one of the most important decisions ever made in the free world. Each one of these people has something to teach us about making good decisions and doing a good day's work.

          Ask yourself: How am I doing on DECIDING?

• A major part of any job, paid or otherwise, is accepting and giving assignments. Regardless of what you do, you will be accepting assignments from your peers and bosses and giving assignments as well. My favorite example of assigning is the director of a summer camp I went to as a youth. Charged (assigned) with the care of 36 young boys for the better part of a summer, he used his mastery of ASSIGNING to assure that none of us got homesick while in his care.

          Ask yourself: How am I doing on ASSIGNING?

• The very nature of the camp director's work made him a man of influence in all of our young lives. Such is not the case with everyone, even though INFLUENCING is, in fact, a major component of success. We have all known people of influence. We have all been influenced by some of them. The key to success, however, is becoming one of them. For that, we look to the story of Rachel Carson, an unassuming young woman who dared go up against some of the most powerful corporations in the country, thereby making the world a better place for all of us.

          Ask yourself: How am I doing on INFLUENCING?

• And, finally, we come to COPING. It may never have occurred to you, but the importance of learning to cope with things beyond your control is grossly underestimated. But no one and nothing is ever in complete and total control. You may have mastered all the other components of work, but if you can't cope with any deviations from the norm, you will not find success. Abraham Lincoln didn’t become president to lead his country through the greatest war it would ever know. But, when he found himself in that position, he rose to the challenge and saved the nation.

          Ask yourself: How am I doing on COPING?

This book offers a totally new way to think about your work. It should also help you understand that success isn't necessarily relegated to those who have more or do more. Most importantly, I hope it inspires you to take the steps necessary to satisfy your job requirements always—thus doing the best you can all day, every day. Then, not only will you gain success, but you'll hold on to it as well.