From Day One

Early Praise for From Day One
“Bill White’s book should be required reading for anyone

starting a career, and a must-read for anyone after they
have started their career.”
—Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business
Administration, University of Southern California, and
co-author, Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and
Defining Moments Shape Leaders
“If you are a young person who believes in the future, who
believes in personal growth, who has the humility to learn,
this book is for you.”
—From the foreword by Ram Charan, Charan Associates
business advisor, speaker, and author of several bestselling
books, including Confronting Reality and Execution:
The Discipline of Getting Things Done, as well as several
other books
“Excellent, practical advice and wisdom-based counsel

from someone who has been both in the trenches and at
the peak. The perfect graduation and career kick-off gift.”
—Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People and The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to
Greatness
“Looking for a shortcut to fame and fortune? This book

won’t satisfy. But if you want to know what you don’t know
that blocks your path to a dream career, you can do no
better than putting your ear to Bill White’s ground.”
—Allan Cox, management author and consultant to boards,
CEOs, and top teams
“Fortunate is the young professional—or old professional,
for that matter—who heeds this advice. Its theme rings
clear and true: Concern yourself with making your organi-
zation better and learning from every experience and
everyone. As I read this book, the word that kept
coming to my mind was integrity—having a life or moral
code that is integrated into one’s attitudes and behaviors at
work. From Day One defines success at a much higher
level; it empowers and implores people to choose the nat-
ural high road, and lets success follow. It is also filled with
practical tips, not an idealist or moralist dream but a meat
and potatoes success story!”
—Jean Egmon, President, Third Angle, Inc. and co-author of
The Prepared Mind of a Leader: Eight Skills Leaders Use to
Innovate, Make Decisions, and Solve Problems
“Benjamin Franklin, the patron saint of self-improvement

books, coined the maxim ‘doing well by doing good’ in
his Poor Richard’s Almanack. Now, in this wonderfully
readable book, Bill White shows, step by step, how you
can indeed truly do well in your career by doing good in
this world.”
—From the foreword by Walter Isaacson, author of
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, President and CEO
of the Aspen Institute, and Former Chairman and CEO of
CNN
“From Day One is not a book of pie-in-the-sky platitudes.

This is reality-based advice–tested, tempered, and proven
by life experience—a ‘toolbox’ that will provide young pro-
fessionals with the fundamental habits for career success.
It’s must reading for anyone who aspires to career success
in business, industry, education, or government.”
—Jack Rayman, Director of Career Services and Affiliate
Professor of Counseling Psychology and Education, Penn
State University
“Oh, what wisdom! These profound truths are rarely found
in the world of academics. Yet they are the only truths that
count in life, both personally and professionally. Savor
every thought!”
—Glenna Salsbury, author of The Art of The Fresh Start, pro-
fessional speaker, and past President, National Speakers
Association
“From Day One is a great primer to assist college students

today in making a successful move to the world of work.
For young professionals, From Day One is a valuable tool
to help understand the nuances of working for a corpora-
tion and how to better prepare themselves for this journey.
I wish I had such a guide when I was embarking on
my career journey. However, I will make sure my three
children not only read it, but take notes on how to become
a valuable employee.”
—Paul G. Schneider, Scherer Schneider Paulick, counseling
and outplacement firm
“Overflowing with tips, wisdom, and solid values on which

to build your career...and your life. Although written for
making the most of your first job, it’s valuable for people at
any level wanting to do better for their organizations and
themselves.”
—Ed Zschau, visiting lecturer, Princeton University, and
former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (CA)
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From Day One
From Day One
Success Secrets for Starting
Your Career
William J. White
PEARSON PRENTICE HALL

AN IMPRINT OF PEARSON EDUCATION
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White, William J., 1938
From day one: success secrets for starting your career / William J. White.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-13-220686-2
1. Career development. 2. Vocational guidance. 3. Success in business. I. Title.
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DEDICATION
To General Georges Doriot, Professor Harvard
Business School (1926-1966), whose inspiration
and approach to life still lives in all his students!
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xiii
About the Author xv
Foreword by Ram Charan xvii
Foreword by Walter Isaacson xix
Introduction xxi
PART I WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 1

Chapter 1 What Contribution Will You Make? 3
Chapter 2 Your Personal Philosophy 21
PART II FINDING YOUR PASSION 43

Chapter 3 Your Network: It’s All About
“Giving,” Not Just “Getting” 45
Chapter 4 Finding Your Ideal Position 59
PART III A SUCCESSFUL START 89

Chapter 5 From Day One 91
Chapter 6 Is Graduate School Right for You? 111
Chapter 7 Developing Your Career 129
PART IV THE NEW MANAGER 145

Chapter 8 The First-Time Manager 147
Chapter 9 Building Your Team 169
xi
xii CONTENTS
PART V SUCCESS HABITS FOR

A LIFETIME 191
Chapter 10 The Successful Life 193
Appendix Your Toolbox for Success 211
End Notes 227
Index 231
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From the initial concept to publication, a great many people influ-

enced and contributed to this book in a positive way.
First, I want to thank the thought leaders and executives who gra-
ciously shared their thoughts and ideas with me: Peggy Barr, John C.
Bogle, William Bowen, Herman Cain, James Citrin, Donald P.
Delves, Andrea Jung, Frank LaFasto, Pamela Forbes Lieberman,
Robert Kelley, Greg Maddux, Nell Minow, Gerry Niewoehner,
Thomas O. Ryder, and Edmund J. Wilson.
Also sharing their words and wisdom were two long-term and
steadfast mentors and bosses, Warren Batts and John D. Gray.
Their advice over the years proved invaluable to me at the time,
and they contributed to this book in numerous ways beyond being
interviewed.
Other “bosses” who greatly influenced my philosophy and style
included Edgar Stoval at Mead and Robert Bass at Bell & Howell.
I am indebted to Northwestern University’s former dean, Jerry
Cohen, who first gave me the chance to teach, and to Robert Landel,
who taught me how at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of
Business. My faculty associates in the Industrial Engineering &
Management Science Department of Northwestern University pro-
vided the environment where the ideas for this book came to life.
Jerry Kirschenbaum, a Northwestern classmate, gave me the encour-
agement to try to actually write a book.
xiii
xiv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Paula Sinnott at Pearson Prentice Hall shared my enthusiasm for

this book and had the commitment to make it a reality, while making
valuable suggestions for its improvement.
My ghostwriter, Tricia Crisafulli, “got” the idea from the very
first. Her business insights, speedy work, and encouragement made
the writing tasks enjoyable and very satisfying.
My family’s support, particularly that of my wife, Jane, was
invaluable. Jane never wavered in her enthusiasm for my project,
always responding eagerly to my frequent request of “Would you
please read this?” She is the love of my life, and I cannot thank her
enough for her support, inspiration, humor, gentleness, and caring.
Throughout my career, I have relied on Jane’s strength, wisdom,
and perceptiveness. I’m lucky that my close, trusted advisor is some-
one I live with. Together, we’ve had enormous joy being parents
to our sons, Jim and Tom, and our daughters, Mia and Gretchen.
My hope is that our grandchildren—Benjamin, Slater, Bill, Stuart,
Brian, Brigid, Patrick, Amy, Maggie, Cutter, Colin, Mary Jane, and
Eleanor—will find this book valuable when they are approaching
their life career choices. Looking back, I appreciate the love I’ve
received from my family. I can honestly say that my faith, support of
my children and family, and wonderful friends have allowed me to
keep things in perspective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William J. White has been a professor in the McCormick School of

Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University in
Evanston, Ill. since January 1998. He is the recipient of several teach-
ing awards, including the Alumni Association’s Award for Excellence
in Teaching. He also teaches at the distinguished Kellogg School of
Management.
Mr. White served as chairman, CEO, and president of Bell &
Howell Company (now Proquest Company). Previously, he was
chairman and president of Whitestar Graphics, Inc., and prior to that
he was executive vice president and a director of USG Corporation.
He also held executive positions at Masonite Corporation, Mead
Corporation, and Hartmarx Corporation.
Mr. White is an industrial engineering graduate of Northwestern
University and he received an MBA degree from Harvard University.
He coauthored Creative Collective Bargaining, published by
Prentice Hall in 1965.
He has been the chairman of the Advisory Council of the
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at
Northwestern University. He is past chairman of the Business
Advisory Council at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Mr. White is a trustee of Northwestern University, as well as a
member of the Board of Directors of Packaging Dynamics
Corporation, The Reader’s Digest Association, Evanston
Northwestern Healthcare, The Illinois Mathematics and Science
Academy Foundation, and The Field Museum.
xv
FOREWORD
BY RAM CHARAN
As a young person, you are entering a world that will always change.
Some young people have courage, stamina, and the temperament to
do more than just accept the change. They lead the change. They
have an insatiable appetite to learn what is happening, to seek new
ideas, to look at the world from a historical perspective, and to talk to
people who have learned from history. They distill wisdom and learn
what not to do. They recognize what lies ahead and what will demand
the best of their mental faculties and behaviors—knowing that their
actions will inspire others.
If you are a young person who believes in the future, who
believes in personal growth, who has the humility to learn, this book
is for you.
I have known Bill White for a long time. Throughout his life,
his values have served him very well. At Harvard, he sought out
instructors who had wisdom, built character, and shared experiences.
Professor Georges Doriot was one of those instructors. He was
legendary. He helped build the character of many CEOs. Remember,
no young person knows everything: What they do not know, they
learn from people with wisdom. At Harvard, Bill was one of those
people. In the early days of his career, he went “where the action is,”
which was on the ground floor. He built up his life and career from
there. What Bill accomplished for himself was not what mattered
most to him. Rather, it was helping others accomplish their goals and
beyond, and rejoicing in their success, that has always been of utmost
importance to Bill. If these qualities resonate with you, then you’ve
picked up the right book.
xvii
xviii FOREWORD
Every single day is the first step of the next portion of your
life. Be a marathon player, not a sprinter. Have the temperament,
stamina, and patience to know when to make a change and when to
remain the same. Bill provides a stellar example for living this life.
This is a small book. Read it carefully. Discuss it with your col-
leagues. Internalize the gems that it holds. Remember the impor-
tance of doing good. How you live will contribute to your generation.
True success is achieving both your ambitions and your happiness—
find the balance. The world needs you.
Ram Charan, Charan Associates business advisor,

speaker, and author of several bestselling books,
including Confronting Reality and Execution:
The Discipline of Getting Things Done, as well as
several other books
FOREWORD
BY WALTER ISAACSON
Many people starting a new career focus on one thing: how to get
ahead. Later in their careers, they learn the importance of other
goals, such as making a contribution, upholding values, and pursuing
a passion that they find meaningful.
Throughout his distinguished career as a major business execu-
tive, professor, and corporate board leader, Bill White has developed
a crucial leadership insight that is valuable for aspiring young people
as they start their careers—and also for the business community and
world at large. Bill knows that goals and values are an integral com-
ponent of being truly successful.
To the extent that you focus on making a contribution rather than
getting ahead, you will rise naturally in a company. Your success will
be seen as based on merit and worth. Your company and colleagues
will all benefit from your rise, and they will be eager to help someone
they perceive as helpful to others.
In the previous generation, some saw ruthlessness and greed as
being methods for getting ahead. We all saw where that led and what
it did to corporate America.
In today’s business world a premium is placed on values—and
rightly so. Corporations treasure integrity and credibility, and will
promote the people they trust and who can guard their corporate
values.
Your personal ethics are reflected, and shaped, by the dozens of
little decisions you make each day. What this book shows is why it is
so important these days to get this aspect of your career right.
xix
xx FOREWORD
The natural temptation for ambitious young workers is to look at

a situation and say, “What can I get out of it?” True success, however,
comes from knowing how to lead by serving. When you serve the
larger goals of your organization, the people around you, and the
greater good of your society, you are more likely to get ahead and
build a fulfilling, rewarding career.
Benjamin Franklin, the patron saint of self-improvement books,
coined the maxim “doing well by doing good” in his Poor Richard’s
Almanac. Now, in this wonderfully readable book, Bill White shows,
step-by-step, how you can indeed truly do well in your career by
doing good in this world.
Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin:

An American Life, President and CEO of the Aspen
Institute, and Former Chairman and CEO of CNN
INTRODUCTION
As a corporate-executive-turned-college-professor, I’ve seen the

business world from many perspectives. Much of what I impart in
these pages reflects my own career. My goal is to provide practical
wisdom that will allow you to benefit from the experience of others.
I’m honored in these pages to pass on the knowledge, observations,
and perspective of many executives and thought leaders, who have
generously shared from their own careers (including when they were
just starting out), as well as their interactions with young professionals.
They include Jack Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group;
Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux; Andrea Jung, chairman of Avon
Products and #3 on the Wall Street Journal’s list of “The Top 50
Women to Watch,” and Herman Cain, an African-American busi-
nessman who rose from humble roots in Georgia to the top ranks of
corporate America.
The dozen or so individuals I’ve interviewed have titles such as
chairman, CEO, president, and vice president. They have achieved
levels of success that many people yearn for throughout their careers.
As a college student or a young professional, you may have your
sights set on the executive suite some day. Given that ambition,
wouldn’t you want to learn from the experiences of those who have
already made it? Wouldn’t you want to benefit from their wisdom as
well as from their mistakes? Of course you would.
My aim in this book is to help you—whether you’re a college stu-
dent, recent graduate, graduate student, or young professional in the
first five years of your career—shorten your learning curve. The
xxi
xxii FROM DAY ONE
faster you can learn these secrets of success and incorporate them
into your professional life, the more quickly you’ll become a highly
valued member of your organization.
While each person’s experience is and should be unique, I
believe there are important commonalities to success. I see them as a
mosaic of behaviors, practices, and attitudes, which will be discussed
throughout the book. Therefore, you may want to apply some of
these suggestions immediately and implement others later. What’s
important for you is to discover what resonates for you right now, see
what works, and then add more skills and habits over time.
I remember what it was like, many years ago, to join a corpora-
tion with big ideas and high expectations but little practical knowl-
edge of how things really work. A few years later, I learned what it
was like to be a manager, hiring new people and coaching and devel-
oping internal talent. Later, I became an executive, including chair-
man and CEO of a New York Stock Exchange-traded company, and
was the steward of corporate resources, values, and talent. Now, in
my latest role, as a professor at the McCormick School of
Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University, I have
the day-to-day experience of teaching and advising students who
want to be prepared for the future.
Students often ask me, “How do I get started on the job? What
should I do the first week? What do I have to know? What should I
read?”
You can Google all you want. You can find tips and hints on how
to write a dynamite résumé and ace an interview. But you still won’t
know how to be successful in your career—from Day One. Thus,
when my students ask me to recommend a book on this subject, after
much research I decided to write my own, based on observations,
anecdotes, surveys, speeches, articles, and readings accumulated
over my long career.
Foremost among the lessons in these pages is the importance of
making a contribution. As you will learn throughout this book, the
INTRODUCTION xxiii
best strategy for a young professional, a seasoned manager, or even a

top executive is to make the best possible contribution to the com-
pany or organization. This may sound counterintuitive, particularly if
you’re a college student or a recent graduate who is used to compet-
ing with and challenging others. Trust me on this one. Based on my
own experience and what I’ve seen in the corporate arena, when you
focus on the company’s goals first, you’ll produce a meaningful return
in the long run. And you’ll be a success.
True success stems from feeling good about your accomplish-
ments and knowing that you’re making a difference in your company
or organization. Ultimately, this will be the legacy you leave behind in
every job and in every organization throughout your career. Starting
out, however, you may be most concerned about financial rewards,
which are certainly important. What too few people understand, par-
ticularly as they launch their careers, is that you must make a differ-
ence first; then you have a greater chance of achieving financial
rewards in the future. The more you contribute, the more challeng-
ing positions will be offered to you with bigger salaries and bonuses
attached. This payoff over the long term doesn’t mean that you have
to wait for great things to happen. From Day One you can reap the
satisfaction that comes from making a contribution and establish a
firm footing on the path to true success.
At this point, you may be saying, “Okay, okay. I’ll make a contri-
bution. But first, I’ve got to find a job. Where are the hot jobs? What
should I be doing?” If those are the questions you’re asking, you’re in
good company. I hear them all the time from my students. However,
these questions, are not the ones you should be asking.
What I do with my students is turn the questions around. “What
do you get excited about? What are your passions? What activities
engage you so much that you can hardly believe the time went by?” If
you aren’t passionate about what you do, you will feel as if you’re
behind the pack. You’re likely to be frustrated, which can damage
your relationships with co-workers, associates, and even the people
xxiv FROM DAY ONE
closest to you. You owe it to yourself to identify your passions early

and follow them wherever they lead you.
This is a different approach than many students take. They are
eager to get out into the working world, or they are acutely aware of
the expectations of parents and grandparents who want a return on
their emotional and financial investment in four-plus years of college.
Believe me, I understand those pressures! But a world of difference
exists between “a job” and “the right job.” Your first job and your
relationship with your first boss (good or bad) will set the tone for
much of your working life. If you have a positive experience, the con-
fidence gained and favorable feedback received will last for many
years. If it’s negative, you may feel tainted for as many years.
Maybe you’re still not convinced that you should be spending all
this time thinking about your career instead of jumping into job
searches and résumé writing. Consider something that happened to
me many years ago when I was starting my career. I was a co-op stu-
dent at Northwestern University, which meant that instead of going
to school for four years, I put in five, including a year-and-a-half of
work experience over several quarters at S.C. Johnson in Racine,
Wis. During my work experience there, I was encouraged to meet
with the company’s industrial psychologist, which was a rare experi-
ence in those days, particularly for a 19-year-old intern. The psychol-
ogist put me through a battery of tests, which he then analyzed. I can
still remember his sitting down with me to discuss the results.
“Bill,” he said, “let me tell you the bad news first. You’re really
not outstanding in anything. But the good news is, you’re pretty good
at a lot of things. From a career standpoint, you should think about
being a generalist—a general manager, for example.”
That insight planted a seed and helped me set a goal. Of course,
having a goal is one thing; achieving it is quite another. I was helped
considerably when I enrolled in the Harvard MBA program in 1961.
While there, I became a student of the late Georges Doriot, a leg-
endary professor whose lessons went far beyond the process and
INTRODUCTION xxv
philosophy of management. Among the many things he taught was

how to get started on our careers and, more importantly, how to think
about our careers. His lessons remained with me throughout my pro-
fessional life, and they still ring true today. Once you were a “Doriot
student,” you remained so for life. I am honored to be in this group of
esteemed peers.
Lastly, in my career, I’ve been fortunate to hold some interesting
job assignments that allowed me not only to manage people but also
to teach them. In fact, my style of management is very much that of a
coach and teacher. My philosophy always has been that by teaching
someone, I could make that individual better at his or her job. Thus,
by passing on what I knew, by sharing from my own expertise, I could
leverage my skills and knowledge to reap a greater return for the
company.
Now it’s your turn to benefit from the wisdom and experience
of others and insights into achieving long-term happiness and true
success as you begin from Day One.
PART I:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Chapter 1 What Contribution Will

You Make? 3
Chapter 2 Your Personal Philosophy 21
1
1
WHAT CONTRIBUTION
WILL YOU MAKE?
“People who do well in life understand things that
other people don’t understand.”
—Georges Doriot
A distinct difference exists between what you know and what you
understand. You probably know a great many things based on the
courses you’ve taken and what you’ve learned thus far. Understand-
ing, however, comes mostly from time and experience.
Whether you’re entering college, you’ve just graduated, or you
are in the first few years of your professional career, you are gaining
valuable experiences that contribute to your lifelong “understanding
curve.” As you face challenges in your personal life and your acade-
mic or professional career, you are beginning to apply what you’ve
learned to situations as they occur. You will make your share of mis-
takes. If you learn from your mistakes, you will benefit a great deal. If
you can learn from the mistakes of others, however, you will leapfrog
ahead on the “understanding curve.”
Executives, leaders, and superstars in their field have truly “made
it” when it comes to professional and personal success. They are at
the pinnacle of their careers. Some of their experiences, like mine,
3
4 FROM DAY ONE
span two generations. Their wisdom, however, is timeless, particu-

larly as companies reinforce many of their core values.
Companies are stressing the importance of delivering value to all
constituents—not just stockholders, but also employees, suppliers,
and customers. At the same time, companies are vastly different than
they were 30, 40, or 50 years ago. Technology has enabled greater
connectivity, opening new markets and opportunities while allowing
people to work in a number of different ways, from flextime to
telecommuting—all at a much greater speed. You’re the beneficiary
of this change. In this day and age, you are leading my generation in
utilizing new technology. Who knows what technological inroads will
be made in the future that will change the way we work even more!
So what does that mean to you, the college student or young pro-
fessional? I firmly believe it has everything to do with you, both as
you start your career and as you move through the ranks to become a
young manager and maybe an executive some day. To do this, you
will need not only technical knowledge, but leadership skills as well.
The kind of leadership I’m talking about is based on ethical behavior
and recognizing the value of everyone who is involved in the organi-
zation, including the employees, the customers, and the stockhold-
ers. Above all, you must discover and follow your passion, because
this is truly what will carry you forward in your career.
Managing Your Career from Day One

People often ask, “What is the secret to being successful?” Some of
them, I’m sure, don’t like the answer at first. The best way to manage
your career, from Day One, is to focus on the contribution you will
make to your employer. In other words, it’s not about you. It’s about
what you can do to further the goals of your company or organization.
Admittedly, this type of thinking changes the rules of the game from
a contest to be won today into a long-term investment in which you
are an integral player.
CHAPTER 1 • WHAT CONTRIBUTION WILL YOU MAKE? 5
“Wait a minute,” you’re probably thinking. “I’m not signing on for

the Peace Corps or joining some ‘serve-the-greater-good’ organiza-
tion. I want to get a job, earn money (preferably lots of it), and get
ahead. Isn’t that what I went to college for?”
The short answer is yes and no. You can jump on the fast track,
catch the brass ring, climb the ladder, and all the other clichés of
achievement. But you still may not be successful. Real success stems
from the satisfaction of knowing that your work is important, that
what you do makes a difference. This runs contrary to what you see
on television and read in the press—that success is all about becom-
ing the survivor as a result of climbing over, beating up, outmaneu-
vering, and manipulating your competition. That’s not how it is in the
real world. Effective businesses are collaborative, cooperative, and
team-oriented. If you think the way to win is to annihilate the compe-
tition, you’re the one who will ultimately be the loser.
Consider the advice of one of the most accomplished executives
who ever occupied a corner office: John C. “Jack” Bogle, founder and
former chairman of The Vanguard Group. He outlined for young
professionals what he calls his two rules for success: “Rule Number 1:
Get out of bed in the morning. Get up and get going. Go through the
day, and do the right things. Work hard at your job. Do everything
you’re asked to do and more. Don’t worry about what’s going to hap-
pen ten years from now; focus on getting through the day. I never
thought about wanting to be a VP. I was a one-day guy.”
“Rule Number 2,” he added, “is to repeat Rule Number 1 all over
again the next day.” 1
Human nature being what it is, however, most people tend to
focus too much on the near future and emphasize their goals and
objectives to get a better job, to get a promotion, to get a raise, and so
forth. Most people fail to understand that their ability to make a
meaningful and measurable contribution will distinguish them within
a company or organization. The goal, therefore, is to apply yourself—
your talent, energy, and ideas—to accomplishing the company’s
6 FROM DAY ONE
goals. Then you will have the satisfaction of knowing you made a dif-
ference, and you will greatly increase your chances of achieving your
personal objectives as well. It will be a win-win for you and for the
company.
Putting others first, ahead of individual accomplishment or self-
aggrandizement, is a valued quality in all endeavors, but it’s rarely
found in some. In professional sports, from women’s soccer to the
National Football League, in which a few high achievers are elevated
to superstar status, it’s rarer still. One of the exceptions is Greg
Maddux of the Chicago Cubs, a low-key man of high accomplish-
ment, including becoming only the 22nd major-league pitcher to
reach 300 career victories. A future Hall of Famer who has won four
National League Cy Young Awards, Greg is a star in the world of
professional athletics, which you may think is far removed from the
corporate arena. Yet, the same attributes of excellence that he
embodies are what make someone successful in the business world:
working hard, studying the situation, analyzing the alternatives, and
always looking to make a contribution to the team’s greater good.
Greg’s philosophy for putting the team first applies to young peo-
ple starting their careers: “I realize that without the other 24 guys on
the team, I wouldn’t have a job. If the team does well, you’re most
likely doing well.” In the corporate world, as in sports, hotshots exist
who are clearly most interested in their own gains, even if it’s at the
expense of the team. From his perspective, Greg has the following
advice, which applies equally to the corporations and the sporting
teams: “You can’t control the efforts that others are putting in. The
important thing is that the people around you see that you are doing
everything that you can. So be as good as you can be. Remember, talk
is cheap, so don’t tell them—show them.”2
By emphasizing the team first—whether in baseball or at a com-
pany—you put your focus on the greater good of the organization.
Admittedly, when you are just starting out it may be tricky to identify
just how you can contribute to the organization’s larger goals. It’s not
about trying to make a big splash or getting to the next level quickly.
Rather, it’s about understanding the organization’s goals and aligning
your efforts with them based on your own knowledge, skills, and
expertise—even your personality.
Making a Contribution at Any Level
Most likely your first job as a recent college graduate will be very
narrowly defined. You may be someone’s assistant or a junior
member of a team. It may seem that you’re doing more watching
and learning than actual doing in the first few days. Don’t be dis-
couraged! Even in this limited context, you can make a difference.
Not only is it okay to excel in the small things, it’s essential. Unless
you can prove yourself within the context of your assignments and
everyday responsibilities, you won’t be given larger and more sig-
nificant tasks and projects. If you disdain your job as beneath you,
or you think some tasks shouldn’t be assigned to someone with
your academic credentials, think again: Nobody is made a manager
unless he’s been a good team player, and I’ve never met anyone
who was promoted because he complained bitterly about what he
was doing every day.
Granted, as a new employee, your day-to-day tasks won’t involve
major changes to the organization. But if you do your required
tasks in the best way possible, you will not only be positively
noticed for your efforts, you will be accepted more quickly into the
organization.
As you look to your professional future, ask yourself: What contri-

bution do you want to make to everyone—not just to those you think
are important? If you’ve already started working, take a look around
you. What can you do for others? Can you give a hand to someone in
your department occasionally, such as helping figure out a project?
Does someone need coaching on a presentation? Can you help him
with a technical problem with his computer? These are tangible ways
8 FROM DAY ONE
in which you can contribute to the greater good and not expect any-
thing in return.
As Jack Bogle advises, “Try to contribute to the knowledge, hap-
piness, and welfare of the people around you—your colleagues, those
who work for you, and those with whom you work. This is all ‘bread-
and-butter’ stuff about living a good life and doing what it is you’re
supposed to be doing.”3
This attitude of making a contribution is not only altruistic; it’s
also strategic. Robert E. Kelley, Ph.D., who teaches at Carnegie
Mellon’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration and consults
with major companies, has studied the attitudes and behaviors of
“star performers,” who are also the subject of his book How to Be a
Star at Work: Nine Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed.
From Day One, he advises, young professionals need to establish
themselves as willing to help others and make a contribution to their
team, their department, and their company.
“It’s important to help out others early on, in particular those
people you are going to be working with, either in your work group or
those who are next to your work group,” Robert said. “This sends a
number of messages—first of all, that you are a ‘giver.’ It also tells
people that you know how the game is played, that work is not a solo
activity.”
Those who don’t understand these unwritten rules of the work-
place may be in for a rude awakening when, at some point, they have
to turn to others for help or direction. “The first time they go to the
network, they are going to get labeled as a ‘taker,’ as opposed to a
‘giver,’” he added.
Even a new employee without much expertise can establish a
reputation as a helpful person by sincerely offering assistance to oth-
ers. “It’s allowing other people to offload some work onto you when
they are very busy,” Robert continued. “All you have to say is, ‘I can
see you are under the gun. Can I do anything to help you out?’ That
is the first step. The second step is to think about all the things that
you know about, which may or may not be directly related to your
work, but which could be useful to someone else.”4
Your contribution is not defined only by what you do. It’s also
impacted by your attitude and how you treat others. Are you a know-
it-all trying to impress people with your knowledge, or are you a
respectful listener trying to gain understanding? You can’t fake this to
win people over. You have to believe in making a contribution for it to
become the foundation of your actions and behaviors. Over time, it
will be the unconscious influence in how you approach any situation.
On a conscious level, it will also help you make career choices that
may be against the grain, but that could lead you to better opportuni-
ties in the future. Some of those opportunities may be at companies
that initially appear to be less than desirable.
Pamela Forbes Lieberman, former president and chief executive
officer of TruServ (now known as True Value Company), a coopera-
tive principally of hardware stores, spent time with her team turning
around this quality company that has faced difficulties and chal-
lenges. She recognized that this situation provided a unique opportu-
nity for young professionals.
“We’d bring people in and say, ‘Here are all our issues. But this is
where we’re going.’ Then we’d invite them to be part of the team that
gets us there,” Pamela explained. “We’d say to them, ‘Won’t it be
exhilarating to see where we’ll go from here?’ For these young pro-
fessionals, it is a résumé-building opportunity.”5
These opportunities may not be the most glamorous jobs. They
may involve a turnaround situation, or a company that new manage-
ment is trying to revive or take in a different direction. Being at the
company at that particular point in time, you will be part of the team
that turns the organization around. Your payback in the process may
not be the immediate satisfaction of a fancy title at a hot company.
You’ll have to wait for your gratification, which in time will make it all
the better.
10 FROM DAY ONE
“I was given some advice that changed my life and my career,

which was to follow your compass, not your clock. Choose the com-
pany, not the title and not the money,” said Andrea Jung, chairman of
Avon Products.6
“That advice changed who I am, where I am. I did not always
take the job with the most money. I always took the job because in
my heart I knew it was the company and the purpose of that company
that I believed in,” added Andrea, who ranks as Number 3 on the
Wall Street Journal’s 2004 “Top 50 Women to Watch.”7
The Value of Delayed Gratification

As you launch your career, sometimes the ideal job for you will not be
the one that pays the best or has the most “bragging rights” among
your friends, family, and peers. You may choose to work for a low
salary today because you will gain valuable experience that will lead
to a higher salary later. As a younger person, you can make that trade-
off because, presumably, your financial burdens are less than they
will be when you are 35 or 45.
The question to ask yourself now is, can you delay gratification—
particularly if it means going without a new car for another year or
two or living at home instead of on your own—to establish a better
future? Would you choose a job where you can make a greater contri-
bution over one that seems more impressive? What if the payoff for
delaying gratification turns out to be a highly strategic move for your
future? That would make that less-than-glamorous job more appeal-
ing, wouldn’t it?
Sound Advice and Delayed Rewards
In my own career, I passed up an opportunity to be part of a very

hot company to become a tailor—with a Harvard MBA—at a well-
established firm. Here’s how it happened: When I was in my MBA
program, I actively sought out companies, particularly smaller
ones, and I interviewed with recruiters who came to school. Then
a friend told me about a great company in California that he
thought we should both talk to and offered to set up interviews
there for both of us. With the interviews arranged, we got on a
plane to talk to this company I had not heard of—Mattel. This toy
manufacturer, founded in 1945, made mostly conventional toys
until 1959, when it launched the Barbie doll.
When I met with the people at Mattel, you could feel the pulse of
the activity. The interviewer told me, “This place is growing so fast,
if you sit still you can see the walls expand.”
I left there with the conviction that, if Mattel made me an offer, I
would take it. On my way back to Boston, I had a stopover in
Chicago to meet with the management of Hart Schaffner & Marx
(now Hartmarx Corporation), a very conservative clothing manu-
facturer, for my senior project. It was at that meeting that I first
met John D. “Jack” Gray, who had recently become chairman and
CEO of the company. After another Harvard MBA student and I
had finished interviewing Jack about the company, he said to us,
“We’re looking for young people like you. If you’d like to interview
with the company, I hope you’ll consider coming back.”
We thanked him for the offer but in so many words told him “no
thanks.”
Back in Boston I told my wife, Jane, about this exciting opportu-
nity at Mattel, assuring her that this would be the most fantastic
thing. Always the trusted advisor, Jane listened patiently to all of it
and then said, “I think you should think about Hart Schaffner &
Marx. At Mattel there is going to be a lot of competition from
some very intelligent and ambitious people. But at Hart Schaffner
& Marx, they won’t have any other new MBAs on staff to compare
you to. You’ll really be able to get noticed there.”
12 FROM DAY ONE
Taking her advice, I did go back to Hart Schaffner & Marx to

interview. The opportunity was clear. I would become the first
MBA the company had hired in at least a decade. But instead of
working in a corner office, I’d have to spend quite a bit of time in
the factories, learning every step of the tailoring process from bast-
ing to sewing to pressing. Without that hands-on experience, I
wouldn’t have any insight into how to make the operation more
efficient, improve margins, and so forth.
In the end, I had three offers to consider: one from Mattel, one
from Hart Schaffner & Marx, and one from Procter & Gamble,
where I had worked after graduating from Northwestern
University and in the summer while I was at Harvard. I discussed
the situation with my mentor and advisor, Professor Doriot.
“There is no question,” he told me. “The long-term opportunity is
better at Hart Schaffner & Marx. It’s a good company with a great
reputation.”
I turned down Mattel and went to work for Hart Schaffner &
Marx. My reasons were clear: I hoped to have an opportunity to
utilize my newly acquired skills and knowledge, which would ben-
efit the company, while growing rapidly within the organization.
Over the next three years, half of my time was spent in the shop
learning to become a tailor. My finished product was my own suit
that I made myself, which I still have. At the end of four years,
I was made a vice president responsible for several thousand
people.
The moral of this story is simple: I decided to delay my gratifica-
tion and gave up the job at the “hot company.” Instead, by listen-
ing to my trusted advisors, I chose the company where I could
learn more and make a bigger contribution. When I got my
reward, it was a significant one. I received a vice president’s title
far more quickly than I would have elsewhere.
Goals, Ambition, and the Greater Good

All of us have goals and ambition. Focusing on the greater good
doesn’t mean you don’t care if you ever get promoted or receive a
raise in pay. Of course you have ambition and want to get ahead! But
like much in life, this requires a balance. You can focus on the greater
good, helping your company achieve its goals, while availing yourself
of opportunities that will also help advance your career. The key is
what comes first. If you lead with your own ambition, so that every-
thing you do is about you, you’ll short-circuit your own success.
Warren Batts has enjoyed an impressive career. He has led
numerous companies, including Premark and Tupperware as CEO,
and he has served on the boards of 14 major public companies. After
working for a few years, he finished college at 29 and received an
MBA in 1963. He took his first CEO post in 1967. That’s a fast track
by anybody’s standards. So how did he do it?
Warren had goals and ambition, but he kept them in check by
focusing first on what he could do at the organization. “Remember,
people are much more willing to help you succeed if ambition isn’t
dripping from every pore. We all have ambition, but there are people
who spend every single moment thinking of themselves and how is
this going to help them get ahead,” Warren remarked. “With people
like that, the organization usually rises up and prevents them from get-
ting ahead or finds a way to slow them down. So if you are always wor-
ried about the next step, and you’re more interested in your image,
position, competition, and one-upmanship than in making a contribu-
tion, the whole organization will go to work to try to block your way.”8
One of the most effective ways to keep a rampant ego and
running-away ambition in check is to put your emphasis on your boss,
your colleagues, or, if you’re a new manager out of graduate school,
your direct reports. Making others look good (especially your boss)
and helping others do their jobs will increase the impact you make
and will get you positive notice.
14 FROM DAY ONE
Welcome to a New World
Young professionals leaving the insular world of academics for their

full-time job may have some difficulty with this concept. Students
naturally compete with each other, whether in the classroom or on
the playing field. At the same time, the collegiate environment is sup-
portive of the individual. If you want to try on an idea for size, college
is the place to do it. Individual expression and deviating from the
norm are not only tolerated, but also expected.
Not so in the business world, where homogeneity is valued.
Certainly some business environments, such as entertainment and
advertising, prize creativity and individuality. But in most cases, busi-
nesses look for employees who can fit in and help further the com-
pany’s objectives. Your new employer won’t want to hear how you’re
going to change the whole organization on the first day! The only
variance from the norm that companies typically welcome is in the
ability to exceed expectations (although limits exist there too).
The business world, compared with the college campus, is an
alien environment. When you’re in college, you are among a student
cohort that is usually internationally diverse and embraces a variety
of thoughts, opinions, and ideas. On the other hand, the student body
tends to be around the same age.
In the business world, the international diversity may still be pre-
sent, but usually on a far more limited scale. The same goes for the
variance of thoughts, opinions, and ideas. On the other hand, the age
range can span 30 or even 40 years. That’s usually a big adjustment
for young professionals, whose first job may be in a cubicle next to
someone who is the same age as their parents. Your supervisor may
be someone who is 10 years older than you, while your peers range
from roughly the same age to 20 years older. (As you move up the
ranks and become a new manager with direct reports who are older
than you, it’s even more of a challenge, as we’ll discuss in later
chapters.) Some of the people you’ll meet in the work environment
will have a Ph.D., and others will not have a college degree at all.
How can you work with people who have so little in common
with you on the surface? The answer is simple: by taking “you” out of
the equation and focusing on the common goal of accomplishing the
organization’s goals and objectives. In the business world, you will be
measured by the work you do. That is how your boss will evaluate you
and, equally important, how your peers will look at you. As a new
employee it’s more important that your colleagues accept you than
you accept them. At the same time, they won’t accept you unless you
accept them.
“I am really a big believer that you have to have a whopping dose
of humility at every level, in the corner office and when you first
come into an organization. It goes a long way,” said Andrea Jung,
chairman of Avon Products. “One of the ways of demonstrating this is
to show that you are committed to learning. At the same time, you
need to demonstrate that you are skilled and that you are working
hard. But you also have to be open to reinventing yourself all the
time. Even today as CEO I have to learn new skills and take it upon
myself to commit to continual self-transformation.”9
As a new employee fresh out of college or as a new manager out
of graduate school, you will have your share of challenges. Among
them is to learn from a diverse group of colleagues. Some will be less
educated than you but will know far more than you.
The most dramatic examples are ROTC (Reserve Officers’
Training Corps) students. Upon graduation, they enter the military as
officers, even though they are younger and have less experience in
uniform than many others. As these young officers prepare to take
charge, the most important people they have to win over are the non-
commissioned officers (NCOs). They are almost always older than
the ROTC-trained officers and not as well educated. But they have
twice as much power because they have “local knowledge.” They
know how things work and how things get done.
In business, a few people usually exist who are the civilian
equivalent of the NCOs, usually a long-term employee who knows
16 FROM DAY ONE
everybody but never shows up on any organizational chart. But if you

ask your more experienced colleagues, you’ll quickly find out to whom
you need to talk to get what you need or to accomplish something. It
may be Marian in Human Resources or Bill in Purchasing. These are
the people you need to know and whose respect you must earn.
Learning the “Local Knowledge”
In his first job as a manager out of graduate school, Warren Batts

had impressive educational credentials as a Harvard MBA. But he
lacked an understanding of “how things got done” at his new
employer, a textile manufacturer. Left on his own by his boss to
figure things out, Warren decided that the best way to learn was to
ask everybody he met. “The first thing I did was to go around and
interview people,” Warren recalled. “I asked the simple question,
‘What kind of experience have you had dealing with the mills?’”
From that interview process, he came up with a resource list of
people to ask if he needed help in a particular area.
In addition, as a new manager, Warren “inherited” an assistant, a
very capable woman who had been a major in the Women’s
Marine Auxiliary Corps and who had been with the company for
many years. “A lot of my guidance came from my assistant—
although it seemed at the beginning that I was her assistant! She
knew all of her peers in the organization. So if we didn’t have the
knowledge that we needed in the corporate office, we could call
one of the other plant managers who had a similar experience and
make that connection.”10
It wasn’t Warren’s title that won his assistant’s loyalty. Rather,
his respect for her, his humility, and his understanding that she
knew far more about the company than he did proved what kind
of individual he was. Through mutual respect, a partnership was
forged that helped them both work toward accomplishing the
company’s goals.
While graduate students may take a job as a new manager, most

undergraduates will go into the workforce as entry-level employees
or trainees. It can be an abrupt shift in perspective from where you

were in college. You may be coming from an environment in which
you were at the top of your class or the recipient of leadership hon-
ors. But as the new employee, you’ll be the trainee. If you walk
around with your degree on your sleeve, you’ll surely be miserable in
your new environment. You won’t do yourself any favors with your
colleagues, either. If you adopt the attitude that this is an opportunity
to learn how things are done in the organization, you will get to work
more quickly and start making a contribution.
Jack Gray, former CEO at Hart Schaffner & Marx, has succinct
advice for young professionals today. “It’s so simple. You just work
hard. Yes, you have to make sure that you dress the way you should;
that’s an important detail. But the most important thing is to convince
everybody that you’re not just interested in the money; you’re inter-
ested in doing the job.” He recalled an incident when there was a
delay on the holding platform at the factory, and he asked a young
manager to go investigate. “You could tell by looking at him that he
thought this was beneath his dignity. That finished him,” Jack added.
“You have to convince people that you are a ‘1,000-percent’ person—
that you are willing to pay any normal price for success. Mostly that
means having an attitude that is not about wondering whether you’re
going to be promoted or get a raise. It’s the attitude of ‘I’ve got a job
to do.’”11
The willing attitude of a contributor also means leaving behind
the past glories of your college days for the humbling reality of learn-
ing the ropes as a new employee. Consider the story of Jonathon who
came from a prestigious East Coast family, was a Princeton under-
graduate, and received his MBA. After graduation, he decided to go
into retailing. His first job was for a large department store chain
working in women’s ready-to-wear, a very challenging department
that had fast moving inventory. Jonathon knew he had a lot to learn,
from purchasing to merchandising.
To succeed, Jonathon had to forget all about his lofty educational
background and get down to what he had to learn to do his best on
18 FROM DAY ONE
the job. Along the way, he had some interesting life lessons as well.
Three weeks after he took the job, his wife called him at the store.
“I’d like to speak with Jonathon So-and-So,” she told the operator.
The operator searched, but couldn’t find his name in the company
directory. Connected with the women’s ready-to-wear department,
Jonathon’s wife spoke with two people there. Neither of them recog-
nized Jonathon’s name. Exasperated, she began to describe him.
“He’s about five-foot-ten, dark hair with glasses. He’s new at the
company. He’s in the trainee department.”
“Oh!” one of the store employees said. “You mean Johnny, the
new kid! I’ll get him.”
Like Jonathon, you go from a world in which you were pursued
by recruiters and recognized for your academic achievement and
leadership ability to being the “new kid.” This may last a year or at
least several months. You’ll know when this initial phase is over: when
you begin to make a contribution that others can recognize and
respect. (As for Jonathon, learning this lesson has paid off hand-
somely. He went on to enjoy a very successful career in retailing and
more recently as an entrepreneur.)
Making Your “Personal Mosaic”
Focusing on making a contribution is not merely a crash course in

humility. It is a lifelong philosophy. I can tell you from personal
experience that, when I was Chairman and CEO of Bell & Howell,
a New York Stock Exchange-traded information services company
(today known as ProQuest), I focused as much on making a contri-
bution to the organization as I did when I was starting out many
years before.
Putting the company’s goals first and letting your contribution
speak for itself will do more for your career over the long term
than any other strategy. I have made this philosophy the center-
piece of my “personal mosaic,” and I invite you to do the same.
Your personal mosaic is composed of many pieces, large and

small, shiny and dull, smooth and rough. All of them are valuable.
From the many pieces, an image is formed, which is the composite of
your life experience, both personal and professional. Each piece, or
tile, that is set in place becomes a permanent fixture. It is very hard
to chisel out and replace these pieces. Therefore, be highly selective
in the tiles you choose. Throughout your life, you will add to this
mosaic, a living work of art that reflects who you are and how you
have come to understand the world around you. It is a reminder of
where you have been, as well as a map to guide you where you are
going.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Your long-term success in your career will

be rooted in the contribution you make, but it
starts with hard work and may require delayed
gratification.
➤ Find what you are truly passionate about, and

build your life’s work around it.
➤ Seek out and listen to trusted advisors to help you

discern the best choices for your future.
➤ Having ambition is good; flaunting it is your

downfall.
➤ Remember, no role is too small, no task is insignif-

icant, and even the brightest graduate has much to
learn from his or her new co-workers.
2
YOUR PERSONAL
PHILOSOPHY
Your personal ethics result more from the cumulative
sum of incidental decisions than from carefully
thought-out deliberations.
When it comes to ethics in business, you may have the image of a

group of people sitting around a table, discussing a dilemma and
making a decision. You may picture them pondering with angst the
moral implications and consulting some tome of wisdom. The truth is
ethics result from a series of incremental business decisions that are
made in response to a situation, to correct a problem, or to take
advantage of an opportunity. Many times these business decisions do
have ethical implications. When you’re in the thick of it, however, it’s
hard to tell where the business decision morphs into an ethical one.
Often they coexist, although you may not realize it at the time.
The topic of ethics is openly and frequently discussed in business
today, a direct result of the corporate scandals that have grabbed
headlines over the past several years. From mission statements
to employee newsletters, companies are emphasizing their ethical
principles and practices. Shareholders, employees, and analysts are
actively watching companies to see if their actions match their
21
22 FROM DAY ONE
espoused values. This parallels the recruiting process, in which a

prospective employee’s honesty and integrity—which were always
required but generally taken for granted—are now carefully
scrutinized.
In today’s environment, your personal ethics are more important
than ever. Others will make judgments about you based on the
actions you take and the decisions you make every day. Ethics is not a
vague mind-set, nor can it be summed up with the overly simplistic
goal of “do the right thing.” Ethical behavior is the result of con-
scious, deliberate choices made with a full understanding of the
consequences—both positive and negative—that will result.
The truth is you may make choices without thinking about the
consequences. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any conse-
quences! Your decisions, actions, and behaviors are like a scorecard
written in permanent ink that tallies up, through multiple jobs and
life changes, just how ethical you are.
Your ethics are the centerpiece of your personal philosophy—the
values, principles, and beliefs that influence your behavior and
actions. Whether or not you think about it consciously, your personal
philosophy is the foundation of all your interactions with other peo-
ple, including colleagues, managers and supervisors, friends and
family members. It defines how others experience you.
That being said, how would you describe your personal philoso-
phy? Have you given much thought to your values and standards,
particularly when it comes to dealing with others in your professional
and personal life? If you haven’t done so already, now is the time. The
reason is simple: If you want to make a difference at your company,
if you aspire to become a manager one day, your sense of ethics—
especially how you treat others—may be a determining factor.
Standards of personal responsibility, organizational behavior, and
business ethics do not pertain only to top executives and corporate
leaders. They must be embraced on all levels of the organization,
from the entry-level employee to the CEO.
CHAPTER 2 • YOUR PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 23
The emphasis on ethics and personal philosophy reflects the

business world’s “new order,” in which companies must value “people
before profits,” commented Andrea Jung, chairman of Avon
Products. “It is clearly a management requisite that there is compas-
sion for the human condition before you worry about earnings per
share.” As a new employee or a young manager, how can you demon-
strate that you’re in sync with this “new order” of business? By
showing respect for and genuine interest in others.
“Take the time to get to know people. Make an effort, particularly
if you are an entry-level manager, to make people realize that you roll
up your sleeves and work just like a normal person,” Andrea added.12
Your Moral Compass

Each of us operates by a moral compass, a set of internal guidelines
for acceptable actions, behaviors, and decisions. Founded in your
family and ethnic culture, your personal ethics are developed over
time and are continually adjusted with each subsequent decision you
make. If you are not conscious of the implications of those decisions,
your moral compass will be off. This makes the initial decisions, both
business and personal, all the more important as you establish a base-
line with integrity and conviction. If you’re not sensitive to outside
forces, including the influence of others who don’t share your
standards, you can drift.
The boundaries you establish early on are the lines that you vow
never to cross. The more you affirm these boundaries, the stronger
they become. Ignore them, and you may find that they are as pene-
trable as air. Early on your moral compass is influenced by your
family, your teachers, and your friends, but ultimately you are
responsible for it. While this ethical guidance system is internal, it is
also clearly visible to other people with whom you interact. After all,
actions, as they say, speak louder than words. A sense of ethics that
24 FROM DAY ONE
you build over time becomes your “permanent record.” What a pow-
erful concept that is!
Your “Permanent Record”

I remember going into ninth grade and being told that from then
on my grades would be very important because they would be part
of my “permanent record.” That meant whatever I achieved (or
failed to achieve) would be permanently recorded and open for
anyone to view. The same concept applies to your ethical deci-
sions. The record of your actions is indelible, which amplifies the
satisfaction of making right decisions.
To update the metaphor a bit, imagine you have a CD-ROM on
the back of your head, with a “read only” disc that shows the
details of every decision you make. Not only is that CD-ROM
available to you to read (but never erase or alter), anyone else can
view it. While corrective actions can be taken, apologies made, and
courses reversed, nothing can erase the initial misstep across the
ethical boundary. What remains is an important lesson learned.
Situations will arise when you may decide to override your base-
line ethical standards. In these instances of situational ethics, your
intellect or your gut feeling may tell you it’s okay. The important part
is discerning whether the situation calls for making an exception or
sticking to your standards. If you make ethical exceptions too often,
you may find yourself in trouble.
Unfortunately, we live in a society where many distinctions exist
between truth and lies. Reading several recent political polls, I was
surprised to learn that “mostly telling the truth” is now a category.
Mostly telling the truth? One would surmise that the person was
therefore telling “at least a few” lies. Is that acceptable? Or is it just a
higher grade of unacceptable than total lying? If you think “mostly
telling the truth” is acceptable, try using that line with your parents
or your boyfriend/girlfriend. Just look them in the eye and tell them,
“When I say this, I’m mostly telling the truth.” Will they believe any-
thing you’ve said?
“I’m troubled by a society in which everything is gray, not black
and white,” observed John C. “Jack” Bogle, founder and former
chairman of The Vanguard Group, whose mission in recent years has
been reform of the mutual fund industry. “I think things cannot be
moderately right or partially wrong. There are some things in life that
are not negotiable.”13
Ethics and Corporate Culture

You will be confronted over the years with many different circum-
stances that will influence you. Among them will be the ethical
practices of the company where you work. Are they in sync with your
values? In addition, while many companies have statements of corpo-
rate principles and values, are these standards truly reflected in the
corporate culture and day-to-day actions? Is the way people are
treated in line with these standards?
One way to find out is to ask early on in the interview process
about these ethical principles and standards and how they are put
into practice. Are concrete examples available? After you’re hired, do
you see consistency between what is said at the company and what
occurs? What is the perception of your peers? As a young profes-
sional, you are more likely to be changed by the company than you
will change the company. Therefore, you must ensure that the com-
pany you work for has the kind of ethical principles and standards
you agree with and can carry out.
What happens, then, if something is said or done at a meeting
that you believe goes against the grain of the company’s values or your
own sense of ethics? Pamela Forbes Lieberman, former president
and chief executive officer of TruServ (now known as True Value
Company), a cooperative principally of hardware stores, suggests call-
ing that person on his or her actions and discussing it with them.
26 FROM DAY ONE
“If it’s a peer, then pull them aside afterwards and ask them about
it. It may just be a misunderstanding,” she suggested. “If that person
is outside what the company’s culture represents and if it’s a hin-
drance to your job, then go to a supervisor and discuss it.”
A certified public accountant who has held a number of top
executive positions, Pamela believes a good gauge for whether your
own actions and behaviors are in sync with the company’s ethics and
values is to ask yourself, “If someone saw what I did and put it in
print, how would I feel?” That’s the lesson Pamela told all employees.
“I told them, ‘Pretend that a reporter for the Wall Street Journal
is with you every minute of the day, observing everything you do or
say. At any point in time, this reporter might write something. If so,
would you be embarrassed? Your goal is to be completely boring,
because everything you do is according to the rules. Remember that
reporters usually want to write about negative news. So you want to
make sure your actions are right down the line,’” she explained.14
We all have our shortcomings. Even people with the loftiest
intentions will fail when it comes to total honesty or total ethical
behavior. What’s most important, particularly as you begin your
career, is to start with the best foundation possible. “Each person
needs to have a set of values that makes sense to that person and that
are roughly consonant with the mores of society. They shouldn’t allow
themselves to be pressured or pushed to give up those standards,”
observed William G. Bowen, president of The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation and former president of Princeton University. “If a per-
son has questions or concerns in an area of ethics, they need to voice
them and talk about them with colleagues and supervisors.”
Discussing the issue can help clarify whether a moral issue exists
or if an ethical line has been crossed. “It’s important that people not
invent moral boxes when they’re not there, just as it’s important to
recognize the moral boxes when they are there,” Bill added.15
Right and Wrong—Evaluating Ethical

Scenarios
In your own life, you can reflect on decisions you’ve made in the past
to see whether, in hindsight, ethical issues were involved that you
may or may not have seen clearly at the time. Reflecting on the con-
scious ethical decisions you’ve already made will provide guidance
for the dilemmas you encounter in the future. Often, it is only in
hindsight that you can fully appreciate the ethical nature of what
appeared at the time to be just a business decision.
As you read the following scenarios, you’ll notice that none of
them deals with anything illegal or immoral. Yet they involve ethical
issues that had consequences just the same. At the end of the chap-
ter, I’ll explain what actions were taken at the time, and the conse-
quences of those actions. But for now, imagine you’re confronted
with these same circumstances, and ask yourself what you would do.
The Assembly Line Competition
During the summer before he entered college many years ago, Ed

worked as a materials handler in the warehouse for an electronics
company. His job was to bring materials as needed to the production
line for workers assembling televisions. Management had an idea to
improve productivity. They held a competition among the four
assembly lines at the plant. The team that made the most TV sets
would win a prize.
The important thing to understand is that these television sets
were made of thousands of parts, some very large and some very tiny,
such as minute screws that would be used for a knob or chassis.
These screws were so small that a three-inch-by-three-inch box
might contain 10,000 screws. Normally, the assembly line would
be given a few thousand of these screws as they were needed.
But before the contest ensued, one assembly line asked for the
entire box.
28 FROM DAY ONE
Ed, an 18-year-old stock boy, was faced with an ethical dilemma.

For one thing, his friends worked on the assembly line. Moreover, his
job was to dole out the screws and other parts as the lines asked for
them, not to determine when they needed them. But he certainly
knew why an assembly line wanted the whole box of screws: they
wanted to hoard parts. Was that really good for production and
inventory management? Was it fair to the other assembly line work-
ers? What would happen if they began to hoard some other part?
Clearly the contest’s incentive had negative consequences that
management had not foreseen. As a stock boy, what should Ed have
done? What would you have done in this circumstance?
Truth or Consequences
When she was finishing her undergraduate studies several years ago,
Donna began to interview with a number of companies. The discus-
sion, however, always came down to a crucial point: What were her
thoughts about going to graduate school? In those days, most people
pursued an MBA a year or two after graduation. They did not wait
three or four years (or even longer), as is often the case now. Donna
was, in fact, contemplating graduate school, but she also needed to
get a job. When she told the truth, she immediately made herself
ineligible for consideration. What could she do, then—lie about her
intention to go to graduate school? She needed a job, even if she did
end up going to graduate school in a year or two. What was the right
thing to do? If you had something to disclose in an interview that
might cost you the job, what would you do?
To Promote or Not to Promote
Larry was working as a manager at a large corporation, overseeing

several supervisors who, in turn, were in charge of managing their
staff. The role of a manager is to delegate both responsibility and
authority; otherwise, everyone and everything gets micromanaged.

One day, a supervisor who reported to Larry brought to his office a
recommendation for a wage increase for a certain employee. At most
good firms, dual approval was needed for wage increases, but a man-
ager would rarely override a supervisor’s recommendation unless
there was good cause.
In this situation, Larry happened to know that the employee was
a below-average performer. She was, however, an above-average
complainer. The recommendation was for an above-average raise.
What should Larry have done in that situation? Should he support
the supervisor, to whom he had delegated authority and responsibil-
ity? Or should he have run the risk of undermining the supervisor’s
authority by acting on his own knowledge of the situation? What
would you do?
Sisters of Charity
Years ago when I was at Hart Schaffner & Marx, one of our sales
executives was seated on an airplane next to a religious sister.
When she learned that this executive worked for a leading clothing
manufacturer, she presented him a business proposition: The long
black habits and veils of the Sisters of Charity were handmade in
France. Would Hart Schaffner & Marx be able to make them?
Being a good salesman, he explained that if the company could
make a man’s sack coat, which was one of the most difficult pieces
of clothing to manufacture, it could produce just about anything.
He gave her his business card but didn’t think much about their
conversation until a few weeks later, when he received a sample
habit and a letter requesting a price quote. He brought the issue to
management.
Marketing and finance put their heads together and made a deci-
sion. The company really didn’t need the work. In fact, we were at
our seasonal peak and would have to open up another production
facility if we took on the business. And yet, we didn’t think it was
right to just brush off the inquiry altogether. So we came up with a
30 FROM DAY ONE
normal price for each habit and doubled it, hoping that it would be
price-prohibitive for the Sisters of Charity.
We were wrong! Three weeks later, we received an order for
several hundred habits. Now we were stuck. We were obligated to
make the habits, even though we didn’t have any spare production
capacity. We opened another factory, which became my responsi-
bility. With the price we were charging the Sisters of Charity, we
more than made up for that investment. We made an extraordi-
nary profit on the habits—so much that we began to feel guilty
about our inflated price quote. What should we do? Refund some
of the money or keep it? After all, we had quoted them a price that
was obviously less than what they had been paying. Once we real-
ized the amount of profit we were making on the habits, there was
no question what we had to do. Even though the Sisters of Charity
had accepted our price quote, it was clearly too high. Everyone in
the organization agreed to give them a rebate. Needless to say, the
Sisters of Charity were thrilled. And, from that day on the sisters
said their novenas for “those nice men at Hart Schaffner & Marx.”
The Customer Is Always Right…Or Not
Sue was a division president at a large company that was devising its
first national promotion campaign. This was a new marketing
approach for the company, which until then promoted its products
regionally. With this national approach, however, the company was
going to change its marketing strategy and also launch it with an ad
on network television. This was a very exciting step for the company.
The second-largest customer, accounting for 4 to 5 percent of the
business, was not in favor of this strategy. This customer always
bought its products regionally, which allowed it to pit one supplier
against another to get a better price. The customer was so upset
by the promotion that the buyer called Sue directly to express his
concern. He didn’t mince words.
“I have a simple suggestion for you: Cancel the promotion right

now. If you don’t, not only will we forego buying this promotion from
you, we will not buy anything from your company,” he warned Sue.
“And, if we’re not going to buy it, we don’t want our competitors to
buy it.” This customer would have purchased only several hundred
thousand dollars of items in this promotion, but $4 million a year in
total business. This was significant to Sue’s business.
At this point, the national promotion had not been announced,
so it would have been possible to cancel it. On the other hand, the
customer’s request was outright blackmail. The business impact,
however, couldn’t be overlooked. Is this a business decision or an
ethical one? What would you do?
Meet the Parents…Or Not
Your girlfriend/boyfriend’s parents are coming to town in two weeks,

and they have invited you to join them for dinner at one of the
best restaurants in town, a place you’ve read about but never could
afford. You eagerly accept the invitation, wanting to make a good
impression.
That same night, however, a U2 concert has been scheduled for
your city. You and another friend had tried for weeks to get tickets,
but the concert was sold out within hours. The day before the parents
come into town, your friend scores a couple of tickets and invites
you. What do you do? Make an excuse why you can’t have dinner
with the parents, and try to meet for lunch instead? Or do you pass
on the concert, knowing your friend will easily find someone else to
take your place?
As these scenarios illustrate, ethical decisions are rarely cut and

dried. Even if the ethical course of action seems obvious, negative
fallout can result. It’s easy to talk about ethics as long as the right
choice does not create any personal loss or embarrassment or hit you
32 FROM DAY ONE
in the wallet. Also, the decision’s immediate impact is not the only
thing that must be weighed. Secondary and tertiary effects on others
and the company as a whole must be taken into account as well.
Identifying and assessing a decision’s impact makes matters more
complicated, which is why these situations are ethical dilemmas and
not clear-cut issues.
A Good Look in the Mirror
Over time, ethical behavior allows you to make decisions that, in the
long run, will make you feel good about yourself, your company, and
your value system. Your ethics, your standards, and your personal
integrity will not put you on some kind of moral pedestal, nor will
they alienate you from others. On the contrary, your personal philos-
ophy and standards should improve your interaction with others,
enhance your friendships, and help you increase your personal
satisfaction. Success (as discussed in Chapter 10, “The Successful
Life”) involves far more than just reaching a career pinnacle or
attaining a certain level of wealth or prestige. Rather, success is
multifaceted, encompassing personal and professional satisfaction.
Without the firm foundation of a personal philosophy, any success
you achieve will be hollow.
It’s No Excuse
The fact that “everybody is doing it” or “this has become common
practice” does not excuse unethical behavior. Nothing will
knock your moral compass out of whack faster than these lame
arguments.
The excuse that “everybody is doing it” is an immediate tip-off that
whatever you’re doing (or thinking of doing) is wrong. Think about
when you were younger and you used this line with your parents.
Chances are whatever “everybody was doing” was against the
rules—whether it was staying out till a certain hour or going to a

particular party. The minute those words came out of your mouth,
you tipped your hand: You knew something was against the rules,
but you were going to rationalize it.
The same goes in the business world. “Everybody is doing it” is no
excuse for unethical behavior. Neither is “if we don’t, the competi-
tors will.” As soon as you utter that phrase in a conversation with
your boss or your colleagues, you have compromised your value
system.
Personal Philosophy and Servant

Leadership
While ethics is the cornerstone, other building blocks also make up
your personal philosophy. One of the most important is your commit-
ment to serve the greater good. Those who embrace this concept do
not think in terms of “what can I get out of this,” but rather “how can
I serve.” Committing to the greater good makes you truly a team
player instead of a solo operator. It’s the exact opposite of “being out
for yourself.”
Admittedly, it goes against the grain of what you might think the
business world is like or what you’ve been told is the best way to get
ahead. You may think that success can be attained only by impressing
someone else, winning the race, or outdoing your competition. The
problem with this thinking is that it is too narrow. You can become
too focused on how you are positioned, the next step in your career
strategy, or how you will score points in the next meeting. You fail to
see the proverbial big picture and, more importantly, your part in it.
Putting the emphasis on the “greater good” or the “goals of the
organization” is part of a concept called “servant leadership.” It
sounds like an oxymoron: to lead by serving. Yet to be most effective
in today’s companies and organizations, servant leadership is exactly
the right concept to embrace. With servant leadership, you strive to
34 FROM DAY ONE
make a meaningful contribution to the company or organization by

helping those around you achieve more. Through this commitment
to serve, you exhibit true leadership.
Robert K. Greenleaf defined servant leadership more than 25
years ago in his breakthrough book, Servant Leadership: A Journey
into the Nature of Legitimate Power & Greatness. With servant lead-
ership, the motivating desire is to serve. It is not a means to an end or
a strategy to “look good” to others so that you can assume a leader-
ship role more quickly. The servant-leader never stops serving,
regardless of position or title. Servant leadership means being sensi-
tive to and anticipating the needs of others, whether it’s your boss,
your colleagues, or your subordinates. By exhibiting this commitment
to serve, the servant becomes an inspiring example to others. The
servant becomes a leader. People will want to follow you.16
Servant leaders also do not fear sharing power with others by
delegating. This is often a downfall of young managers. They are
afraid that delegating responsibility is a sign of weakness, showing
that they can’t handle what they’ve been given. (This is addressed in
Chapter 8, “The First Time-Manager.”) The truth is you gain power
by sharing power. Since you are ultimately responsible for what you
delegate, you have expanded your ability to make a contribution by
tapping into the efforts of those around you.
The servant leadership ideal also helps counter some of the
“blind ambition” that can be the kiss of death for a young person in
business. Having ambition is great. Goals and objectives are very
important, but showing too much ambition is a problem, because you
send the wrong signals. By focusing exclusively on the next step,
promotion, or job title, you indicate dissatisfaction with what you’re
doing now. In essence, you’re telling people that your current job is
not as important in your view as the next opportunity. Why, then,
would they entrust you with more responsibility?
When Ambition Gets in the Way
Mark, a former student, came to see me recently for some advice.

He was very concerned that he had not been promoted in the last
couple of years. He had received excellent reviews and had been
given some good salary increases, but when bigger jobs had come
up, he had not been considered. The corporation had gone
through some downsizing, and he was certainly glad to still have
his job. But that still didn’t satisfy his desire to go to the next level.
Adding to his frustrations was the fact his boss was not a strong
leader, and he had not been able to have a satisfactory conversa-
tion with him about the situation.
Mark was obviously driven by his desire to get promoted, to the
point that this ambition had become the topic of nearly every
conversation and the subject of some email messages to his boss.
His single-minded focus on getting promoted had become a
detriment.
“Your boss knows you are ambitious; you don’t have to tell him
that. He knows you want a promotion. You need to pursue another
angle,” I advised him. “The next time you speak with your boss,
don’t ask him about the promotion. Ask him what more you can do
for the company.”
This shift would place the emphasis on his desire to make a bigger
contribution and help the company reach its goals. I also sug-
gested that he approach his boss about other areas in the company
where he could be of assistance using his knowledge, and there-
fore be more productive for the company. Mark embraced these
ideas, and immediately his conversations with his boss became
more productive.
While the servant leader is committed to bringing out the best in

others, he or she is not afraid to do his or her best as well, particularly
if the accomplishments contribute to a higher goal. Greg Maddux of
the Chicago Cubs, who has distinguished himself on the pitcher’s
36 FROM DAY ONE
mound for the sake of his team, shuns the spotlight. At the same
time, he’s not afraid of doing his best or giving his all, particularly in
the service of his team.
Greg’s philosophy, which reflects the teaching of servant leader-
ship, is simply and elegantly stated. As he explained in a conversation
with me, “Put yourself in a position to have success. Don’t be afraid
to find out how good you can be. Be prepared. Do your homework.
Stay up-to-date. Don’t rely on what happened five years ago and
think it’s going to happen today. Stay informed. Too much informa-
tion is better than none. And if you can’t sort it out, then don’t be
afraid to find someone to help you. I ask for help every day.”17
With this attitude and his dedication to studying the game, no
wonder Greg has earned the nickname of “The Professor.” While this
was “partly because he used to wear wire-rimmed glasses on the
mound,” Sports Illustrated noted, “Mostly, though, it was because of
Maddux’s uncanny baseball smarts.”18
Treating Everyone Equally
Another important concept in your personal philosophy is how you

treat people, particularly in the workplace. A valuable lesson from
Jack Gray, of Hart Schaffner & Marx, is to treat everyone equally. No
matter their title or rank, their level of education or lack thereof,
each person should be valued and treated with the same respect.
Today, Jack exhibits the unassuming air he had when he was
CEO. In those days, as now, he cared sincerely about other people,
their opinions, and their right to speak openly about what was impor-
tant to them. “I came up the hard way, so I always had compassion for
anybody who had to work for a living. I treated everyone with
respect,” he explained.
Jack has demonstrated this philosophy in many ways over the
years, including never acting like “the boss” by lording his authority
over others. “Don’t get me wrong; I was the boss, heart and soul, and
I was tough and in complete control of the company. But I always

thought that everybody had the same right to stand up and speak
their minds,” he told me. “I think the whole company knew that if
they had an idea and wanted to fight with me about it, I’d fight with
them. And if they beat me in an argument, I’d listen to them and say
good for you!”19
As part of his “democratic attitude,” Jack also distributed stock
options to every nonunion employee at the company. This was back
in the 1960s, 20 years before PepsiCo made its mark with its
“SharePower” plan, which granted options to a broad cross section of
employees.20
On a practical level, Jack explained, treating everyone equally
also makes it easier on you—and it will keep you from making an
embarrassing gaffe. It can be very easy to assume that someone isn’t
important if he or she has an unassuming demeanor. If you differenti-
ate in how you treat people based on their title or position (or what
you assume to be their “rank”), you could inadvertently set yourself
up for a fall. Also, don’t let looks fool you. It’s a common trap for
young people in the business world to assume that the oldest one in
the room is the person in charge. This is often not the case, so don’t
let this happen to you.
In addition, many people in business don’t have impressive titles
but wield a lot of influence because of their longevity at the company
or their connections. Peggy Barr, professor emeritus at Northwestern
University’s School of Education and Social Policy and a former vice
president of student affairs, recalled from her own career the impor-
tance of getting to know the support staff within an organization.
“This meant the receptionist, the administrative assistant to your
boss, and so forth. Any time I went to a new college or university,
these were the first people I wanted to meet, because they controlled
the access. They are the most powerful people in the organization,
but a lot of young people today don’t understand that,” Peggy
explained.
38 FROM DAY ONE
“The newly minted MBA or the new undergraduate with a BS

degree from a prestigious school may think they’re pretty hot. But
they need to understand that, although they have the degree, they
don’t have the experience,” she continued. “Others can help them
immensely. For that to happen, they have to take a genuine interest
in others. There are people from whom young professionals can learn
a lot of the history. Most organizations have some parts that don’t
make sense at first. There is usually a story behind it. Talking to the
people who have been there for a long time provides the answers.”21
Your attitude of treating everyone equally also has another bene-
fit, as Jack Gray advised me many years ago. Some day, he told me,
you’ll have to ask someone to do something for you. If you have
treated people well, they’ll be far more apt to help you.
Treating everyone equally cannot be a preemptive strategy in
case you need to call in a favor; that’s phony and manipulative. You
can’t adopt the “treat everyone equal” philosophy for a few days and
then expect a payback. You must adopt this attitude without any
expectation of receiving something in return. As you show respect for
your associates—whether they work on the shipping dock, in the
mailroom, or at the front desk—you’ll be gaining their respect as
well. Human nature being what it is, people prefer to help those
whom they like.
Let me tell you what happens if you don’t build up this goodwill
in an organization. If you try to prove your superiority over those in
lesser positions at the company, you’ll find that the administrative
assistants and mailroom clerks won’t go out of their way to help you.
When you show up at 5 p.m. with an envelope that needs to be sent
by messenger or a package that absolutely must go out that day, you
may get a perfunctory, “Yeah, I’ll do it.” But you can’t be sure. If your
project takes too much extra effort, it probably won’t get done.
Contrast that with what happens when you have always treated
everyone with equal respect and dignity. Then, when you show up at
the shipping dock late one afternoon with a package that must be
sent to a customer right away, people will go out of their way to help
you. You would be told, “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of it,” by ship-
ping dock associates, even though they have stacks of boxes and
parcels to send out. “I’d appreciate anything you can do,” you tell
them, and then leave the package without a second glance. Trust is a
big part of respect.
Sure enough, the customer will get the package the very next day.
You should always make it a habit to immediately go back to the ship-
ping department to thank them for the extra effort. Everyone likes to
be recognized for his or her efforts and to be reminded that we’re all
working together toward the company’s success.
Clearly, the efforts of people who have a “lesser rank” or a “lower
job” are vitally important to the company’s behind-the-scenes opera-
tion, as Jack Bogle commented. “Spend more time with the humble
people in the organization than with the higher-ups. They are the
ones who do the real work of the company. If they vanished tomor-
row, action would stop!” he said.
He told a humorously self-deprecating story from his own career,
when he was founder and chief executive of The Vanguard Group.
After a heart transplant, Jack had to be out of the office for two to
three weeks at a stretch, once a year. Although he was still in touch
with the office by phone and electronically, he was physically away
from the company. “What happened at Vanguard? Nothing! But if
the guy who runs the mailroom came in 15 minutes late, what hap-
pens? Chaos!”22
Your magnanimous attitude toward others is more than a virtue;
it’s a necessity for success in the business world. No matter what your
job, you’re not on your own. Your success is directly dependent on
the efforts of others. Your recognition of that fact will help you make
an even greater impact on others and your organization.
40 FROM DAY ONE
The Ethical Answers
To close the chapter, let’s revisit the ethical dilemmas presented ear-
lier. As you review the scenarios described, reflect on what you would
have done in similar circumstances, and then compare that with the
actual outcome.
Working as a stock boy at the electronics company, Ed knew what
was happening when the assembly line teams began asking for extra
parts. With a competition at stake, they wanted to hoard parts to gain
an advantage. Ed decided to go to his boss and explain everything,
even though he feared possible ramifications or at least some ill feel-
ings among his friends on the assembly line. Ed’s boss discussed the
situation with the assembly line supervisors, and the problem was
solved—with no fallout for Ed. At a very young age, Ed learned the
value of standing up for what he knew was right and ethical, even if
he was afraid that others would not look favorably on him.
As Donna applied for jobs, she knew that her interest in going to
graduate school was hurting her chances of getting hired. But she
also knew she couldn’t lie and say she had no intention of pursuing a
master’s degree. After much soul-searching, she realized that if a job
proved to be a real opportunity for the long term, she would post-
pone going to graduate school. That was the truth, and therefore she
could say that with a clean conscience to a prospective employer.
Donna was hired by a major corporation and did her best with the
job she was given. As it turned out, she did enroll full-time in gradu-
ate school a little over a year later. But she left with her employer’s
blessing and continued to work there during the summers while she
was in graduate school.
Larry knew he couldn’t sign off on the above-average salary
increase for the below-average employee. But instead of overruling
the supervisor’s decision, he went to him and suggested that they talk
about it. Since the salary increase had not been announced to the
employee, worrying about having to rescind something that was

already promised wasn’t necessary. In their conversation, Larry
focused on the individual’s performance. He also stressed the impact
that the salary increase would have on other employees in
the department if they found out about it (and such things are rarely
kept secret).
This is an important aspect of making ethical decisions. You must
be aware of the impact, not only on the parties involved or the situa-
tion at hand, but also the secondary and tertiary effects. For example,
in Larry’s case, the impact of his decision went beyond the supervisor
who reported to him and the individual who was being considered for
a raise. Larry had to weigh the impact on the performance levels in
that department and the integrity of the system for rewarding
employees. As Larry considered the situation, he had to look beyond
the immediate impact to the broader implications. Once the supervi-
sor understood this as well, he quickly changed his mind about giving
the employee the raise.
When her company’s second-biggest customer threatened to pull
all its purchases unless a national promotion was cancelled, Sue
thought the buyer was bluffing. She even told her boss that, assuring
him that the company wouldn’t lose one dime of the customer’s busi-
ness. Sue was wrong. The customer didn’t order anything from the
company that year or for the next two years. While Sue stood by the
ethics of her decision, she knew that it had a big impact on the
company’s profits—and on her own bonus, for that matter. While her
boss was not happy about the revenue loss, he did support Sue in her
decision. Three years later, the customer was back—and with more
business than ever.
And as for the U2 tickets versus meeting the parents, the ques-
tion really comes down to what you value most. If the relationship is
important to you, show it by your ability to keep your commitments.
Then there’s no question what you should do: Enjoy dinner with the
parents, and pass on the concert. You will probably have another
42 FROM DAY ONE
chance to hear the group one day. If you pass on the dinner, you’ll
make a poor impression on your girlfriend/boyfriend and the parents
that you won’t change easily.
By the time you graduate from college, you’ve already had a great
number of experiences that form your ethical system. The decisions
you made—and, most importantly, how you feel about those deci-
sions—are the basis of the moral compass that will guide you in the
future. As you go forward, more recent decisions will have a greater
impact on this “ethical database of decisions” than events of the past.
And so it will continue throughout your life as you add to your
personal mosaic of actions, behaviors, standards, beliefs, and ideals.
The key is to be conscious of the decisions made and the actions
taken. What appears to be a very simple business or personal decision
could have a long-lasting and far-reaching impact.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Your personal ethics are the sum of your actions,

decisions, and behaviors.
➤ The permanent record of your ethics follows you

from job to job and throughout your life.
➤ Servant leadership is superior to the “survivor”

mentality.
➤ Treat everyone equally; you may not know who

you’re snubbing.
➤ Life is too short to work for an organization with

ethics that don’t agree with yours.
PART II:
FINDING YOUR PASSION
Chapter 3 Your Network:

It’s All About “Giving,”
Not Just “Getting” 45
Chapter 4 Finding Your Ideal

Position 59
43
3
YOUR NETWORK: IT’S
ALL ABOUT “GIVING,”
NOT JUST “GETTING”
To get ahead, you must be a proven contributor and a
skilled networker.
As you start your career, the concept of networking is synonymous

with job searching. To get a job, conventional wisdom says, you must
be plugged into a network that can push your résumé in front of the
right eyes. Once you’ve landed that job, you need to keep building
your network so that you can increase your visibility, create opportu-
nities, and secure a promotion or land that next job.
Throughout your career, networking should be a living and ongo-
ing exercise, a two-way channel of giving and getting as you connect
with others. You may use a specific network for anything from intro-
ductions and advice to leads and access to experts. While networking
is an effective tool, it’s important to use it the right way. Otherwise,
your networking will be all about getting, not also about giving.
A truly effective network is grounded in what you can do for oth-
ers. In the most pragmatic terms, the importance of “networking to
give” is really simple: No one will return your phone call when you
ask for something unless you’ve done something for him or her first.
45
46 FROM DAY ONE
(The only possible exception is if you are a very important person.)

When you do tap into your network, people will most likely respond
to you in kind, based on the goodwill you’ve built with what you’ve
given. Otherwise, you will probably be operating at a deficit, looking
to make a withdrawal before you’ve made sufficient deposits of time
and energy. If you do this right, your “networking account” will con-
tinue to grow a healthy balance.
Some people will argue against this concept. Why network, they
say, if you can’t get something immediately? The reason is simple:
When you have a skill, talent, or expertise, it should be shared, partic-
ularly within your organization. When you network with the premise
that you are providing value to others, you remove any political
connotations. This lets others know that your offer of assistance does-
n’t have any strings attached, which will also help you become more
comfortable with networking.
This kind of networking, however, is probably a far cry from what
you’re used to. Most of us are inundated with offers to network,
whether in person or through an online forum. Seminars are billed as
“networking” events. Social occasions that are sponsored by a club or
organization are described as “networking opportunities.” Even
online, we receive email invitations to join a network of potential
contacts, a practice that exploded during the dot-com times and
continues to grow.
While it’s fine to meet and connect with people with complemen-
tary skill sets or who may provide an introduction to a new opportu-
nity, that’s a limited view of networking. To build value for the long
term, networking means developing a relationship with others. You
connect with a variety of people because you have some value
to add to their personal or professional lives, just as they have value to
add to yours.
CHAPTER 3 • YOUR NETWORK 47
Making the Connection

For many recent college graduates, networking is second nature,
rooted in email, instant messaging, and other online communication.
For example, Fast Company recently described incoming business
school students who were using secure Web portals provided by their
colleges and universities to network with each other for everything
from finding furniture to meeting other people. As the business
schools viewed it, this type of networking was a help to the students
and also provided them with skills to land a good job in the future. As
the article noted, “When it comes to soliciting job offers, it helps to
tap into an extensive—and networked—group of alumni. The sooner
students start forging those bonds, schools realize, the more likely
they are to reap the rewards.”23
Networking should be purposeful, a deliberate and conscious
attempt to make contact with others for a specific reason. That rea-
son, of course, may vary from person to person. For some, network-
ing is a one-way street, an attempt to get in touch with the right
people for personal advancement. For others, networking is a more
powerful and meaningful undertaking. Networking provides the
channel to share and establish relationships for the future. Within
an organization, networking fills a vital but often underutilized role
by providing the means for people to share their knowledge and
expertise.
Networking and the “Knowledge Deficit”
Robert E. Kelley, Ph.D., a professor at Carnegie Mellon’s Graduate

School of Industrial Administration who also consults with major
companies, posed an interesting—and challenging—question to a
group of “brain-powered workers,” whose “chief asset is mind, not
muscle.”
48 FROM DAY ONE
“What percentage of the knowledge you need to do your job is

stored in your own mind?” he explained in his book How to Be a Star
at Work. “Or put another way: What percentage of your time do you
spend reaching out to someone or something else for knowledge that
is essential for you to get your job done? Do you know how much you
don’t know?”
That percentage has changed through the years, at first showing
that people surveyed had about 75% of the knowledge they needed
in their heads. Over time, that percentage dropped, and at one com-
pany it was as low as 10%. His conclusion was that many employees
and companies suffer from what he called a “knowledge-deficit
problem.” The only way to bridge this gap, he advised, is through
“knowledge networks.”
Little wonder, then, that Professor Kelley places such a high
value on networking. Among his nine work strategies that help distin-
guish star performers, networking ranks second. (Initiative ranks
first.) He differentiates his brand of networking from the typical, me-
centered variety that entails being “in the loop” on office gossip and
socializing with others “who can help me in future job hunting.” A
star performer, he adds, knows that networking is “proactively devel-
oping dependable pathways to knowledge experts who can help me
complete critical path tasks. When called upon, I share my knowl-
edge with those who need it. The goal is to minimize the knowledge
deficit that is inherent in every brain-powered job.”24
Robert also says that the challenge for new employees is that they
may not be aware of the knowledge gap in their departments or
within their companies because they are in the early stages of the
learning curve for their own jobs. But that is precisely where to start.
Robert suggests preparing a “knowledge map” of the depart-
ment, including current projects, tasks that must be accomplished,
and the individuals who have knowledge or expertise within specific
areas. “Know what knowledge is available and who owns it,” he
explained. “That allows you to go to the right person when you need
access to specific knowledge or expertise.”
The knowledge map will also reveal the “missing pieces” of nec-
essary knowledge or information in the department that are needed
to complete specific projects or tasks. These gaps are opportunities
for you to help others and become the resource expert. “When you
know the missing pieces, spend some time reading about and
researching these areas,” he added. “Find out all you can so that you
can be the resource person for others.”25
Building and Maintaining Your Network
While Kelley’s “knowledge map” will help you in your current job,
another resource will be invaluable for your life and career. My
former mentor, Professor Doriot, suggested we compile a hand-
book, which he called a “manufacturing notebook,” that was a
compendium of interesting and useful information, including peo-
ple who had expertise in a particular area and insightful articles on
a variety of topics. Furthermore, at Procter & Gamble, where I
started my career, young trainees were encouraged to create and
maintain a “job control book,” which was much the same thing.
Having a notebook, online database, or spreadsheet of people,
information, and other resources that you keep up-to-date will be
invaluable throughout your career.
Share What You Know
Young professionals are in an ideal position to become part of the

knowledge network at their companies—even if they lack experience
or expertise in the company’s processes, product lines, or customer
base. All it takes is a willingness to share what you know, whether it’s
designing a database, producing computer graphics, or organizing a
project.
50 FROM DAY ONE
Let’s say you put together a PowerPoint presentation at your

boss’s request. Because of your skill, the slides are very appealing.
The graphics are sharp, and you’ve added some elements of anima-
tion to them. After the presentation, a colleague compliments you.
What do you say in return? Do you simply say “Thanks,” or do you
use that comment as an opportunity to reach out?
When you position yourself as part of the knowledge network,
you recognize your co-worker’s comment as an invitation to share
your expertise by saying, “I’ll be glad to show you how I did that.”
When you share your knowledge or expertise, you won’t lose a
competitive advantage by giving away what you know. All too often,
young professionals and even more senior managers grapple with the
concept that when they have a good idea or understand something
that others do not, they must be careful how they share it. It’s like
gold to them that they must guard vigilantly. The opposite is true.
Sharing knowledge, instead of hoarding it, increases its value.
When you give knowledge away, it’s multiplicative, allowing others
to benefit and putting you in a position to gain access to what
others know. The real payoff comes from the assurance that you’ve
provided a valuable service to others, helping them improve their
performance.
Moreover, as you share what you know, you strengthen and hone
your own expertise. You may be bringing other people to a higher
level, but you’re advancing yourself as well.
The Dangers of Hoarding Knowledge
David, a high-potential young professional, was asked to take on a

floundering international business that was started by his prede-
cessor and build it up. He traveled frequently to foreign countries,
working with existing customers and meeting new clients.
Returning to company headquarters, he rarely gave a full report to
his boss about the contacts he made or the promises he had given
to customers, including the demands that this new international

business would make on the factories in the U.S.
He wanted to be the clearinghouse for all information on the
international business. Believing he could build his power within
the company, he hoarded information and controlled access.
Admittedly, David was very successful in building the international
business, but the way he went about it led to his downfall. He
became a serious bottleneck that disrupted operations. Unwilling
to change his ways, he was eventually fired.
When Schmoozing Falls Short
Now contrast this brand of networking with the “schmooze to get

ahead” type. Networking as self-promotion has certainly been used
by ambitious and me-centered individuals in business. Its impact
can’t be denied, and many successful professionals swear by the “it’s
who you know” brand of networking. However, networking that exists
only for this purpose falls short of its potential to make a real differ-
ence in people’s careers. Interestingly, this type of networking also
does little to make these professionals more effective in their jobs
and in managing others.
Fred Luthans, Ph.D., the George Holmes Distinguished Profes-
sor of Management at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, did an
extensive study of the habits of managers. Specifically, the study
examined how much time these managers spent in four activity areas:
communication, traditional managing, resources management, and
networking, or socializing/politicking and interacting with others.
Among the four activities, managers who were promoted the most
spent the most time networking. Therefore, you can’t ignore the fact
that networking helps you get ahead.26
However, a balanced approach to networking is far better. It’s not
all altruism, either. Consider this example: You are among several
internal candidates whom the boss is evaluating for a position in the
52 FROM DAY ONE
department. As part of the selection process, the boss will most likely
check with other people, including peers and managers in other
departments with whom you’ve had contact. When the boss asks
them for their feedback, they will probably base their comments on
the contribution you’ve made, including your willingness to share
your time and expertise. If you have only been schmoozing
to get ahead, others will see that for what it is. But if you have made
a sincere effort to be part of the larger team, they will notice that
as well.
The bottom line: Networking is important, including for self-
promotion. But some “checks and balances” are necessary to make
sure your networking isn’t just one-directional. Otherwise, little
goodwill will be available to rely on when you need to tap into
your network.
Tapping into Your Network

Just as others have turned to you for help, advice, and expertise, one
day you will turn to others for assistance. That’s when you will quickly
find out just how much you have invested in others by what they are
willing to give back to you. Even as you tap into your network, look
for the next chance to repay the favor.
Here’s a true story about two professionals, who I’ll call Jim
Smith and Phil Jones. They had gone to college together and kept in
touch over the years. This personal connection turned out to be an
important link in their professional lives many years later.
Jim Smith was a vice president of operations for a manufacturing
company, but he wanted to branch out into a marketing role. Seeing
no opportunities to do that in his current position, Jim knew he had
to make a career change. Phil Jones, meanwhile, had risen through
the ranks of management at a consumer products company. Over the
years, Phil had told Jim that if he ever wanted to change jobs, his
company would be interested in hiring him.
Jim knew there was no guarantee that Phil’s company would have
a position for him. After all, friends sometimes make promises about
opportunities that don’t pan out. When Jim called, he was pleased to
learn that three opportunities were available at Phil’s company. Jim
interviewed with the company and took a job there. Grateful for
Phil’s referral, Jim told his friend never to hesitate to ask if he
ever needed anything. As it turned out, Jim’s chance to give back to
Phil happened many years later, without Phil’s even knowing about it
at first.
While Jim moved up in his new company, Phil suddenly had to
leave his management post in a corporate shake-up. Then one day,
Jim’s home phone rang. It was a former neighbor, Jean, who had relo-
cated to the West Coast. Jean was part of an interviewing team,
screening candidates for a top management position at a California
company. One of the candidates, she said, was a man named Phil
Jones, who had gone to the same college as Jim. Since Phil and Jim
were about the same age, Jean thought perhaps they knew each
other. Jim gave Phil a well-deserved reference that helped him land
his new position.
The story of Jim Smith and Phil Jones doesn’t end there. Four
years later, while Jim was still at the consumer products company,
another former neighbor, John, called him. John remembered walk-
ing to the train every day with Jim as they exchanged small talk about
their jobs and lives. Now John was looking to fill a management posi-
tion in his company, which required some specific knowledge, which
he believed Jim had. Was Jim interested? Indeed, he was. As Jim
interviewed for the position, he was asked for references. Among the
names he gave was his friend, Phil Jones. Needless to say, Jim got the
job. A year or so later, Jim’s boss said to him, “I don’t know Phil Jones,
but I have to say he gave you the best reference I’ve ever heard from
anyone.”
This true story has two morals. The first is that you never know
who your next best contact might be, perhaps a friend from college
54 FROM DAY ONE
or a former neighbor. The second is, even as you receive help from
your network, look for ways to give back. Both Jim and Phil were
talented professionals and deserving of an enthusiastic recommenda-
tion. Their willingness to help each other made a difference in their
respective careers.
Linking into Your Contacts
As you develop your network, know that resources are specifically set
up to help you find and access the contacts you need. One example is
LinkedIn.com, a Web site that is designed to help professionals look
for job opportunities, seek out new clients, and advance their careers.
Its “linking” tools allow people to invite others to join their networks
and, like an interlocking web, access others’ contacts as well.
Like all good networking tools, however, LinkedIn.com is a two-
way street, enabling its users to give as well as receive. The site pro-
vides not only access to job listings, for example, but also provides a
forum for professionals to offer assistance and information to each
other.
Asking for Advice and Creating a Network

As a college graduate or young professional, you will likely find many
people who are willing to help you, including as mentors. (See
Chapter 7, “Developing Your Career.”) They want to be part of your
network. I can tell you that it is very gratifying, as an older, experi-
enced professional, to have someone say, “I’d like to ask for your
advice” or “I need your opinion on this.” In general, people like to
help because it makes them feel good about themselves. (That’s the
“giving” in this kind of networking.) Even the toughest manager will
respond if you ask him or her for help.
If you’re fortunate, you may find someone who is mentoring you

in a most informal way. Gentle suggestions and positive feedback that
nudge you to consider something or take a certain action are given to
you in the normal course of business. Sometimes it’s so subtle it’s
hard to notice. When you receive this kind of guidance from an influ-
ential person, take it to heart, because it’s very valuable mentoring.
So how you do begin to network among your contacts, who will
probably include not only your friends and people a few years ahead
of you, but also those who are far more experienced? (See Chapter 4,
“Finding Your Ideal Position.”) One way is to seek out individuals
whose professional experience includes working for several different
companies. Often, they have a different perspective than someone
who has spent most of his or her career at one company, as Pamela
Forbes Lieberman relates.
“When I was in public accounting, I never really understood the
concept of networking until I left the firm and began looking for a
new position. I remember talking to partners at the firm who had
spent 20 or 30 years there, and they wanted to be helpful to me, but
they didn’t get the concept,” recalled Pamela, a certified public
accountant and former president and chief executive officer of
TruServ (now known as True Value Company). “Once I started talk-
ing with people who had multiple employers, it was a different story.
They’d say, ‘Let me introduce you to So-and-So. You can sit down
and share your thoughts and goals with them and seek their input.’ I
found these people to be the most helpful, especially those who had
been through the networking process themselves.”27
For college students and young graduates, networking may
involve your friends’ parents and your parents’ friends. These are
adults with whom you already have a connection. (Your own parents,
you will probably find, are the worst advisors on your career and pro-
fessional development. Their emotional attachment gets in the way
of their objectivity. And young people are more likely to listen to
56 FROM DAY ONE
adults other than their parents.) Even if no one among your parents’
friends or your friends’ parents has a profession similar to what you
want to pursue, they will probably know someone who does.
Moreover, these contacts will likely bring broad and deep experi-
ence with their industries and companies. When you set up a meet-
ing, make sure it’s in a very professional way. Arrange to meet them at
their workplace, and dress for the meeting. This will allow you to see
them in their professional world and to experience first-hand their
business environment. This will also allow you to test yourself on how
comfortable you feel in the business world, even if you’re still a col-
lege student. How easily can you fit in? Can you carry on a conversa-
tion with people who are a generation older than you? And if you are
invited to join them for lunch, what kind of impression do you make
at the table?
Handling a Networking Lunch—Without Getting Egg on

Your Face
You’ve called your best friend’s father for some advice about the
industry he works in. He invites you to visit him at the office and
join him and a colleague for lunch. This is not the same as a burger
with your friends.
For many students, mealtime etiquette is a problem that stems
from the changes in families today, in which meals typically
involve food eaten on the run. “Even students who are affiliated
with one of the most sophisticated schools still have these prob-
lems,” explained Peggy Barr, professor emeritus at Northwestern
University’s School of Education and Social Policy and former vice
president of Student Affairs.
To address the problem, Northwestern sponsors a program to
instruct students in social manners. “We did it because we felt that
the socialization process of law and medical school students was
lacking. Every intern eats on the run. They haven’t eaten sitting
down in ages. But when they get to interviews and they’re sitting
down for a meal and having polite conversation, they don’t know
what to do,” she commented.
What began as a program for 75 students has grown into formal
dinners for 200 or more students, who learn everything from navi-
gating a complex silverware setting to knowing how to eat an arti-
choke. “We sometimes have to tell them things like, ‘Don’t chew
with your mouth open.’ We also explain how to talk and
eat. What do you say if you don’t like something? We talk about
traveling overseas and encountering foods that you have not had
before.”28
Having polished table manners, the students learn, will not only
help them make a good impression, but also will put them more at
ease when having a networking lunch or, later in their careers,
when they take a client out for a meal for the first time.
As you network—either as a college student looking for advice on

what major to focus on or as a young professional investigating indus-
tries or pursuing job leads—you must reach beyond those in your
immediate circle. In fact, Pamela Forbes Lieberman suggests reach-
ing out to everyone you meet. To illustrate the point, she tells the
story of a young man working at a large Chicago bank who went to
get a haircut one day. As he sat in the barber’s chair, he explained how
he was looking for a new job but was having trouble contacting the
right people in banking. A few days later, the president of a Chicago-
area bank went into the same barbershop. As he sat in the chair, he
complained to the barber about the difficult time he was having
recruiting people.
“The barber went over to his card file, found the young banker’s
name and telephone number, and told the bank president, ‘Why
don’t you give this guy a call?’” Pamela continued. “They got together
and, in the end, the young man went to work at the bank.”29
58 FROM DAY ONE
When you actively cultivate your network, you just never know
who might be the link you can offer valuable assistance to, or who
might lead you to the next opportunity.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Networking is more about giving than getting.
➤ Actively seek out opportunities to fill the

knowledge gap at your company.
➤ When tapping into your network, be clear about

what you want.
➤ Networking will help you get promoted—after

you perform.
➤ Open your network to everyone you know.

4
FINDING YOUR IDEAL
POSITION
A young person’s first boss is likely to exert the
strongest influence on his or her new career.
—J. Sterling Livingston
One of the most frequently asked questions among those entering

the job market for the first time is “What’s the hot industry right
now?”
Too many young graduates tailor their career plans to what they
perceive as the most desirable industries, sectors, or companies.
Where you apply should not be determined by “what’s hot” or “where
the jobs are.” The starting point is where your interests lie and what
will make you excited enough to get up in the morning and go to
work every day. The ultimate test of a job is whether, after six or nine
months, you still feel that initial enthusiasm. If you can hardly wait to
get to work to meet that day’s tasks and challenges, you’re in the right
position. If not, it’s time to reevaluate things.
How do you find the ideal position? If you are hoping for a quick
answer, you may be perplexed at this point. The good news is, with
reflection and an honest self-assessment, you will know which oppor-
tunities to pursue. The main considerations in this quest are your
passions, your key interests, and what you love to do.
59
60 FROM DAY ONE
Identifying Your Passions

The first step to finding the ideal position is to identify your passions.
What have you done that really excites you? Finding your passion is
the first and most important step in your job search because it is the
lasting motivation. “When I look at friends of mine who are very
successful today, it’s not because of the skills we have, but because of
our passion for the work,” commented Andrea Jung, chairman of
Avon Products.30
Even if all you’ve had are summer jobs—and not really important
positions— you will still find some clues to what is most appealing
to you. Perhaps you enjoyed working with the public or being around
children. Perhaps you liked problem solving, or maybe you hated
being tied to a desk. Working on a team or working alone may be
appealing.
Start by describing a “good day” on your summer job. What
made that day stand out? Was it a task? Working on a group project?
Organizing something? Being challenged? Now think about a “bad
day” and what made it a negative experience. From this feedback,
you can start to figure out what appeals to you. You may like chal-
lenges that expand your abilities or repetitive tasks that build your
proficiency and expertise. There’s no right or wrong answer. Some-
one may find troubleshooting with customers to be challenging and
rewarding when solutions can be found, while another may hate deal-
ing with anyone who is upset. As you identify and analyze your per-
sonal preferences, patterns will emerge that will provide important
career insights for the future. James Citrin, a senior director at exec-
utive recruiting firm Spencer Stuart, recommends that students
spend three or four weeks clipping articles that “spark their interest”
from a range of magazines and newspapers. Putting them in a file and
looking back after a month will likely enable them to see patterns or
clues as to what interests them.31
CHAPTER 4 • FINDING YOUR IDEAL POSITION 61
When I was a college student, I thought I’d like to work in

research and product development. Luckily, I had a job one summer
with American Hospital Supply Corp. (which was subsequently
acquired by Baxter International, Inc.). Working in the product
research and development department, I saw how slow and detailed
the work was and how precise everything had to be. It was very frus-
trating for me. Thank goodness I learned a valuable lesson from that
summer job and did not have to wait until I was launching my career
for real.
As a student you should use every summer of your college years
to get a real job. This time should be used wisely to gain both experi-
ence and insight into what career path is most appealing and suitable
for you. Granted, with some summer jobs you don’t do any real work.
All you do is file or input data into spreadsheets. No matter. Even as
an intern in the lowliest job, you have the opportunity to see how
others work. Shadow someone for a few days, or ask to be invited
to some of the meetings. Watch how people treat each other, and
observe the decision-making process. You’ll find out pretty quickly if
this environment appeals to you and if you could see yourself work-
ing there, or if it’s not a good fit.
Opportunities Outside the Box
As you evaluate your true passions and career choices, don’t get
pigeonholed by your major or area of study. You’d be surprised how
adaptable your educational background can be. For example, an
engineering major who enjoys working with children could teach sci-
ence, mathematics, computers, or vocational training. To pursue the
career opportunities that match your passion and personality, think
outside the box—that is, beyond the confines of your background
and expectations.
62 FROM DAY ONE
Elizabeth had majored in finance with the intention of going into

banking. Her reason for pursuing that career was based largely on
what was perceived to be a good opportunity, particularly for young
women who were breaking into the ranks of investment banks and
brokerage houses.
While she was job-hunting, it became apparent that banking was
not her passion. Rather, it was what she thought she should be doing.
A friend asked her, “What are your passions? What really excites
you?” She quickly replied that she loved to travel, particularly in
Spanish-speaking countries. She had taken Spanish in school and was
fluent in the language. Another area of interest was the arts; she had
helped stage several student productions.
With these two insights, the question was how she could turn her
love of the Spanish language and culture and her interest in the arts
into a career. One obvious choice was Spanish-language television.
Elizabeth sent her résumé to several Spanish media companies and
was soon hired by a large Spanish-language television network.
When Dreams and Expectations Don’t

Match Up
Sometimes students are absolutely clear about their passion. The
problem, however, is that their dreams are in the opposite direction
of what their parents think are the best choices for them. For exam-
ple, Bob was in the midst of a career dilemma. Sportswriting was his
passion. The work was effortless to him, and he could imagine him-
self doing this the rest of his life. The reality, he knew, was that good
sportswriting jobs were scarce, and the competition was fierce. His
parents believed his career goal was too risky.
Despite the odds against him, Bob’s passion for sportswriting and
his commitment to the profession could not be denied. He decided
to give it another year, despite that this wasn’t what his family
expected. They wanted Bob to put his good education to use in a
career that had less risk. He believed that if he didn’t devote more
time to his dream, he would probably regret it later. In the end, Bob’s
focus on his passion and his commitment to making it happen paid
off. After nine more months of working for small, low-paying publica-
tions, he landed a job with a national sports magazine.
At times, like Bob, your true passions conflict with your expecta-
tions or others’ expectations of you. How do you reconcile the fact
that, for example, you always thought you’d become a lawyer, but
teaching is more appealing? What happens if your true passion isn’t
what your parents (who may have paid for your education) want you
to do? The only way to reconcile these differences is to address them
head-on. It may be harder to change your own expectations than to
alter those of your family. You have to go with your heart. Otherwise,
you’ll be sorry later on. To do that, you must first recognize your pas-
sions and then be bold enough to follow where they lead you.
“Throughout my career, I have been blessed with the best situa-
tions that I could be in,” reflected Herman Cain, former chairman of
Godfather’s Pizza and now CEO and president of T.H.E. Inc., a busi-
ness and leadership consulting firm.
For Herman, following his passions meant changing jobs. A
Purdue University graduate with a master’s degree in computer
science, he switched mid-career from an executive-level position in
technology to become an entry-level manager in the fast-food restau-
rant business. Looking back, Herman says the success he gained
hasn’t been “something that you lock up in a safety deposit box.
Success is to be used, sometimes to make a bigger and broader
impact.”32
64 FROM DAY ONE
For some people, however, their passions may not align directly
with their natural talents. This presents another set of challenges,
when what you love to do is not something you’re naturally good at.
Obviously some limits exist here. If you’d love to be a professional
golfer, but you’re not very good at the game, this is not a realistic
expectation. But what if you have a passion for a particular pursuit,
even though you know you don’t have enough talent to be a star per-
former? Follow that passion as best you can to see where it takes you.
The more you do something, the better you can get at it. You may
also be able to see how you can segue into a related area.
Sometimes this means being on the fringe of your dream.
Consider the example of a student who was an outstanding member
of his school’s golf team. However, he was not close to becoming a
professional golfer—unlike his roommate, Luke Donald, who did
turn pro, made more than a million dollars on the tour in 2004 at age
26, and was a member of the winning Ryder Cup team. Instead, this
student followed his passion for the sport into an adjacent area:
designing, manufacturing, and selling high-quality golf hats and
achieving early success.
While dreams and goals will motivate you, be sure that they are
not so specific or narrowly focused that they end up stymieing you
instead. If you are inflexible in what you pursue, you greatly reduce
your chances of achieving that specific dream. As a result, you may
not take the risk, or, if you do, you may be bitterly disappointed if you
fail. A far better approach is to keep your dreams broadly focused so
that you can move forward, pursuing opportunities as they arise.
As David E. Bell, chair of Harvard Business School’s marketing
department and two of its executive education programs, observed in
his chapter of the book Remember Who You Are: Life Stories That
Inspire the Heart and Mind, “As a rule, the more specific you are in
any of your given ambitions, the more risky the idea of pursuing them
becomes; as your objectives narrow, the number of potential pitfalls
in pursuing them rises… Ninety-nine percent of the time, when peo-

ple see a career path as too risky, it’s because they’re being insuffi-
ciently flexible in their goals. Many of my students hesitate to
become entrepreneurs, for instance, for fear they won’t become Bill
Gates. By defining success only as dominating an industry and mak-
ing billions, they’ve made the whole venture seem too improbable,
and therefore hazardous, to ever begin.”33
Start early in your college or professional career to broaden your
view of how your dream might play out. Then, like Bob, the sports-
writer, try to get a small taste of it, which will allow you to confirm
that this is what you truly want to pursue. While the glamour is
appealing, are you willing to do the required drudgery? If so, your
dream is worth pursuing. If not, it’s time to change your perspective
and consider something else.
Weighing the Choices
As young professionals evaluate their career options, it’s important to

look beyond the superficial prestige of some jobs, such as consulting
and investment banking. Recruiters may make these jobs sound very
appealing for a recent college graduate: lots of travel and the oppor-
tunity to deal with top management. What they don’t tell you is that
the travel will probably get pretty old after the first month. And, as a
junior member of the team, your dealings with top management will
be very limited. What you will have to contend with are long hours
and extensive travel that will impact your personal life.
Another potential drawback of these careers is that you can’t “pay
your dues” when you’re young and then cut back on your long hours
and your traveling when you get more established. The more suc-
cessful you become and the more clients want to work with you, the
greater your time commitment and traveling obligations. In fact,
highly successful (and extremely well-paid) consultants or investment
bankers may find they are working longer hours and traveling even
66 FROM DAY ONE
more than when they first joined their firms. Of course, many profes-
sionals do pursue consulting and investment banking, which can be
very lucrative careers. If you do go into the field, make sure the equa-
tion balances for you in order to achieve success in both your life and
your career. If you expect consulting to lead to a corporate job, there
is a better way: start there in the first place even if the initial financial
rewards and glamour are less.
On the other end of the spectrum, some graduates shy away from
a particular field, even if it is aligned with their passions, because it
pays less than other jobs or industries. Social work, teaching, and
nursing, while well respected, may not be lucrative fields compared
with other professions. They still offer opportunities for advance-
ment for those who want to lead. Moreover, these fields carry an
intrinsic value that cannot be discounted. I can’t stress how much sat-
isfaction you will feel when you follow your dreams into an area that
is truly important to you, regardless of what other people say. If you
are not happy and engaged by what you do, if you do not see the
value of what you do, no amount of money can make up for it.
Narrowing Down the Choices

Once you’ve done the basic sleuthing into your passions and inter-
ests, you’re ready to start narrowing down the choices. The business
world is divided into two basic categories: products and services. Are
you interested in working in an industry that produces something
tangible? Or would you rather work for an organization that provides
some kind of service, such as accounting, law, the arts, social work, or
healthcare? If you prefer a company that makes products, the possi-
bilities include those that produce industrial goods and those that
make consumer goods. High-tech products and industrial machinery
may intrigue you. Or you may find the newest food products exciting.
Different industries also have different cultures. Within an
industry, variations exist from company to company, but some broad
generalizations apply. Some are obvious. Law firms and banks, histor-
ically, have tended to be conservative and formal, while an Internet
company can be more spontaneous—even chaotic. Advertising and
retail typically are very creative and competitive, while large indus-
trial companies may place a higher value on conformity. Do a little
research by reading business magazines and trade journals, talking
with recruiters, and networking with other people.
As you find out more about what it’s like to work within a particu-
lar field, ask yourself: Could I fit in here? Does the industry’s envi-
ronment match my personality (for example, laid back or assertive)
and my talents and skills? Am I better suited to a creative yet
competitive environment like advertising or media, or do I like a
more professional, button-down environment, such as automobile
manufacturing?
Industry Snapshots
Based on my experiences and perceptions, I’ve come up with

some snapshots of a few industries to contrast their personalities
and cultures. Understanding the personality and culture of the
industry in which you have an interest can help you determine
whether it is a good fit for you.
• The clothing industry is informal and has a more loose organi-
zational structure than other industries. In clothing, power
comes from talent, not from titles. You can become a “star” in
the clothing industry on the basis of talent, which outranks
both education and seniority in importance.
• The paper industry is very button-down and professional.
Position and title carry a lot of weight. Professionals in this
industry are very well educated and trained. Fewer stars
rocket up the ranks. People understand the pecking order,
knowing time and experience are the best ways to get
promoted.
68 FROM DAY ONE
• Building materials has a unique culture that reflects the

power struggle that is inherent in this commodity business. At
any given time, depending on market conditions, the power is
in the hands of either the buyer or the seller. This makes for a
macho and power-based environment, in which the profes-
sionals take on the personalities of their customers. Educa-
tion is less valued in this field compared with the ability to get
things done.
• Business technology values both education and personal
ability. While titles do matter, stars who exhibit talent, creat-
ivity, and innovation are promoted quickly, regardless of
seniority.
The personality of an industry or company is reflected in two

ways (although it’s certainly not limited to that). The first is the kinds
of managers who get promoted and why, whether on the basis of title
and experience or because of individual achievement. The second
way is compensation. Compensation varies from industry to industry.
But when you look at the total package—salary, benefits, and other
incentives and perquisites—the variability is smaller than you’ll find
among the individual elements.
Looking at two extreme contrasts—commercial banking and util-
ities versus entertainment—you can see these concepts at work. In
banking or utilities, a lot of emphasis is placed on seniority and fol-
lowing the rules. Because of that, the majority of compensation is
paid in base salary, with smaller incentives. Banks and utilities also
tend to offer more job security-related benefits, such as a rich retire-
ment plan, which encourages valuable employees to stay with the
company. In entertainment, far less money is guaranteed, and a lot
more is a contingent payout based on performance. If you do well,
you can make a lot of money. Investment banking is the extreme—
even a CEO has very modest pay but can earn huge bonuses for
performance.
Gradations exist to the personalities of various industries. Airlines

tend to have lower base salaries but offer incentives such as deeply
discounted travel benefits. Technology companies, particularly start-
ups, offer incentives (many times stock) for performance, with less
emphasis on security-related benefits such as retirement. It’s not
unusual for a startup or a company in the early stages of its develop-
ment not to have a retirement plan. (Apple Computer didn’t have
one for years.)
Inflection Points
Once you’ve chosen your industry, what companies should you tar-
get? This is a particularly important consideration in a good job
market. Finding the answer requires some research on your part, but
the results will be well worth the effort. Many publications list
employers in the area, often by industry, size of revenue, “best places
to work,” and any other number of criteria. Find out what companies
or organizations are located in your area.
As you examine individual companies, look for firms that are at or
near an inflection point. Imagine a simple line graph. For a period of
time, the line has a gentle slope or may be nearly flat. Suddenly,
for some reason, the line’s angle changes significantly (preferably
upward). That “break” is the inflection point (see Figure 4.1).
An inflection point could be caused by a change in CEO, an
introduction of a major technology, a merger or acquisition, or a
change in the buying habits of consumers. This rapid change brings
about some interesting phenomena at a company. The way the com-
pany always operated during the time of predictable growth no
longer applies. The team’s experience is no longer as valuable during
these times of change. New people, new ideas, fresh energy, and
emerging talent are needed to respond to the changes in the market-
place or company conditions. As a young professional, that’s an
opportunity waiting to be tapped.
70 FROM DAY ONE
Inflection Point
Rate of
Growth
Time
FIGURE 4.1 A company’s performance over time shows a sudden

break—an inflection point—that may mean an opportunity.
Negative inflection points can also be an opportunity for new tal-

ent. When the line spikes downward, the company is out of balance.
To correct that balance, the company must redistribute its resources,
including its people. Layoffs occur as the workforce must shrink to
match the decline in product demand, output, or a change in cus-
tomer habits. Even when there are massive layoffs, some people are
still hired.
During my time as CEO at Bell & Howell Company in the early
1990s, we had a hiring freeze for the greater part of a year. Toward
the end of the hiring freeze, we evaluated how effective this policy
had been. We found that, despite the freeze, dozens of people had
been hired to fill perceived needs because someone would not relo-
cate or no internal candidate was available to retrain.
How do you find a company at an inflection point? A little due
diligence—reading articles or looking through financial statements
on the company’s Web site—will reveal a lot about what is happen-
ing. The ideal, of course, is to anticipate an inflection point before it
happens. Usually you notice it after that point has been reached, but
to make the most of this opportunity, it should be as soon as possible.
For example, you may read in the annual report about a new technol-
ogy that the company believes has the potential to increase revenues
significantly. Or it may be targeting new markets for its products that
could accelerate growth. Securities analysts’ reports, which are acces-
sible online, are also a good source of information about a company
and its growth prospects.
Then it’s time to make contact. You may apply for a job on a com-
pany’s Web site or through an Internet job-search site. Or, better yet,
you may contact the company directly, expressing your interest in
working there and the reasons why. Be specific in your letter. If
you’ve always liked the candy they make, tell them. If you pass their
headquarters on the highway every day, tell them. It doesn’t have to
be a long or even a particularly profound reason, but it does have to
be true. I strongly recommend the personal touch.
Internet Versus Your Network
While many job seekers turn to the Internet, online searches may
not be the most effective. A far more constructive approach is to
tap into your personal and professional network (see Chapter 3,
“Your Network: It’s All About ‘Giving,’ Not Just ‘Getting’). In his
bestselling book What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical
Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (2005 Edition),
author Richard N. Bolles cites research that shows a small number
of jobs are found through the Internet. For example, in one study
of 3,000 job seekers, only 4% landed their most recent jobs by
going online. Of the remaining 96%, 40% found a job through
personal referrals or by direct application.34
To make the most of your job-search activities, see if you know
someone (or if someone you know knows someone!) at your target
company. This is the best strategy since a good portion of job leads
and information about prospective employers come from speaking
72 FROM DAY ONE
with people you know. If so, ask that person for assistance in get-
ting your résumé in front of the right people, or send it to human
resources.
If you don’t know anyone or can’t find any other contact, you
might consider writing to the CEO—although this strategy is not
applicable to Fortune 100 companies. (With the very large firms,
however, a higher probability exists that someone you know works
there.) For other firms, consider this scenario: You are intrigued
by XYZ Corp. You write to the CEO, explaining that you’ve always
admired XYZ Corp., you’ve used their products for years, or that
you could always picture yourself working there. You have valuable
talents and skills to offer the company. Acknowledge in your letter
that you know the CEO is not the right person to write to. But ask
him or her to kindly pass on your résumé and letter to the appro-
priate department.
You probably won’t get a call from the CEO’s assistant. But the
CEO’s office generally will forward your résumé and cover letter
to human resources—perhaps with a note that says, “Looks inter-
esting” (if indeed you are interesting.) A note like that from the
CEO’s office will get your résumé noticed.
Résumés with a Hook—and Bait

Getting a company’s attention means having a résumé that will posi-
tively reflect your talents, accomplishments, and, most importantly,
the contribution you can make—in other words, looking interesting
to a prospective employer. Dozens of books have been written on
résumés with advice that does not need to be included or summa-
rized here. Your focus on writing a résumé should be to ensure that it
also contains certain elements that will help attract a potential
employer’s attention.
James Citrin, a senior director at executive recruiting firm
Spencer Stuart, advises students to establish who they are quickly
through the information provided. While Jim recruits top executives
at leading corporations, his perspective is enlightening for college

graduates and young professionals. “Here’s my mental hierarchy
when I read a résumé: Number 1, the name. Do I know the person?
Number 2, where are they now? Do they work for a respected com-
pany? What role are they in? Next, education. Where did they go to
school, and how did they do? Where did that lead them? In 20 sec-
onds, I can get a snapshot picture of how he or she stacks up in the
world.”35
If you’ve done your homework, you’ll know the buzzwords and
phrases of the industry you’re targeting. Be sure to include them in
your résumé, particularly as you relate your past experience. This will
not only make your résumé appealing but will also trigger keyword
searches when you submit electronically. In addition to this impor-
tant data, you could use a “fishing” approach. When you fish, the
objective is to get the bait in front of a fish and entice it to bite. Once
the fish bites the bait, it’s hooked. Similarly, your résumé should be
written in a way that makes it attractive to people so that they will
“bite” and become hooked. One “hook” comes under a heading at the
end of your résumé called “Other Data.” Here, list your selected per-
sonal interests, whether it’s rock climbing or watercolor portraits—
the weirder the better, although it must be true.
These details prompt the question that just begs to be asked in an
interview or conversation with a recruiter or potential employer. In
addition, your interest in long-distance cycling, ethnic cooking,
archaeology, or any other diverse topic also shows that you are a bal-
anced, well-rounded person. If you don’t have a well-developed
unusual talent, but you are serious about working on one, you can
note it. But be careful. If you put down “aspiring jazz musician,” you
can’t fake it if you’re not really into jazz and the person interviewing
you happens to be passionate about it.
While some people believe strongly that an effective résumé
must have a clear objective, I don’t see this as absolutely necessary.
74 FROM DAY ONE
However, if you use an objective, it should be focused on contribut-

ing to the company’s goals, not your own.
At this point you may be thinking, “But my real objective is to
find a job. How can I know what contribution I’ll make if I’m just
starting out? Isn’t it up to the company to figure out where I belong?”
True, but you showcase your attitude as well as your talents and
expertise in your objective. For example: “My objective is to
contribute to a consumer products company through my creativity,
communication skills, and interest in product marketing.”
Very often students put as broad an objective as possible on their
résumés, hoping to cast a wide net into the job-search waters. The
problem, however, is that a generalized objective doesn’t give a
recruiter or someone in human resources a clear idea of where you
could best serve the organization. It may also show that you aren’t
sure what you want to do. Recruiters want a sharply focused objec-
tive that highlights specifically how you can contribute to the com-
pany. Yes, it may eliminate some potential jobs, but most likely these
would not be the ideal situation for you. By focusing your efforts, you
will concentrate on a few select positions that match your passions.
Another important content area is the listing of your accomplish-
ments. The focus should not be on what you did, but rather on the
results. For example, if you had a summer job at a restaurant, what
did you accomplish? Did you pick up your orders a different way that
allowed you to serve more efficiently? If you worked as a file clerk in
a law firm, did you find a way to improve efficiency in retrieving
documents? Or did you reduce the number of misfiled or lost docu-
ments? Your accomplishments should identify the results of what you
did, such as fewer errors, faster turnaround, shorter lines, more prod-
ucts sold. List the accomplishments using descriptive words—such as
improved, faster, increased, lower cost, fewer, easier—that are fol-
lowed by a noun. This is not just catchy phraseology. New online job
recruiting sites have algorithms to search for these types of words.
When you submit your résumé—even if it is online through an

Internet job bank or a corporate posting on a Web site—a cover let-
ter is absolutely critical. It is the company’s first exposure to you, so
make it a positive one. A cover letter, written on quality paper, need
not be lengthy, but it must be personalized to the company and
explain why you are interested in a position there. Never send a
generic or form letter to employers. Plant some “hooks” in your letter
to make them want to read your résumé, such as a few of your
accomplishments and why you will be a good fit for the company.
At the Interview
Volumes have also been written on handling job interviews and inter-
viewing techniques. My intention here is to highlight some of the key
elements that I believe are important for a good interview. First is
preparation, which should include learning as much as you can about
a company so that you can ask relevant questions. Second, rehears-
ing: Don’t underestimate the value of rehearsing, particularly if you
can find someone to videotape you. While many people shy away
from this because it makes them feel awkward or embarrassed, it will
provide you with valuable feedback on how you come across. The
placement office at your school may offer these services, or you can
ask a friend with a video recorder to do a mock interview with you.
Everyone expects you to ask questions at the interview. But it’s
more important to ask one really good question than to have five
routine ones at your disposal. Gerry Niewoehner, a corporate psy-
chologist and principal of Niewoehner Associates in Lake Geneva,
Wis., coaches senior executives from candidacy through retirement.
He believes that young professionals should ask questions of their
prospective bosses and managers to discover more about the corpo-
rate culture and what management believes is important. This may
76 FROM DAY ONE
be more comfortable in a second interview or plant visit, when the

discussions are more serious and substantive.
“Ask the question, ‘How will my performance be evaluated?’ This
is especially important if you are talking with your prospective new
boss. Find out how you will be able to know if you are doing well, or
how progress will be reviewed in a particular job,” Gerry suggests.
If you are brought in for a day of interviews and meetings, capi-
talize on opportunities to speak with other young professionals.
When you are introduced to them, look for commonalities and
mutual interests that will help you make a connection.
“This usually begins with finding a common base. Perhaps you
went to the same school, and you know some of the same people. Or
you were both marketing majors. Whatever the common ground is,
build on it,” Gerry explained.
After the interview, send a handwritten note (see the Appendix,
“Your Toolbox for Success”). While you may also send an email, don’t
think an electronic note replaces a handwritten one, which will get
positive attention and could make a significant difference in whether
you are called back for a second interview or ultimately offered
the job.
As you make up your mind about whether to pursue this oppor-
tunity, don’t overlook the value of finding people who used to work
there. “Even more important is to find people who have left the
company,” Gerry suggests, as they will have a unique perspective.36
Evaluating Multiple Offers

In a good economic environment, you may have more than one job
offer to weigh. So how do you choose? If your criterion is salary
alone, think again. Many factors should be considered when accept-
ing your first job, assuming that the offers you’re entertaining are
within the industry and companies you’ve targeted. Some key factors
include
• Your first boss
• Corporate culture
• Desirability and affordability of the job’s location
• Your interest in the work you will do (or that you will be doing
very soon)
• Your compensation
I’ve prioritized these factors based on the typical undergraduate. For

MBAs, who on average have three to four years of experience, the
priorities will be different. These students, for example, have already
experienced their first boss. For them, other factors become more
important based on their individual experience. In addition, some sit-
uations will change the weighting of the factors. For example, geog-
raphy may be the biggest consideration for you, or perhaps the type
of work you want to do is most important, no matter where you have
to go. That being said, let’s examine each of these factors.
Your First Boss
While it may seem counterintuitive, your first boss takes top priority,
because he or she will exert an inordinate influence on not only your
first job but also the rest of your career. J. Sterling Livingston, a for-
mer Harvard Business School professor and founder of the Sterling
Institute, a management consulting firm, stressed the importance of
a young professional’s first boss. In research, he found that a young
person’s first boss is likely to exert the strongest influence on his or
her new career. He gave the example of branch managers at a West
Coast bank, all of whom were in their 40s and 50s, except for one 27-
year-old. “His first boss had made him a branch manager at 25
78 FROM DAY ONE
because he didn’t believe it took years to become an effective

manager. His talented protégé quickly excelled and trained his own
assistant to assume responsibility quickly,” Livingston wrote.37
At the other extreme, a first boss who undermines a young
employee’s confidence and motivation can have a lasting negative
effect that is hard to shake. Some people may be able to shed any lin-
gering doubts about their abilities after some time, while others may
end up continually second-guessing themselves. As you move into
your new position, make sure you have a genuine rapport with your
first boss.
“Your first boss can destroy you in the organization, give you
bad advice, or create such a bad impression by what he asks you to do
that you have a heck of a time overcoming it,” observed Warren
Batts, former chairman of Premark and a member of several boards
of directors.
Warren recalled a rough start with one of his bosses early in his
career, when he was fresh out of graduate school. “The first week on
the job, I couldn’t get in to see him. But finally I managed to track
him down in his office. He sat me down and said, ‘Let me explain
something to you: My former college roommate, the godfather of one
of my children, and the half-owner of my fishing camp was fired to
make room for you!’ That shows the importance of knowing who is
hiring you and whether or not they want you there.”38
Luckily for Warren, his boss was essentially a fair man and a good
person who did not impede his career in any way. But his boss’s initial
reaction showed Warren the uphill battle he was facing to develop
rapport with him.
If possible, during the interview process observe how your
prospective boss treats others in the department. Most people end
up with a bad boss some time in their careers. But it’s easier to han-
dle a difficult manager once you have some good experiences behind
you to affirm your ability and bolster your confidence.
Corporate Culture
The next factor, equal in many respects to the importance of your

first boss, is corporate culture, which differs from the overall industry
personality. Corporate culture includes such things as how decisions
are made, the criteria by which people are promoted, how manage-
ment reacts to mistakes, how successes are celebrated, how cus-
tomers and shareholders are valued, and encouraging diversity and
being family-friendly.
You will likely find that your boss’s value system and the corpo-
rate culture are closely aligned, although occasionally you could have
a bad boss in a good company. (However, you don’t want to work for a
good boss in a bad company, because one individual cannot sway the
entire corporate culture.)
Corporate culture may be difficult to ascertain from the outside,
but certainly after a few interviews at a company you should have a
feel for it. Talking to others who work for the company—and, if you
can, with people who used to work for the company but left—will
provide insights into what it will be like working at your prospective
employer.
Geographic Location
A job in Chicago will pay you $40,000 a year. A job in New York will
pay you $45,000 a year. Should you take the New York job because of
the extra $5,000 a year? Not without understanding the higher cost of
living in New York. If you are going to relocate for a job, make sure
it’s to a place where you really want to live (or can afford to live). Or,
if the opportunity is too great to pass up, understand the trade-off if
you’ll be living in a place that’s less desirable.
Another geographic factor you should consider is the location of
the corporate office. Perhaps you have been offered a job in a
regional office based in Boston, which is one of your favorite cities.
80 FROM DAY ONE
The corporate headquarters, however, is in Phoenix, Arizona. If you

rise through the company’s ranks, guess where you’ll end up? While
you may seek other opportunities in the meantime, perhaps in
Boston or elsewhere, understand that your desire (or lack thereof) to
live in Phoenix will be a factor in how far you’ll want to go within the
company.
The Work You Will Be Doing
The next consideration is how motivated you feel about the job you
will be doing, or that you will be doing shortly. Granted, some entry-
level positions may seem more routine and less important because of
the inevitable learning curve you will face. Still, some aspects of your
job should interest you. Or you should be able to see a clear path to
more tasks and responsibilities that will be challenging and make you
feel that you are contributing to the greater good of the organization.
If not, just having a so-so job will be very limiting, particularly as a
means to showcase your talent and abilities. And don’t take a job
assuming that you’ll be able to change the way other people work, or
that someone will rescue you from your routine job as soon as he or
she recognizes how bright and talented you are. If you find the work-
place uninviting and the job lacking in meaning and motivation, no
amount of money will make up for it.
Compensation
Salary, understandably, is a very emotional issue. All of us want to be

compensated fairly, and most people aspire to a better lifestyle. Many
people fail to realize, however, that compensation is actually an
agreement between you and the company. The company promises to
pay you “X” in exchange for your “Y” contribution. It is the basis of a
healthy and mutually beneficial relationship for the future.
When it comes to your compensation, understand that almost

every company has a system in place for paying people. In other
words, they don’t base it solely on how they feel about you. The com-
pensation system is far more objective and complex than that. To
explain, let’s take look at the main components of cash compensation:
base pay, incentives/bonuses, and other incentives.
Base Pay
In every organization, including the smallest companies, a system is

used to determine what a job is worth. Imagine that you’re starting a
company. You would group certain tasks into a job and then hire
someone to do that job. The smaller the company, the broader the
tasks. In a larger organization, each position is more focused, with
less variety of tasks but greater volume in each.
Whatever the job description, companies have developed guide-
lines of what the job is worth to the organization. This is also reflec-
tive of the need to pay enough to attract qualified individuals to get
the job done. If a company doesn’t pay enough, no one will take on
the responsibilities (or, if they do, they probably won’t stay very long).
On the other hand, if a company pays too much, it is wasting the
owners’ or shareholders’ money. Between these pressures of paying a
fair amount and needing to get the tasks accomplished, salary targets
are set.
The higher up someone is in an organization, with more respon-
sibility and being in a position to make a greater contribution, the
larger that person’s salary. In addition, the higher up you go in an
organization, the greater the potential variability in your pay (see
Figure 4.2). As you can see, with entry-level jobs, you can quickly hit
the ceiling. The only way to increase your base compensation signifi-
cantly is to move to the next job category with broader responsibili-
ties and a greater potential impact on the company’s sales and profits.
82 FROM DAY ONE
Value Range for Compensation

Max
Mid
Min
$ Pay
Entering Position CEO
FIGURE 4.2 The greater the job responsibility, the greater the
opportunity to increase your compensation.
When you have more experience, the range of what companies

might pay for a particular position broadens, and you may be able to
negotiate. (Be careful, however, of jumping from job to job, company
to company, only to advance your pay but not your experience,
knowledge, and contribution. As Professor Doriot used to say, “Don’t
do anything just for money.”) When you are just starting out, how-
ever, pay negotiation should be the last thing you worry about.
Remember, you can’t negotiate your way to financial success.
The only way to achieve that is to focus your energy on making a con-
tribution to the organization instead of always looking at what’s in it
for you.
The “Money” Discussion
You’re in discussions with a potential employer. While the oppor-

tunity looks appealing, you still have many questions about the job,
what will be expected of you, and how you could grow and con-
tribute in this position. Your prospective employer, however, wants
to start the money discussion. What should you do?
Donald P. Delves, founder of The Delves Group, a Chicago-based

executive compensation firm, advises professionals not to start
talking about money until all the other issues are resolved. “A lot
of employers will try to move you into the money discussion before
you have resolved all the other issues, especially if they really want
you. They use money to lure you,” Don commented. “However,
you would be wise to go through and address every other concern
that you have first, and then talk about money. If you haven’t set-
tled all the other questions before you get into the money discus-
sion, then you’re not really serious. You’re just teasing them, and
they’re teasing you.”
Focusing too soon on money can undermine the entire job recruit-
ment process and could prompt you to make a decision prema-
turely—and for the wrong reasons.
“While money is important, there are so many other aspects to an
organization that you want to explore first,” Don concluded. “One
of them is, does it feel right? Do you like being there? The second
thing is, is it challenging? If you were a good student in college,
you will be frustrated in an environment where you can’t learn and
grow, no matter how much money you’re making. You want to be
part of an environment with a high level of growth opportunity.
You want to work with people who know things that you want to
learn and whom you respect. Are they good coaches to you? Are
they people who will nurture and develop you, and tell you the
hard truth when you need to hear it?”39
Along with your cash compensation, consider the value of all the
benefits the company is offering, including vacation time, holidays,
paid sick time, stock purchase plans, retirement plans, and certainly
health insurance and life insurance, and possibly more. While I’m not
in a position to advise people on their benefits, I will say this: If your
company offers a 401(k) program, you should save enough out of
each paycheck to get the full match from the company. Not only are
most 401(k) plans a great way to save for the future, they also get you
into the important habit as a young person of setting money aside
regularly.
84 FROM DAY ONE
In addition, if you work for a large, publicly traded company,

your employer may offer a stock purchase program. I suggest that
you seriously consider participating in it for a couple of important
reasons. First, these programs typically allow you to buy stock at a
discount, which used to be the lowest share price during the quarter.
Second, owning shares will allow you to feel more closely aligned
with the company and with other shareholders. By having some “skin
in the game,” every contribution you make to the company benefits
all shareholders—including yourself.
Incentives/Bonuses
A second major component of your compensation could be incen-

tives and bonuses. Even as an entry-level employee, you may go into
a job that offers potential incentives, or you may be eligible soon.
Companies have different philosophies and rationale for their incen-
tives. That is further modified by situational circumstances, some of
which reflect the contribution of the individual employee. Others are
based on the performance of a particular unit or division, and others
are predicated on the performance of the entire company. Some
companies give incentives if you simply stay with the firm. Learn how
the incentive programs work, including their fundamental purpose
and how you will be measured.
Bonuses and incentives are not guaranteed, nor are you automat-
ically entitled unless you and your department or unit meet specific
performance goals. Moreover, just because you receive a bonus one
year doesn’t mean you’ll get it the next, so don’t spend in anticipation
of what you might receive.
Generally, if you do what’s expected, you’ll be rewarded with
your base compensation and possibly a very modest bonus. The real
payoff, however, comes from exceeding these expectations. Later in
your career, bonuses for a top-level manager could skyrocket.
This reward system is unlike the world of academics where you

stop with the achievement of an “A” for doing good work that meets
or exceeds expectations. In the corporate world, however, you could
receive a 10%–20% bonus in addition to your compensation, which is
the equivalent of getting an A+. Senior people may have the opportu-
nity to earn 100% or more of their base pay in bonuses, which is like
getting an A++++! In investment banking you would probably have a
comparatively low base salary but the opportunity to earn multiples
of that in a bonus or as incentive compensation. To do that, however,
you must measurably outperform and exceed expectations. This can
be an adjustment in thinking, particularly for recent graduates who
were high-achieving students.
“When you go into the business world, you graduate to another
tier. You are going to be one of many top students who get hired by
the company,” Don Delves observed. “The goals are longer-term,
more multidimensional, and complex than just getting an ‘A’ in
school… When you are taking a class, it’s relatively clearly defined
how to get an ‘A.’ The performance measurement systems in the
business world, however, are much less precise, are subject to greater
error, and vary considerably by the ‘grader’—much more so than at
the university.”40
Another type of bonus for which you might be eligible is the sign-
ing bonus. A signing bonus is a tool used by companies to temporar-
ily raise the minimum that they have to offer someone to react to
supply/demand imbalances in the labor market. By offering a bonus,
they can increase the pay that a new employee will receive for the
first year, without raising the compensation bar and skewing the
whole system. Thus, signing bonuses are really about the economics
of the marketplace. If you get a signing bonus, that’s great. If you
don’t, it really doesn’t mean anything in terms of your value to the
organization.
86 FROM DAY ONE
Other Incentives
Typically an undergraduate is ineligible for stock option grants, the

allocation of restricted shares, or other incentives. Very shortly, how-
ever, you could be eligible to receive these incentives, which offer an
opportunity to build equity in the company and grow your personal
assets.
Whatever your compensation package, remember it’s a reward
for the work you do, not an allowance for showing up. The greater
the contribution you make, the more you will be valued. And the
more you are valued, the greater your earning potential will be over
time. Don’t expect that to happen overnight. You will need to demon-
strate that you have the experience and skills to handle more respon-
sibility and make a bigger contribution.
Even though most companies have very narrow guidelines for
how to pay you, particularly as a new employee, you do want to go
into a job feeling that you are being treated fairly. If you receive an
offer for a job that you are genuinely interested in, but the salary
package is far lower than you expected, you do have some recourse.
One way is to go back to the recruiter and explain that you feel a little
uncomfortable with the offer: “I’d like you to assure me that the offer
is fair compared with other offers the company has made.” Most of
the time, the recruiter will explain why and how you are being paid.
Every now and then, however, the recruiter will respond that, upon
reflection, the company has decided to raise your offer slightly.
A final note on salary: Keep in mind that when you compare job
offers with your friends, people have a tendency to “round up.” You
may hear of someone getting a base salary of $55,000 a year and six
weeks of vacation as an entry-level employee. But is that what they’ll
really be getting at the beginning? Probably not. So be careful when
you’re comparing job offers with others. Don’t believe your new job
is inadequate because of what someone else is getting (or claims to
be getting). Weigh your job offer on your terms, including the big
picture of long-term opportunity and a chance to get noticed by the
contribution you’ll be making.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Follow your passion, not the “hot” industry.
➤ Don’t be enamored with the superficial prestige

of a job that’s not right for you.
➤ Look for companies at an “inflection point.”
➤ Embed “hooks” in your résumé to catch the

attention of recruiters.
➤ One insightful question at the interview beats

five ordinary ones.
➤ Your first boss could be the most important factor

in your future success.
➤ Don’t sweat your early compensation; the real

payoff is over the long term.
PART III:
A SUCCESSFUL START
Chapter 5 From Day One 91
Chapter 6 Is Graduate School

Right for You? 111
Chapter 7 Developing Your Career 129
89
5
FROM DAY ONE
From Day One, your first days on the job are critical.
When that time is gone, it’s gone!
The day you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. You’re about to
start a new job. All the hard work has paid off, and now you’re
approaching Day One as a new employee. You might be tempted to
breathe the proverbial sigh of relief that the job-search process is
over. The truth, however, is that you’ve only just begun.
Day One on your new job signals the start of the most important
phase of your career. Within your first few months, you will do more
to establish yourself as a good fit in the organization, as a proven con-
tributor, and as a person of value than you probably will in the com-
ing years. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you fail to get off to a
strong start in the first one to three months, you will greatly under-
mine your chances to succeed in the company and face significant
challenges to prove yourself.
The key to your success is being conscious of the fact that these
early days are so important. Let’s assume you have accepted an offer
for a job that will begin right after graduation. Even as your friends
91
92 FROM DAY ONE
and family congratulate you, something more pressing is on your

mind: What should you concentrate on during your first 30 days on
the job?
The fact that you are even asking this question proves that you’ve
solved 90 percent of the problem.
This question reveals your acute awareness of the importance of
the first impression you will make on the job and whether you will be
seen as a “good fit.” That depends on how well you demonstrate your
commitment to making a contribution to your boss, team, depart-
ment, and company.
If you are aware of this, you’ll be alert and mentally prepared to
make the most of these first few months. If you are not aware, how-
ever, you’ll be at risk of coasting during this important time. You may
be lulled into thinking that “being new” is a blanket excuse that keeps
others from evaluating you too critically. Granted, many things exist
that you won’t know and will have to learn. Nonetheless, from Day
One let your enthusiasm be your biggest contribution. Show your
desire to learn as much as possible, and commit yourself to surpass-
ing the expectations of what you can accomplish. After all, this is an
exciting time in your life. You’ve worked hard to find the right job, so
celebrate by diving into it.
An Extraordinary Career
Many young professionals enter the business world with high hopes
and lofty expectations. Their dreams are as vast as the possibilities
they see before them. Looking many years into the future, what does
a successful career look like? Based on some very compelling
research, the answer is both humbling and inspiring: Extraordinarily
successful executives focus on the careers and success of others as
much as—and sometimes even more than—their own careers.
CHAPTER 5 • FROM DAY ONE 93
That was the finding of research conducted by Spencer Stuart

executive recruiters James Citrin and Richard Smith, who are also
coauthors of The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers: The Guide for
Achieving Success and Satisfaction. “Extraordinarily successful exec-
utives, it turns out, were not perceived as overly self-interested.
Quite the opposite was true. Nearly 90 percent were described as
being concerned about the careers of their subordinates as much as
or more than their own careers. Further, a mere 4 percent were
described as being most concerned with their own careers… Our
research clearly demonstrates that a leadership approach focused on
the success of others is a truly significant pattern among successful
executives.”41
Jim Citrin brought home the point for college graduates and
young professionals who want to get off to a strong start from Day
One. “It’s an absolute fact and it is a guaranteed success strategy,
whether you’re an MBA coming out of school or a CEO. If you make
those around you succeed, you will be successful,” Jim explained.
How, then, can a new employee, who may be in a junior or entry-
level position, help others be successful? The answer is simple: Look
for ways to be helpful, be willing to take on extra tasks, and be
focused on the goals of your boss, your team, and your company
instead of solely on your own success. This begins with a commit-
ment to add value by exceeding expectations.
“You have to do a good job with those things that are expected of
you. That’s the ticket to the game,” Jim added. “The average profes-
sionals think it is their job to fulfill their job objectives. Successful
professionals are the ones who do what’s asked of them and then
over-deliver consistently, such as in sales or project management by
doing more than their quota or completing something faster. But the
extraordinary professionals are the ones who do what’s required, but
then rather than doing more of the same, they figure out what they
can do that both adds value to their organization or unit and that dif-
ferentiates them in the process.”42
94 FROM DAY ONE
Admittedly, this probably won’t happen overnight. As a new

employee, you will have a learning curve that will be shorter or
longer depending on the size of your organization, the tasks you are
assigned, and how your team or department operates. Throughout
this learning process, however, others will be making critical judg-
ments about you. In a large organization, you will have more oppor-
tunities and a longer period of time, because more people will get to
know you and form impressions about you. In a smaller company, the
number of people with whom you interact is limited. Therefore, one
or two mistakes early on will be amplified. Whatever the circum-
stance, expect to be “under the microscope” of your manager and
co-workers.
Warren Batts, former chairman and CEO of Premark and
Tupperware, observed that most people have a fair amount of toler-
ance for new college graduates when they are first hired. “No one
expects them to come in knowing everything,” he commented. “But
there are those who seem to do their best, who quickly demonstrate
their interpersonal skills, and who spend a good deal of time finding
out how to make a contribution. That means understanding the infor-
mal system for getting things done in the organization. That desire to
understand is very much appreciated in companies and will help the
new employee for a long time to come.”43
Your Success Plan from Day One

With that in mind, what should you bring with you that first day on
the job? Certainly not your lunch! Seriously, from Day One you must
be aware of the patterns you are establishing, including your observ-
able behaviors, attitudes, and actions by which others will
evaluate you. To do this successfully, you need a plan to get off to a
strong start so that you will feel good about the company you’ve
chosen—just as your boss, peers, direct reports, and other colleagues

will be pleased with the company’s decision to hire you.
Your Plan from Day One
• Last-minute due diligence
• Setting expectations
• Making a contribution
• Be conscious of where you spend your time
• Who are your new friends?
• Watch your work space
• Choose the right pace
The seven steps in your plan are designed to help you prepare for
your “launch date” on Day One and to carry you through the critical
first few months on the job. Let’s take a look at each step individually.
Last-Minute Due Diligence

By this point in your job process, you have probably done thorough
due diligence on the company where you’ll work. This includes read-
ing information on the company’s Web site, looking at analysts’
reports on the company or the industry, and speaking to people who
work for the company and/or who used to work for the company.
However, if you haven’t done that yet, you had best undertake some
last-minute due diligence so that you aren’t totally unprepared on
Day One.
In the days before you start working, contact your boss to see if
any material is available for you to read so that you can get up to
speed on your new job. Show that you’re eager to begin making a
contribution.
96 FROM DAY ONE
Dressing for Success—the First Day
On Day One, you’ll want to dress in a way that makes a good

impression while being in line with your peers. You don’t have to
show up in a suit if the dress code is casual. In the course of your
interviews, you’ve observed how others dress, and going along
with the majority is a good idea. Just make sure you’re not more
casual than anyone else. Dress for success by looking the part of
the new role you are assuming at the company.
What happens if you’ve just received your MBA and you’ve been
hired as a new manager who must go from the front office to the
factory floor? My advice is to dress in a style that won’t make you
look completely out of line with the factory personnel but that will
also keep you in the corporate team’s good graces. For example, a
man may decide not to wear a tie, and a woman may opt to wear
slacks instead of a skirt and jacket, in keeping with the factory
environment. But you wouldn’t want to show up in a T-shirt and
jeans either. A good compromise would be a collared shirt and
pressed trousers or slacks. Your team at the factory will view you
as approachable, while your corporate peers will see you as “one
of them.”
Setting Expectations
As a new hire, you’re probably eager to dive into the job, to see what
you can do and what changes you can make. Your first concern, how-
ever, is not your own agenda. In fact, setting targets on your own can
lead you astray from what you should be doing. The best approach,
therefore, is to identify from Day One the boss’s agenda and to make
sure your efforts are focused on those priorities.
In your first few months, you probably won’t accomplish much as
you learn the ropes of the new job and how things are done in the
organization. Nonetheless, your priority is to make sure that you are
off to the right start, especially with your initial tasks and assign-
ments. As stated earlier, based on your initiative and attitude in these
early days, people will form opinions about the kind of team member
you are, your diligence and commitment, and the quality of your
work.
Your boss may communicate her expectations for you—including
how you will work and who will train you—directly. Or she may let
you know her preferences by inference. It will be up to you to pick
up on your boss’s signals, including who will train you.
“Does your boss want to see you in his office, or does he want you
to disappear into the organization? Does he want to communicate
with you through memos, or in face-to-face discussions?” asked
Warren Batts. “The boss may not want you hanging around his office
door all the time, and instead expects you to find out for yourself
what you’re supposed to do. The expectation is that you’ll be trained
by your peers. Other bosses may have the time, energy, and patience
to invite you to come in and discuss what you’re working on. This
‘talking’ is a subtle form of coaching, but not all bosses engage in it.”44
Understand, too, that the flow of information from the boss may
not be at the same frequency as yours. With broader responsibilities
and more people to manage, your boss will likely initiate communica-
tion far less frequently. But don’t go too far the other way so that you
inundate your boss with updates. A good ratio is to communicate two
or three times more frequently than your boss does with you (unless
you have a frequent communicator as a boss, who matches you email
for email.)
For that first task or project, you may very well want to over-
achieve. However, don’t do your work at such a blistering pace that
you’ll have a hard time living up to the expectations that you’ve set
for yourself. (We’ll address pace later in this chapter.) In other words,
plan to overachieve, but only by a measured amount. You can beat a
deadline and surpass expectations of quality and content. When you
go to extremes—turning in a report that was expected in two weeks
after only four days—you set up expectations for yourself and your
work that are unrealistic. And you could end up sending some
98 FROM DAY ONE
unintended negative signals. Your peers may see you as grandstand-

ing. Furthermore, your boss may expect you to complete every pro-
ject thereafter at the same pace. If you start out working every
Saturday, expect to keep that up. If you work long hours, you’ll be
expected to keep that up as well. Patterns are critical.
As you interact with others, let your work speak for itself. In
other words, while your boss will know that you graduated with a cer-
tain grade point average or that you have an MBA, everyone else
doesn’t need to know that. It’s much better if your co-workers get to
know you through the contribution you’ll make rather than your
résumé. You’re on a team now, so act like it! The independent style
you used in college no longer fits. You will be evaluated not only on
how well you do, but also how well your team performs.
Asking for “More”
Your first assignment, which you accomplished in half the

expected time and with a minimum of effort, seemed a little too
easy. Doesn’t your boss see what you’re capable of accomplishing?
Perhaps you graduated with top honors, or you’ve just received
your master’s degree. You’re certainly ready, willing, and able to do
more. So how do you go about asking for more?
This is trickier than you might think, since you don’t want to look
presumptuous. And the last thing you want to convey, in words or
actions, is that the job you’ve been hired to do is beneath you.
One way would be to tell your boss that you’re eager to learn more
so that you can make a greater contribution to the goals and objec-
tives of the team, department, or company. Or you can take some
initiative by taking the project you’ve been working on to the next
level by anticipating the next steps. Don’t go off on your own with-
out your boss’s agreement. But if you are hungry for more, find a
way to let your boss know so that you can make a more meaningful
contribution through your work.
Making a Contribution
The main purpose of your communication with your boss is to

demonstrate your commitment to the company’s goals and objectives
and to confirm that what you’re doing is in line with the boss’s expec-
tations. This is a particular challenge if your job is to work on a long-
term project with few interim milestones. That’s when it’s up to you
to establish some “mini-MBOs.”
Management By Objective (MBO) is a common tool used in
many businesses. Essentially, it is a set of objectives that you and your
boss agree on that will guide your tasks for a period of time. You will
then be managed by these objectives. Your boss may not ask you
about them very often since it’s presumed that your work falls in line
with these objectives. In reality, however, it is very easy to get off
track either because you are following your curiosity in one direction
or because the project leads you on tangents.
By devising “mini-MBOs” for yourself, you set incremental
objectives within the overall project or larger objective. You can then
report to your boss from time to time to give periodic updates and to
confirm that what you’re doing is in line with the boss’s expectation.
What you want to avoid at all costs is finding out four months into a
six-month project that you’re far off target.
Warren Batts recalled from his early career working for a utility
company in Georgia where he took it upon himself to come up with
ways to save on engineering costs. What he didn’t realize, however,
was that those engineering costs were added to the company’s invest-
ment, and the utility was guaranteed a fixed rate of return on the total
investment. “Let’s just say my efforts to save money were not appre-
ciated,” he added.45
Too often, young professionals resist the concept of mini-MBOs.
They may think they know better than the boss, or they are
so focused on making a name for themselves that they’ll take any
opportunity to show off what they can do—even if it’s not in the best
100 FROM DAY ONE
interest of their team or the project they’re working on. This me-first
attitude is endemic in some organizations. Ironically, it can be seen
clearly in sports, where the emphasis is supposed to be on the team.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux advises that, no matter what
your job is or what you’ve accomplished as an individual, you can’t
forget who the boss is.
“You have to realize in your organization that you’re working for
them. You have to know who the boss is. You may be in a position one
day to make your own rules, and if you get there, the more power to
you. But for now, you have to roll with it,” Greg explained.46
Young professionals may also resist mini-MBOs occasionally
because they want to prove that they can handle the project them-
selves. They don’t want to be perceived as running to the boss every
five minutes to make sure they’re doing okay. Believe me, periodic
assessments will put you in a position of strength, not weakness.
You’ll be able to report on what you’ve done thus far and ask for clar-
ification if results are different than you expected or if the project is
taking you in a different direction.
For example, suppose a young engineer is assigned to a project to
develop a new factory layout that will optimize the material flow. The
engineer, however, is keenly interested in high-tech equipment.
When his boss asks him how the layout project is going, he explains,
“I haven’t finished it yet because I’m investigating some new equip-
ment that will change the layout.” The boss replies, “No, that’s not
what I want. I need that layout using the equipment we already have.”
Now consider the mini-MBO scenario. While working on the fac-
tory layout, the young engineer wonders if material flow could be
improved if the company invested in some new high-tech equipment.
At this juncture, he goes to his boss and discusses the idea. He still
gets credit for showing initiative, but he doesn’t run the risk of cross-
ing boundaries and taking the project into tangential territory.
Here’s another example: Recently hired by a public relations
(PR) agency, a young professional is given a routine task of updating
media contact lists. It’s tedious to call up every magazine and newspa-
per and double-check the names and titles of the reporters and edi-
tors on staff. She makes a few calls every day, but sheer boredom
keeps her from updating the list as quickly as possible. Instead, she
spends as much time as possible with the writers at the agency, a job
that keenly interests her. When her boss asks her about the list, she
explains that she’s made a few calls, but now she’s very busy helping
out with a writing project.
Now consider the mini-MBO strategy. The young PR profes-
sional completes the calls on the media list as quickly as possible and
begins compiling a neatly organized list. Halfway through her calls,
she notices that two publications in the area—including one she
reads—are not on the list. She sends her boss a quick email to see if
she should add them to the list. Her boss replies immediately that
she should go ahead and thanks her for her thoroughness. When she
finishes the media list, she can ask her boss for more work to broaden
her knowledge of the agency.
While using mini-MBOs to gauge your progress and to keep your
boss informed, you can take the initiative to tackle more work or to
expand what you’re doing. But don’t do it on your own without your
boss’s knowledge. Instead, let your boss know that you’d like to vol-
unteer for a specific task force or that you’d like to become part of a
specific team, particularly if it expands your learning and your skill
base. As long as your desires are expressed in the context of what you
can do—as opposed to what you need to get promoted—you’ll strike
the necessary balance.
Mini-MBOs can also help you if you’re the type of person who
likes to “hide” on a work team. This problem, known as “social loaf-
ing,” can be seen frequently among some college students who ride
along on the momentum of everybody else’s efforts to move a team
project forward. Students who tend to be the laggards on the teams,
however, will be at a disadvantage in the business world. The compe-
tition is tougher, and less tolerance is shown for those who don’t
102 FROM DAY ONE
shoulder their share of the work. If you have this tendency, you can
discipline yourself through mini-MBOs by committing to your part(s)
of the project and giving yourself a deadline to complete the work.
Be Conscious of Where You Spend Your Time
All of us, to some extent, are creatures of habit. That’s why, when you
are new on the job, you want to take extra care to vary your routine.
While you will probably spend much of your time with your team or
your particular department, you will want to avoid focusing all your
attention there.
This takes a special awareness of where you spend your time—
and where you don’t. I derive this concept from “Management By
Wandering Around,” or MBWA (which has come to be known as
Management By Walking Around). This management philosophy was
embraced by Hewlett-Packard and described by Tom Peters and
Robert Waterman in the classic is In Search of Excellence: Lessons
from America’s Best-Run Companies. Peters and Waterman wrote
that managers at some top-performing companies such as Hewlett-
Packard found that they connected better with their staffs and direct
reports as they “wandered around” talking with people and learning
what they were doing.47
If you’ve just received your graduate degree and you’ve been
brought into a company as a new manager, you might want to try your
own MBWA technique. But what if you’ve been hired as an under-
graduate in an entry-level position? You’re not managing anyone else.
How can MBWA apply to you?
One way is to use “wandering around” to learn all you can about
the company from more experienced co-workers and also to find out
where your expertise and knowledge can make a contribution. Look
for opportunities to fill the “knowledge gap” (see Chapter 3, “Your
Network: It’s All About ‘Giving,’ Not Just ‘Getting’”), which will allow
you to build your network within the company. Of course, you don’t
want to take this to the extreme of being a company gadfly. But if you
have a chance to interact with others in another department, take
advantage of this opportunity to broaden your learning. Look for
ways to connect with other young professionals in the company out-
side of work hours, on your lunch break, or at social functions such as
the company holiday party or annual picnic. Once you’ve made
friends in other departments, you can easily stop by to visit on occa-
sion, which will give you a chance to observe the kind of work they do
and how they contribute to the company’s goals.
As you establish your patterns in your new job, you need to
observe where you go when you “wander around”—and where you
don’t. This “reverse MBWA” is a very enlightening tool to help you
observe your initial patterns. What department do you rarely go to, if
ever? Why is that? Is it because your day-to-day responsibilities do
not take you there, or is there another reason? Do you find the work
they do in that department extraneous to what you do? Do you even
understand what that department does?
Furthermore, do you avoid certain people or spend little time
dealing with them? Do you find yourself using the 80/20 rule, spend-
ing 80% of your time with 20% of the people? If so, you are sending a
very clear signal to the other 80% of the people that you consider
them to be of little interest to you, that they will not help you or
coach you, and cannot teach you anything. This is a mistake as a new
employee, since you may very well misjudge someone’s importance
in an organization, and (as you recall from Chapter 2, “Your Personal
Philosophy”) it’s far better to treat everyone equally.
Who Are Your New Friends?
As you meet people in the company, you will probably gravitate

toward some people more than others. You may, as a new, entry-level
employee, form friendships with some people with whom you social-
ize on weekends as well. Be careful, however, as you move up the
104 FROM DAY ONE
ranks not to “mix business with pleasure.” In fact, as a manager you

should make it a practice not to socialize with people from work.
Keep strict boundaries between your personal and professional lives,
because you never know who might end up reporting to you one day,
or vice versa.
As a new hire, you may also find that some of your new friends at
work want to capture you, inviting you to have lunch with them
almost every day or monopolizing your free time. This is a trap that
you must avoid. It’s normal to spend 60 to 80% of your day with the
same people in your department or on your team. After all, these are
the co-workers with whom you interact most closely. When it comes
to your free time—especially your lunch hour—make a deliberate
effort to vary your patterns. Eat lunch by yourself on occasion, or
with new acquaintances from outside the company (see Chapter 3).
Keep in mind that someone is usually observing you and your pat-
terns, whether it’s your boss or your other team members. You don’t
want to be perceived as belonging to a certain clique, particularly in
the first days of your new job.
Avoiding the “My” Syndrome

As you interact with people in the workplace, be careful that you
don’t constantly refer to people you knew in another context,
whether as an undergraduate or in your previous job. This is such
a common problem, you may not be aware that you’re doing it.
So beware! If you always mention “my school,” “my classmates,”
or “at my university,” you’ll come across as parochial or even
snobbish.
Your new co-workers won’t care who you went to school with or
what they’re doing now. They’ll be more interested in getting to
know you and discovering what value you’ll bring.
Another note of caution is not to drop names about who you

know higher up in the company. Perhaps you were hired by a senior
manager, or you may have a personal connection with a top executive
through your family or your personal network. At work, you may be
operating many tiers below this person, who could even be your
boss’s boss’s boss! How, then, do you use this connection? The short,
but emphatic, answer is: you don’t.
If you let other people know that you have this connection, it will
immediately work against you. It will be perceived as going over your
boss’s head for your own gain. Chances are the person with whom
you have a connection won’t appreciate it, and you certainly won’t do
yourself any favors.
If you know a high-ranking executive at the company, when you
are at work you should do nothing to indicate that you have any con-
nection. If you see this person socially, you should take care never to
talk business. The executive will appreciate your discretion and will
be impressed by how you handle yourself.
Most importantly, let your work speak for itself. Whatever oppor-
tunities come your way will be based on your ability and your proven
contribution, not because someone pulled a string for you. That’s not
to say that your connection won’t continue to work behind the scenes
for you. But any endorsement you receive will be based on what
you’ve demonstrated you can do, not merely because you know
someone.
Your Work Space
Your new job may be in a cubicle or in an open, team environment.

You may have an office or aspire to have one someday. No matter
how big or small, the space you occupy at work is yours. This work
space should reflect, to some degree, who you are. You may have pic-
tures on your desk that are important to you, such as a photo of your
106 FROM DAY ONE
boyfriend/girlfriend, an interesting place you visited, or maybe even

your dog. It’s okay to show your personality or to display an interest
that you have, as long as it doesn’t come across as garish or inappro-
priate for the work environment. The posters from your last concert
may not be considered “appropriate art” in your new job. And, if you
always had trouble keeping your bedroom at home or your apartment
clean and neat, don’t extend those bad habits to your work space.
Adopt new habits from Day One.
Also keep in mind that, while this is your space, it’s also accessible
to the public. In other words, your boss, your co-workers, and poten-
tially people from outside the company will see your work space
and what it communicates about you, whether it’s a passion for music
or your hobby of showing dogs. But be cognizant of the message it
sends and ask yourself, is this what you want people at work to know
about you?
While your cubicle is a place where you can show others your
personality and outside interests and even offer an appropriate
glimpse into your personal life, limits exist for what is acceptable. Too
much “stuff” will look messy and distracting, and anything off-color
or in questionable taste is, of course, out of the question.
The Right Pace
As you settle into your new job, you will also adopt your pace of
working. Is it the right pace for you and your company? As discussed
earlier in the chapter, you don’t want to set a pace that is twice as fast
as everyone else’s. You won’t be able to sustain it, and others may very
well resent it. Like the long-distance runner who sets a pace to win,
you must find your stride.
Time management is one of the most effective means to do this.
By managing your time well—keeping track of deadlines and sched-
uling larger tasks and projects in increments—you will be at your
productive best (see the Appendix, “Your Toolbox for Success”). This
means finishing projects moderately ahead of deadline, exceeding

expectations for quality and content (whenever possible). If you pro-
crastinate for a week and then stay up all night to finish a project,
that’s not being your productive best. Fatigue is the enemy of both
productivity and accuracy.
You can’t count on being able to “pull an all-nighter” to complete
something, even if you’re used to cramming for exams and projects at
college. Understand, too, that your work habits are easily observed by
others, including your boss. The last thing you want to display is
erratic work habits, procrastinating for several days in a row and then
staying late at the office to finish something.
Are you using your time effectively to accomplish your tasks, or
are you wasting time? As my mentor, Professor Georges Doriot, used
to say, you must avoid the “deadly effect of lost time.” Where does
time get lost? Usually it’s in time-wasting activities, like spending too
much time talking to others or taking too many coffee breaks.
Anyone who has ever surfed the Internet knows that you can lose an
hour or two online without realizing it. If you run these risks, disci-
pline yourself with strict time management to avoid that trap.
The other trap to avoid is perfectionism, pushing deadlines to
make one more effort to make something “better.” A point is
reached, however, when a project, report, proposal, or any other
assignment is “good to go” and needs to be turned in. Spending
another day—or week—on the project passes the point of diminish-
ing returns. In time, you’ll get a feel for where that point of diminish-
ing returns is when you are preparing a project for the boss, a
presentation to the board of directors, or a proposal for purchasing.
Setting the right pace also involves knowing when to keep work-
ing on a project and when to quit. Perseverance is a virtue that, like
patience, is rewarded over time. Too much perseverance for the
wrong reasons, however, becomes a vice. That’s why it’s important to
know when to quit, even if your ego doesn’t want you to. Let’s say the
project you’ve been working on has become bigger than life. Soon
108 FROM DAY ONE
you are working on it because you love the project, not because of the
results. As you become less and less objective about the project’s
benefits, your perseverance goes astray. You need some perspective,
literally stepping back from the project and assessing where it has
gone, where it’s headed, and what the results have been.
If you’ve broken the project into “mini-MBOs” and kept your
boss in the loop, it’s unlikely that you’ll face this problem. If you
haven’t done this before, however, this is the time to sit down with
your boss and discuss the project’s status. It could be that it’s time
to call it quits, even if this means that your results aren’t what you
had hoped. It could very well be that, no matter how many alterna-
tives you looked at, nothing will work. That’s not failure; it’s accepting
the reality of the situation. Without this “reality check,” you could
end up wasting huge amounts of time, energy, and resources on a
dead-end project, when you could be investing your efforts in a new
project.
When the First Few Months Are Over

The habits you demonstrate in the first few months will help estab-
lish you as a person of value and a contributor to the company’s goals
and objectives. Your work habits, behaviors, and attitude, taken
together, will determine how people will react to you as an individual
and as a co-worker. As important as this perception is, few of us ever
stop to think about it.
In the Mainstream
You’ve landed a job in a large company. But after a few months, you
realize you’re outside the mainstream of the core business or the
real drivers of value in the organization. For example, you may be in
a division that isn’t strategically critical. Or you could be a step or
two removed from the line of business that gets the most focus.
In the short term, this is still a good opportunity to learn all you
can and earn a reputation as a contributor and a team player. In
the long term, however, this will limit your opportunities. If you
hope to move on in the company, and perhaps into higher-level
management one day, you will have to find a way to transfer into
one of the “mission-critical” divisions.
Starting out, how do you identify the mainstream? Read the com-
pany’s annual report and proxy statement, which gives the five-
year history of top executives. Learn where the top managers
come from. While employee newsletters may look like boilerplate,
the divisions that are highlighted are worth paying attention to.
Down the road, as opportunities are opened to you, this will
become an important factor in determining which ones to pursue.
At the end of the first few months, you probably won’t receive
any external recognition. It will be a day like any other. If you’ve
followed the plan, however, you should have received plenty of infor-
mal comments and subtle feedback from your boss on your work,
your incremental progress on larger projects, and the initiative that
you’ve shown to make sure your efforts are on track with the boss’s
objectives.
Some companies have a policy of providing employees with for-
mal feedback after the first 90 days. Others are much more flexible
and informal about evaluations. If you’re fortunate enough to work
for an organization that requires early feedback, congratulations!
This is a gift to you and your career. (This is discussed further in
Chapter 7, “Developing Your Career.”) If not, be proactive and ask
your boss for feedback in those crucial first months.
While you probably won’t get any external rewards, you should
feel tremendous satisfaction with yourself after these critical first
few months. You will undoubtedly feel pride in what you’ve accom-
plished and knowing what you’ve contributed. Going forward, the
positive work habits and behaviors you adopted early on will become
110 FROM DAY ONE
second nature. They will be part of your work ethic and attitude and
will help you become not only more successful, but also more satis-
fied in the job you’re doing.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ The first 30 days on the job are more important

than you may think; be prepared with a plan of
action.
➤ Know your boss’s agenda from Day One, and make

sure your efforts are focused on those priorities.
➤ Be eager to learn more so that you can make a

bigger contribution.
➤ Invite early feedback from your boss and

co-workers.
6
IS GRADUATE SCHOOL
RIGHT FOR YOU?
You may, of course, learn quite a bit, but in terms of
career effects, the effects [of graduate school] are
quite limited.
—Jeffrey Pfeffer
The MBA is worth a lot… Sure, it’s not a perfect

degree… But in an increasingly credential-crazed
society, it definitely opens doors…
—Business Week
You’ve graduated from college, and you’ve taken your first job. Or,
perhaps you’ve been in that first job for a few years. You’ve learned a
lot about the business world and about yourself, and now you’re won-
dering what comes next.
For many people, the answer to that question is graduate school.
Full-time or part-time, days, nights, or on weekends, they attend
classes toward getting a master’s degree related to their field of inter-
est. While nothing is wrong with higher education, all too often
students return to college with the wrong expectations. They believe
that an MBA (Master of Business Administration), or any graduate
degree, for that matter, will automatically advance them on the road
to success. They expect to earn more money instantly with a master’s
111
112 FROM DAY ONE
degree, particularly an MBA, without considering the investment

involved or weighing what would happen if they simply pursue their
career paths.
The truth is that the biggest payoffs for most master’s degrees are
in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the complexities and sub-
tleties in your field or area of interest. In the case of an MBA, you
may also gain insights into your personal style and strengths, which
over time will enable you to make a bigger contribution to your
company.
Some disagreement exists about what to expect from a master’s
degree, particularly an MBA. A graduate degree is not a necessity for
having a successful and rewarding career. Granted, an advanced
degree is a prerequisite in some professions, such as becoming a doc-
tor, lawyer, or college professor. And, if you want to become a top
executive of a company some day, an MBA from one of the “elite
schools”—those ranked among the top 15 or so business schools in
the country—will be extremely helpful. But a graduate degree alone
won’t make you into something you’re not, and it isn’t a guaranteed
shortcut to the career of your dreams, the corner office, and a six-
figure income.
I believe it’s necessary to be absolutely clear on the benefit of
getting an MBA and what it will and won’t do for you. The fact is,
while an MBA from a top school will probably draw attention to your
résumé, it’s not the only qualification you’ll need. Your biggest asset
in your pursuit of your long-term goals, both personal and profes-
sional, is you.
“There are plenty of people out there who don’t have an MBA or
advanced degree, who have proven that they have the mettle, the
drive, determination, and wherewithal to make a significant contribu-
tion,” observed Ed Wilson, associate dean emeritus of the Kellogg
School of Management. “That aside, there are many people who
believe, and I do too, that a young person who wants a career in
CHAPTER 6 • IS GRADUATE SCHOOL RIGHT FOR YOU? 113
management would benefit from the skills and knowledge that MBA
programs provide.”
If you are an intelligent and highly motivated individual and are
committed to making a contribution to your company or organiza-
tion, you will most likely enjoy your share of success. Furthermore, if
you are that type of person, getting an advanced degree from a top
school may have been part of your plan all along. It was in the back of
your mind as you achieved a high grade-point average as an under-
graduate and as you gained valuable work experience during your
summers and when you first graduated from college. Plus, being that
type of dedicated, purposeful individual, you will likely be a serious
candidate for admission to a top school, assuming that you also pos-
sess good communication and interpersonal skills.
Thus, your advanced degree—in particular, an MBA—is a reflec-
tion of who you already are, not a transformation into something else.
“We like to think that everybody who comes to us is already good,
that they are leaving something they are already good at in order to
get even better,” Ed Wilson added.48
Graduate School: Not a “Default

Decision”
Getting a graduate degree must be a purposeful endeavor, not a fall-
back position. “Graduate school shouldn’t be the default because you
don’t have another plan,” advised Herman Cain, CEO and president
of T.H.E. Inc., a leadership and solutions company, and former chair-
man of Godfather’s Pizza, Inc.
At the same time, college students and young professionals
shouldn’t agonize over the decision of whether—and when—to
attend graduate school, or believe that they must make the perfect
decision within the first year after receiving their undergraduate
114 FROM DAY ONE
degree. The good news, particularly for those who are not sure what
to do, Herman added, “is that this is not the last decision you’re going
to make in your career. So the first thing is to take some pressure off.”
His second piece of advice is, before concentrating on the short-
term goal of graduate school, look first at your long-term vision of
what you might want to do with your life. “Ask yourself, what do you
want to do in your wildest dreams? Then the question is do you get a
job in the industry that embraces your interest, or have you chosen a
field of interest that requires more graduate study immediately?”
Herman observed. “Now there are those who don’t have a ‘wildest
dream.’ That’s okay. Even if you don’t know what your dream is, think
about what you are really interested in. There are also those who say
that since they were six years old they wanted to be a doctor or a pilot
and so on. Even if you have that wildest dream, that doesn’t mean
you have an exact game plan to get there, but you are moving direc-
tionally toward that.”
Interestingly, Herman’s early career was not based on his “wildest
dream.” Rather, he took his high-school teacher’s suggestion to pur-
sue mathematics and heeded his father’s advice to “get a degree
where you can get a job.”
“My first criteria wasn’t ‘Will I love it?’ I didn’t have that luxury,”
added Herman, who was raised in Atlanta and became one of the
first in his family, on both sides, to graduate from college.
Nonetheless, motivated by the need to pursue a career that could
support him and his family, Herman was clear about why he was
going to graduate school. “It became apparent after I started working
that I needed a master’s degree,” he recalled.49
Although he would later make a dramatic career shift, which
would take him out of technology and into the restaurant business
(see Chapter 10, “The Successful Life”), Herman pursued the path
that made the best sense for his career and his personal circum-
stances at the time.
Examining Your Motivation

The reasons for pursuing a master’s degree are numerous. Often the
motivation is monetary: Students believe that with an advanced
degree, particularly an MBA, they will automatically earn more
money. However, a master’s degree provides no guarantee that your
earnings power will increase. Some exceptions exist, of course. In
some states, such as New York, teachers are required to have a mas-
ter’s degree in order to receive permanent certification. Additionally,
in some professions, again such as teaching, your salary is automati-
cally raised by a preset amount if you have a master’s degree. But
those are the exceptions, not the rule. Why, then, do so many stu-
dents—including an estimated 100,000 graduates per year from
MBA programs alone50—pursue a master’s degree?
The pursuit of learning motivates some students. If they were
business majors as undergraduates, for example, they may enroll in
an MBA program to close a gap in their learning. Or they might seek
an advanced degree in a field of study in which they want to be an
expert. Additionally, students may pursue a master’s program because
they do not believe they will be competitive without an advanced
degree. Another motivation is that, through graduate school, they will
increase their field of contacts and the depth of their professional
network.
Some people are also perennial students; they just can’t make the
mental shift to the business world. Others think it’s better to stay in
school and earn an advanced degree than to try to make it in a bad
job market. We saw a few cases of this in 2000–2002, although that
appears to be dwindling with the recovery in the economy. Others
receive an advanced degree because of their parents’ expectations.
For example, students may find themselves steered toward law
school by their parents even if practicing law is not their true passion.
(If this is happening to you, reread Chapter 4, “Finding Your Ideal
Position.”)
116 FROM DAY ONE
Motivated to Make a Difference
For John, the motivation to pursue an MBA encompassed reasons

that were strategic for his career—and reflected his desire to make
a larger contribution to his employer.
His professional career at a Midwest manufacturer had taken him
through several positions of increasing responsibility. Then, at the
age of 31 and with a career goal of executive management one day,
John decided to pursue an executive MBA through a weekend
program. Sponsored by his employer, he was accepted into an
intensive 18-month program.
“During my interview at the university, I explained that I wanted
to make a difference at work. My hope is that this program will
increase my leadership skills and business acumen and allow for
professional networking,” John explained.
He added, “My expectations after completion of this program are
to develop professionally at work and continue the relationships
that I have developed with several of my classmates.”
The son of immigrant parents, John also had a special motivation
for pursuing an MBA. He believed it was a way of “paying back”
the company that had hired his father so many years ago and
allowed his parents to pay for college educations for their children.
Upon reflection, many students will probably find that their

motivation is a combination of several factors. At the top of their list
of reasons, however, is usually the desire to increase their earnings
potential. The problem, however, is that just getting your ticket
punched so that you can say, “I have a master’s degree,” will not move
you to the head of the line. In fact, it’s unclear what a master’s will do
to improve your earnings potential in the short term.
Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford researched the effect of business
schools on their graduates and the impact that business schools had
on management practices. What he found, however, was little direct
correlation between getting an MBA and landing a better-paying,
more responsible job.
“…(T)he research literature is pretty clear, first of all, that unless

you go to an elite school, you’re probably not going to get a…much
better job,” he explained in a National Public Radio interview. “You
may, of course, learn quite a bit, but in terms of career effects, the
effects are quite limited. Even if you go to an elite school, I think evi-
dence is very uncertain as to whether or not you’re going to get a
much better career. People who get into elite schools are already, of
course, highly motivated, highly talented, and highly intelligent indi-
viduals, and, in many instances, they would have succeeded regard-
less of whether or not they wound up going to business school.”51
Pfeffer’s research illustrates the importance of native intelli-
gence, talent, drive, and ambition. If you are born with certain attrib-
utes and develop them, you’ll be a better leader, and graduate school
can help you improve on the qualities you already possess. Studying
with a few outstanding professors in the company of other bright and
like-minded students—along with exposure to new concepts and
making valuable contacts—could help you shorten the time frame to
achieve the goals you probably would have attained anyway.
Given the large number of MBA programs, including full-time,
part-time, and online offerings from a range of universities and insti-
tutions, students who are considering getting an advanced degree
need to be discerning consumers. In other words, not all MBA
degrees are created equal. An MBA from an elite school will have far
more impact than a degree from a third- or fourth-tier organization.
It’s not just that the name—Kellogg, Harvard, Wharton, University of
Chicago, Duke, Stanford—carries a certain cachet. It’s because com-
panies know that, to get into those schools, students had to meet
rigorous selection criteria. An MBA from a top-tier school becomes
part of your “brand.”
If you are accepted into one of the top-tier graduate schools, you
will heighten the benefit of getting an advanced degree—but again,
as a reflection of who you are and what you have already achieved.
118 FROM DAY ONE
“With an elite school, there is a foregone conclusion that they have

good professors and good students, outstanding curriculum, and
good placement opportunities,” Ed Wilson commented. “There is a
strong relationship between the reputation of the school and the abil-
ity to attract outstanding students.”52
Overall, those who attend an elite school may find that their
investment in time, effort, tuition, and lost salary (in the case of those
who quit their jobs to study full time) holds the promise of a return
measured in a more successful career. In a recent feature on MBA
programs and graduates, Forbes Magazine found that these advanced
degrees do pay off in time. “Our latest survey, which measures return
on investment at 85 schools, concludes that B-schools paid back quite
nicely for the class of 1998—a class that worked through the boom
and bust since graduation,” Forbes stated.53
Pursuing a Master’s
If you do decide to pursue a master’s degree, there are many ways to

go about it. You can leave your job to become a full-time student. Or
you may decide to go part-time with a program that is offered either
at night, on weekends, or in a distance learning format.
“When I was in charge of the day, night, and weekend MBA pro-
grams, I used to say to students, ‘We may have three ways by which
you can earn your degree. But we only give out one MBA. It doesn’t
say day or night or weekend program.’ The value of the degree was
the same in any program,” Ed Wilson stated.54
Typically, if you go full-time, you have to quit your job and shoul-
der the tuition expenses yourself (although there are exceptions,
which are discussed in this chapter). If you opt to go to either a night
or weekend program, a large portion of the cost is usually reimbursed
by your employer. For the night program, the student usually takes
the initiative to apply; the company’s reimbursement is typically on a
course-by-course basis, providing you achieve an acceptable grade.
In the weekend programs, your company may sponsor you for admis-
sion, which makes this a joint decision.
A few real bonuses can be found in night and weekend programs.
For one, you don’t have to leave your job, which means you can con-
tinue on your career track, and generally the company reimbursees
most of your expenses. The combination of full-time work and study
is extraordinarily time-consuming and requires much discipline on
your part.
MBA Programs—One Size Does Not Fit All
When Karen was applying to graduate school, she already had

seven years of experience. With an undergraduate degree in
accounting, Karen believed that, unless she earned an MBA, it
could be an issue in her career later on. Her salary, however, had
reached the point that being out of the workforce for two years to
complete a full-time course of study cost $150,000, which she
couldn’t afford. Now add to that the cost of tuition!
Her solution was to pursue a four-quarter, full-time program. Her
work experience provided her the equivalent of most of the basic
courses. Thus, she was able to enroll in the summer for one quar-
ter of courses to “fill in the blanks” of her core studies and then
move into the second year of the full-time MBA program. She
earned her MBA in 12 months, which minimized her lost salary,
and she landed a job with a new employer after receiving her grad-
uate degree.
If your company offers to underwrite a full-time master’s pro-

gram, such as an MBA, it may appear to be an offer you can’t refuse!
You’d be well advised, however, to consider carefully before accept-
ing. This offer comes with strings attached. For example, when
Herman Cain went to Purdue University to get his master’s in com-
puter science, he went under a scholarship from his employer at the
120 FROM DAY ONE
time, the Department of the Navy. “It took me three years to qualify
for it. The scholarship was based first on job performance and second
upon their views of whether a person would be able to complete the
program,” he recalled. “They paid full salary and tuition, but in
return I had to make a commitment to work an additional three
years. At the time, I didn’t have a problem with that.” In Herman’s
mind, the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree at a prestigious
university with the tuition paid for was well worth the agreement to
work an additional three years.
However, drawbacks exist to accepting such an offer from your
employer. In a full-time program, you are immersed in life on cam-
pus, studying and interacting with a diverse cohort of students. As
part of this experience, you are exposed to many different types of
companies and industries: some you study, and others you meet in
recruitment situations. Once you begin looking at companies with
the fresh eyes of a graduate student, your world of opportunities
explodes, and your former employer will never look the same.
The probability of wanting to return enthusiastically to your
employer dwindles significantly as time goes on. Yet, you have to go
back. If your company sponsors you for the weekend MBA program,
you will probably also be obligated—usually in writing—to stay with
the company for a minimum amount of time. It’s possible to escape
this obligation, such as by paying back the entire cost of the tuition,
but these remedies are very costly and complicated.
Another reason to go it alone is that, even after you receive your
master’s degree, your current employer may not view you as “pre-
mium property” the way an employer in a new environment would,
observed Herman Cain. “You may not be as valuable to your existing
employer as you would be to the company up the street that is
impressed with where you went to school and that you received this
degree, perhaps while you were still working. That looks very appeal-
ing to them, and they want to bring you into their environment.”55
For these many reasons, students who want to pursue a master’s

degree full-time should find a way to do it on their own, even if it
means quitting their jobs and taking out student loans. Later, when
interview time comes and you discover the possibilities out there, you
will be better off than if you are psychologically linked to your com-
pany. Leaving a job to become a full-time student is neither cheap
nor easy.
The top-tier schools usually require three to four years’ work
experience, which in my opinion is a little too long. On the other
hand, students with too little work experience will not have as much
to offer class discussions. The drawback of having too much work
experience is that your compensation level may have reached the
point where the investment you’re making to give up your day job
and go back to school doesn’t work. Considering the cost of school
(approximately $50,000 a year) and the costs of losing your salary for
two years, this can easily become a $250,000 decision.
Another option is to pursue a master’s degree through a distance-
learning program. A number of for-profit schools offer accredited
programs, such as the University of Phoenix, DeVry University’s
Keller Graduate School of Management, and Cardean University (a
consortium of Columbia Business School, Stanford University, the
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Carnegie Mellon
University, and the London School of Economics). Students consid-
ering a distance-learning program need to understand that having the
initiative to start one of these programs is quite different from having
the resolve to complete it. The dropout rates for distance-learning
programs are extraordinarily high because it’s up to the student to
keep motivated, without peer contact. The flexibility of taking a
course online—any time you want—may be appealing, but it also
creates the ability to put it off.
To address this problem, the programs continue to evolve, a
process that I believe will continue. In fact, distance learning for
122 FROM DAY ONE
advanced degrees will continue to grow and become more competi-

tive with night and weekend programs. Some distance-learning pro-
grams are emulating in-class discussions by using online chats or the
exchange of emails with teaching assistants. Other programs offer
real-time lectures at local facilities that have interactive video, or they
may provide streaming video lectures that can be accessed online at
any time. And some are taking it a step further. Duke University’s
Fuqua School of Business has a unique approach that combines ele-
ments of distance learning with on-site instruction in a variety of
global locations.
Whatever program option a student chooses, the educational
component should come first. The first and most important reason to
get an MBA or other master’s degree is to enhance and supplement
your knowledge, whether in your professional field or a related area
of interest. Even within an MBA, which many people pursue because
of its breadth, you can still find depth in a specialty such as finance,
marketing, or operations.
Learning More About Business
When I left my job at Procter & Gamble to get my master’s

degree, I was an engineer who knew very little about business.
Honestly, getting an MBA had not been my plan all along; in fact, I
hadn’t seriously entertained the idea until I was a junior at
Northwestern. What confirmed my decision was the co-op experi-
ence I had as an undergraduate, spending several quarters at S.C.
Johnson and American Hospital Supply Corp. I came back from
these experiences with the conviction that, even though I had an
engineering background, I wanted to become a general manager
some day. In order for that to happen, I’d have to expand my
knowledge.
Looking back on my experience, probably one of the most valu-
able paybacks was the network I established through graduate
school, including friendships that have lasted 40 years. In fact, I
believe the investment of time and money in a full-time MBA

program is well worth it because of the contacts that will last a
lifetime.
“Payback” Through Networking
The social network that is formed through graduate school is also

very rewarding. The reason these friendships formed at graduate
school are so strong is because you are immersed in each other’s lives.
That bond extends to the spouses and partners of the full-time stu-
dents because the group tends to socialize together during those
years at graduate school.
You can’t put a dollar value on these connections and friendships
that may very well last the rest of your life. Yes, it’s certainly possible
that you may be able to help someone else get a job in the future, just
as you may be able to tap into an opportunity through your network.
However, that is not the purpose of these connections. The real value
is the enrichment they bring to your life.
Job Prospects
After you receive your MBA, what are your chances of getting hired?
The latest news about job prospects for MBAs is that things are get-
ting better. Competition exists, of course, given the number of MBA
graduates each year from the top schools, as well as second- and
third-tier schools. In general, with economic and hiring conditions
improving overall, prospects are better for MBAs getting a job after
graduation—particularly if you attended one of the top schools.
While much of the focus in this chapter is on an MBA, other
master’s programs have varying degrees of impact on your job
prospects. Again, before committing to getting an advanced degree,
know your motivation for pursuing it and what you’re likely to get out
of this investment in money, time, and effort.
124 FROM DAY ONE
If you want to become a specialist in a particular field—for exam-

ple, in a technical area such as semiconductors or satellite imaging or
in rehabilitation counseling—getting a master’s degree is a good idea.
Through your advanced studies, you’ll be able to go deeper into a
specific technology or professional area. In a fairly narrow niche or
specialty, companies will likely value people who have an advanced
degree.
The Love of Learning

The love of learning should be a factor in every decision to pursue
any master’s degree. There is no guarantee that the job you’ll land
after receiving your master’s will be any better or more lucrative than
the one you left. And the job you end up with may be on par with
what you would have had anyway, given your native talent and
aptitude.
From an educational standpoint, what’s most valuable about an
MBA program is the breadth of topics you will cover. For example,
you learn about operations management and the key issues that con-
front most companies, as well as how strategies are developed and
implemented. You should also have a good understanding of business
administration, organizational behavior, sales and marketing, and
finance. This will help position you to become a general manager
some day, although companies probably won’t hire you fresh out of
graduate school for that position.
While, as an MBA, you will have the broad educational experi-
ence to see the “big picture,” you will still need to develop an area of
expertise, such as operations or marketing or finance. You can’t be a
generalist; you have to establish an expertise within a narrow applica-
tion or function. This will enable you to demonstrate where, and how,
you can make a great contribution to your organization. Once you’ve
done that, with your MBA credential, you will be in a better position
to make a greater contribution in a broader role or elsewhere in the
company.
As you start your new job out of graduate school—or you

continue with the job you’ve had—don’t walk around with “MBA”
stamped on your forehead. Understand that, while you have an
advanced degree, others in the workplace will have valuable knowl-
edge and expertise to share with you. If you position yourself as
someone who is willing to make a contribution to others, they will
reciprocate by sharing their skills and experience—as well as their
respect.
Getting into Graduate School

Once you have weighed all the factors, if you decide to pursue an
advanced degree, how do you get in? After all, most graduate pro-
grams at top-tier schools are very competitive. My advice is based on
my experience with business schools, but it applies to many graduate
programs.
The best business schools use the case method of instruction,
which includes dialogue among the students in the classes. The qual-
ity of the dialogue is a function of two things: the student’s experience
base and the instructor’s ability to facilitate the discussion. The goal is
to provide a forum and an opportunity for students to talk to each
other and help instruct each other.
Because of this, top schools want to have a heterogeneous mix of
backgrounds and experiences among the students, believing that this
will relate directly to the quality of the dialogue and the educational
experience. This is what Ed Wilson describes as an “intentional com-
munity.” “We shape a class,” he explained. “We like to think that
every person who is admitted adds value to the program.”
At Kellogg, which interviews all prospective MBA students,
importance is placed on interpersonal skills and communication. Ed
Wilson told of a prospective MBA student he interviewed who had
126 FROM DAY ONE
strong academic qualifications but did not have good interpersonal

skills. During the interview, Ed did much more of the talking than
the candidate.
“We denied him, and when he came back to ask me why, I
explained it was because of his interpersonal skills. I told him I would
like to see him apply again in a year or two,” he recalled. “He
followed that advice, and he did end up enrolling a couple of years
later.”
Schools are also looking for leadership skills and professional
experience gained in first jobs out of college, as well as in summers
between semesters. Another consideration is the contribution that
candidates have made to their communities or organizations in which
they’ve been active. “Have you been a leader in an organization or
just a joiner?” Ed Wilson said. “If, for example, you were president of
your fraternity or sorority, did you lead it in a new direction? Did you
leave it in better shape than when you came to that position?”56
Because the top schools are selective, they are looking for people
who have proven themselves to some degree in their first jobs,
including being hired by prestigious firms that are known to be very
diligent in their employee screening process. Thus, if you’re still an
undergraduate and you’re serious about getting an MBA some day,
you should consider what your first job out of college will say about
you. Will it give you some unique or meaningful experience in an
area? It may be experience running a particular kind of project or in a
specific industry. Just like the “hook” in your résumé (see Chapter 4),
you will want to demonstrate how your experience makes you
unique.
Now ask yourself what professional or personal experience you
have that makes you unique. One student described in his application
to graduate school his experiences in his first job helping build
miniature submarines used to take tourists on underwater tours—
which was sparked by his passion for oceanography! What in your
background will help you contribute to class discussions and enrich

the experience of your fellow students?
If your goal is to pursue a graduate degree, the best possible
strategy is to position yourself while you are still an undergraduate.
That means taking a longer-term view, knowing that the grade point
average you’re earning now will improve your chances of being
accepted to graduate school in the future. Think of the experiences
you can gain in the professional world in the next few years that will
make you a desirable candidate for graduate school. One big deter-
rent is taking a year off after receiving your undergraduate degree
and traveling in Europe. The only possible exception is if you can
prove, convincingly, that your trip abroad was really to study lan-
guage, art, culture, or architecture, and not just an extended vacation.
If you aren’t well positioned, all is not lost. Take a look at the jobs
you’ve had. What unique professional experiences have they pro-
vided you? For example, one of the best opportunities may be field
sales. If you can demonstrate your ability in three years, you could be
promoted to sales manager. In that capacity, you will likely have
unique experiences within your industry and with managing others.
You will also have the opportunity to learn about yourself and your
personal style, which will make you a valuable participant in class dis-
cussions in graduate school.
Graduate school is not for everyone. You may enjoy a rewarding
and challenging career without getting an advanced degree. And, if
you do receive a master’s degree, such as an MBA, you may not alter
your career path, although you could potentially accelerate it a bit.
An advanced degree is an accomplishment, but one that must be
viewed realistically. If you see it as a ticket to guaranteed success and
instant access to a higher-level, better-paying job, you may very well
be disappointed. If you want to pursue a master’s degree to enhance
your learning in a field of study, to fill in gaps in your educational
background, and to build a broader, more in-depth network, you
128 FROM DAY ONE
have a better motivation for making the investment of time and

money. Most important, know that a graduate degree will not funda-
mentally change you or endow you with gifts and talents you don’t
have. What you bring to graduate school will be enhanced, but the
major factor in the equation is you.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Don’t look for instant or guaranteed monetary

rewards for getting a master’s degree.
➤ Be careful of your motivation; a master’s degree

won’t make you into something you’re not.
➤ The greatest paybacks of an MBA are broadening

your perspective on business and expanding your
network of contacts.
➤ Enrolling in an MBA program is one thing;

finishing it is quite another.
➤ Unique experiences will make you more attractive

to a leading business school.
7
DEVELOPING YOUR
CAREER
You can’t negotiate your way to success. Your career
development is really about your contribution, not
your salary.
The human resources (HR) department, you may think, is the place
you go to fill out forms, apply for a job, or find out more about bene-
fits and programs offered by the company. While all this is true, this
department is so much more. HR, as its name implies, is truly a
resource for your career development.
At this point you may be thinking, so what? I know HR is there,
and when I need something from them, I’ll go ask them. You’re cer-
tainly correct. HR is the place to go for bureaucratic things like
forms, ID cards, enrolling in the company’s 401(k) plan, and navigat-
ing the benefits system. HR, however, can do so much more for you.
When you understand how HR works, you can use it to your advan-
tage for other things, like career development and coaching.
At most companies, the HR department is the facilitator for
everything from hiring to firing, promotions to layoffs, along with
administration, benefits, and compensation. A formal department
may exist only in larger companies. Nonetheless, in almost every
129
130 FROM DAY ONE
company someone handles HR-type functions. Even if HR is out-

sourced or partially outsourced, oversight for this function is main-
tained internally.
You may find in your organization that the primary goal of HR is
completing forms and shuffling paperwork. However, the business
world continues to work to improve employee satisfaction, worker
productivity, and retention by paying closer attention to the needs of
employees—the human capital. While HR professionals are usually
skilled at the technical side of their jobs, some also have excellent
“people skills.” They take a genuine interest in others, including
young professionals. When you find someone like this, you have dis-
covered a real treasure.
Finding an HR Mentor
In your career, one of the best assets you can find is an HR person
who will really mentor, advise, and champion you. Starting out,
having an HR person on your side can help you learn the ropes,
get training you need, and eventually identify new career opportu-
nities. When you become a manager, an experienced HR profes-
sional can be a sounding board for personnel problems, such as
how to give feedback to an older employee.
I was lucky enough to work with one of best HR professionals I’ve
ever met: Maria Rubly. She had expertise in both the technical side
of the job as well as the softer, people side. Maria, who came to
work for me as vice president of human resources at Bell & Howell,
could handle the most complex compensation and incentive issues.
At the same time, she understood human nature and always tried to
provide what people really needed. Looking back at my years of
work and friendship with Maria, who died as this manuscript was
being completed, she exemplified the true HR professional.
Maria was also a coach to me and to others in the organization,
providing help and advice on handling difficult personnel issues
or communicating with the staff. If you are fortunate enough to
find someone like Maria in your career, seek out this person as a
coach or mentor.
CHAPTER 7 • DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER 131
Your new employer may offer a formal mentoring program that

matches you up with a more senior person in the company, usually in
a different department. If so, by all means take advantage of it. If not,
as you look for people to mentor you, don’t forget your connections
in human resources. With a finger on the pulse of activity in the firm
and a broad perspective on the company, HR professionals know
about job openings before they are posted—even before your boss
knows—and may recommend you as an internal candidate. While
your boss is the main contact on your job, having HR in your corner
doubles the force that’s on your side.
Long before you are up for the next assignment or a promotion,
HR can help you access training, seminars, courses (both internal
and external), and other programs. They can help you join inter-
department teams and task forces to broaden your experience and
knowledge and help you connect with others. For that to happen,
however, you must first establish rapport with these professionals.
They must know you and understand the value you bring to the orga-
nization, as well as where your strengths and interests lie. The truth
is, most people aren’t in contact with HR until HR contacts them to
fill out a form or sign a document. The smarter way is to get to know
HR first, find out what they can do for you (after all, that’s what
they’re there for), and what you can do for them.
Remember your networking skills. You must give long before you
can get (see Chapter 3, “Your Network: It’s All About ‘Giving,’ Not
Just ‘Getting’”). With HR, one of the ways to give back is to attend
the events they sponsor, such as lunchtime “brown bag” programs on
topics ranging from a new corporate initiative to lowering your cho-
lesterol. Just going to these programs (which may be sparsely
attended) will show them that you appreciate what they do, and you
will learn something. Another way is to get involved in social pro-
grams sponsored by the company. Organizers and helpers are needed
for every company picnic, holiday party, fund-raiser, and “corporate
challenge” race.
132 FROM DAY ONE
As you look for additional opportunities, HR professionals can be

a resource for other assignments and initiatives (although make sure
your boss knows that you’re working with them). Volunteer for cross-
function teams, especially in the important but unglamorous areas.
Working on initiatives such as waste reduction, collecting receivables,
supply chain efficiency, product delivery, and billing will expand your
knowledge of basic, yet highly important, aspects of the company’s
business. Also be on the lookout for initiatives that are sponsored by
HR, such as ergonomics teams. These are great ways to learn and
network.
Thomas O. Ryder, chairman and chief executive officer of The
Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., believes so strongly in volunteering
for these unglamorous assignments that he includes them in his
“Ryder’s Rules for Success,” which he speaks about when he
addresses students. “Do the dirty jobs, the ones that no one else
wants to do,” Tom commented.
He recalled an incident from his own career when his boss reas-
signed him from the “glamorous stuff in marketing and promotion”
and put him in charge of “fulfillment and bad debt.”
“I hated it at the beginning. But here’s the good news. My boss
wanted me to go on to other things. With this experience, I learned a
huge amount,” Tom recalled. “If you are diligent, you can bring value
to every part of the organization, and you can learn from your experi-
ences there.”57
Moving Vertically by Expanding

Horizontally
After you have settled into your position, you will probably start won-
dering when you’ll be promoted. That’s human nature. Remember
the lessons from earlier in the book: It’s good to have ambition; just
don’t be driven by it. Before you try to push your way vertically to the
next level, consider what you can accomplish by expanding horizon-

tally. Your goal is to take on additional development jobs or assign-
ments, which will be horizontal moves in terms of salary or grade
level. Then, by increasing the areas in which you can make a contri-
bution, you will demonstrate your value to the organization and
develop a broader base from which to make an upward move. This is
also where a good HR department can be of help to you.
It was not uncommon years ago for someone to have two, three,
or four development jobs before being promoted. Unfortunately,
many people today are impatient. What they fail to understand, how-
ever, is that with two or more development jobs, the bigger and
broader the opportunities that may be available. In fact, after a few
development jobs, you may have access to opportunities that would
not be available to you if you followed a narrow career track com-
posed of smaller, incremental moves upward.
You may not have to change jobs to find a development assign-
ment. It could be a specific initiative, a seminar, or other training. It
could even be an advanced degree. To find out what programs are
offered through the company, contact HR. This type of development
can and should occur throughout your career.
Even within your existing job, it’s possible to access development
opportunities. Look at the edges of your position. What other respon-
sibilities or tasks can you pick up that will expand your scope of work
and broaden your influence over and contact with other depart-
ments? At the same time, as part of your periodic updates with your
boss (see Chapter 5, “From Day One”), find out how you can expand
your contribution to the department, the division, or the company.
Let your boss know that you’re willing to take on more in order to
further his or her priorities and objectives. This is contrary to what
some young employees want to do. They want to finish what they
have to do and get out of work, leaving early whenever they can.
Your willingness to do more in order to contribute more will differen-
tiate you.
134 FROM DAY ONE
One area that companies continue to emphasize is customer

contact and satisfaction. Regardless of your role, you must be aware
of how your specific responsibilities have a direct benefit to the cus-
tomer. The more you can develop customer knowledge, the more
effective you will be.
Learning from Customer Contact
When I was at Hart Schaffner & Marx, working in manufacturing,

I was encouraged to expand my knowledge by having more direct
contact with consumers. For several months, in addition to my
regular job, I worked a couple of nights a week and Saturdays in a
retail store, selling men’s clothing.
In those days, a $150 or $200 suit was considered a big sale. The
salespeople had a system of rotating who was “up” next to serve
customers who came into the store. As a junior person from the
factory, I was never part of the “up” system. Usually, I got the
“castoff” customers that the more experienced salespeople had
decided were not serious about buying, often based only on the
way they looked or their first comment when they came into the
store.
When I worked in one of the company’s retail stores in an upscale
suburban mall, however, a lot of the “castoff” customers ended up
buying big-ticket items. This taught me a lot about the risk of pre-
judging customers. Another important lesson was how to use time
wisely. Mornings were typically slow in the retail store. You could
keep busy straightening clothes on the rack or looking at new mer-
chandise. A few of the top sales professionals, however, used this
slow time to call their customers and alert them to new merchan-
dise. The others, who were the vast majority, just sat around and
talked. This was also a great observation of human nature in action,
seeing who was motivated to create their own opportunities.
In my development assignment at the retail store, the payoff was
far more valuable than just going through the motions so that man-
agement knew I did my time there. Most important, it was a great
way to learn personal selling—selling one-on-one—which became
an important skill later when I had to “sell” ideas, projects, and

proposals to colleagues and upper management.
Through the experience, which was facilitated by HR, I also
gained some insights into retail store operations, such as the prob-
lems of old merchandise, having ample inventory, store layouts,
and merchandising ideas. In addition, the connections I made
were valuable to me a few years later when I was running the com-
pany’s manufacturing operations. When someone in the retail divi-
sion had a problem, that person could call me directly. Or, if I
needed help from someone in retail, I knew who to call. For exam-
ple, in those days we used a recently developed machine that
could automatically sew buttons on clothing, with the look of hand
sewing. Despite our best quality control work at the factory, occa-
sionally the machine would malfunction. My retail connections
knew to call me as soon as they experienced a problem with cus-
tomers returning to the store because of lost buttons. This pro-
vided a valuable early warning from the retail store, which we
addressed immediately at the factory.
For my own career development, my experience at the retail
store gave me valuable customer contact, something I continued
throughout my career. Even when I was the top executive at Bell
& Howell, I spent a day every month to six weeks going out with
field salespeople to meet with customers and to learn firsthand
about their needs and concerns.
New Opportunities
Just as HR plays a role in your development process, it will also be

valuable as you seek out broader opportunities. Even as a new
employee, you probably can’t resist reading the job postings—long
before you’re eligible to make a move in the company. No matter.
You can still read them to get a feel for the opportunities that are out
there and the requirements for those jobs. Then, when you’ve mas-
tered your job and expanded the contribution you can make in your
current position, it’s time to take the next step. If you are moving up
136 FROM DAY ONE
internally, your relationship with HR will really pay off. When a

department manager is looking for someone internally, HR can rec-
ommend you based on what you’ve done and the impact you’ve made
at the company. When that opportunity knocks, hopefully you’ll be
ready.
Consider the case of Steven, who worked for two years as an
assistant to the president of the company, handling many projects
that put him in contact with people in other departments and divi-
sions. One day, Steven was called into the president’s office. “We
need a new manager for our optical division. We think you’re the per-
son to take the job. This would mean relocating to Denver, so I want
you to think about it.”
Steven knew that position was open, but he never thought of
himself as a candidate for it. Completely taken by surprise, he
needed time to evaluate the offer and make a decision.
What did Steven need to know to make a decision? The real issue
in this situation is the question that goes to the heart of the situation:
“Why didn’t Steven consider himself as a candidate for this opportu-
nity?”
Steven should have known that the company had been looking to
fill the manager’s position for two months and, based on his skill set
and experience, should have already determined whether he could
be considered a candidate. Had he done that, he would have thought
about the opportunity ahead of time and been prepared in case his
boss made him an offer.
Performance Appraisals—More Than Just

Paperwork
When you become a candidate for a new position internally, your
performance will precede you. While people may know you and per-
haps have worked with you, that is not the only determining factor.
Even when you are highly recommended by your boss and/or HR, a
fundamental document that people will look at is your performance
appraisal. Or you may be identified for a position because of the
strength of your appraisal.
Although performance appraisals are a very important “track
record” for your career, many people see them as nothing more than
obligatory paperwork. Your boss may even grumble about having to
do appraisals, particularly if he or she has a large number of direct
reports. Don’t see your performance appraisal as something to “get
over.” It’s too important to your career.
Performance appraisals are collaborations between the employee
and his or her boss to evaluate achievements and set objectives. Your
boss will evaluate your performance, possibly including an overall
grade or score. This formalized feedback, however, may be superfi-
cial or incomplete, because many bosses and managers simply aren’t
good at it.
“Good appraisals are an art form, and, like most great art, they’re
in rare supply,” Tom Ryder commented. “The vast majority of people
really have trouble communicating weaknesses to someone else,
when in fact being clear and supportively honest is a tremendous
favor that you can do for someone.” Getting good feedback from your
boss may be trickier than you think. It may be better to ease into the
conversation than to jump right in. Tom suggests a self-appraisal,
which an employee can do in conjunction with a formal appraisal or
as an initiative to solicit feedback from a boss or supervisor.
“Young people could help themselves enormously, if they are not
getting feedback, to submit to their boss a self-appraisal—without
even asking. They would say something like, ‘I thought I would do an
appraisal of how I’m doing on my job and see if you agree. Are we on
the same wavelength in regards to the things I do well and the things
I need to work on?’ That would be a tremendous icebreaker, espe-
cially if the boss is reluctant to give feedback,” he observed.58
138 FROM DAY ONE
This strategy can be carried out by writing a short memo to your

boss (assuming your boss likes written communication) that high-
lights your progress on projects you’ve been working on. As you eval-
uate your own job and experiences, make sure you detail the extra
things you’ve taken on, such as additional assignments and projects.
Don’t dwell on routine, day-to-day tasks and responsibilities; that’s
what you’re supposed to be doing. (However, these tasks and respon-
sibilities must be done well.) Focus on how you have expanded your
contribution, and target the areas in which you have gained addi-
tional experience.
Then ask for a few minutes to meet with your boss and discuss
your memo. Once you’ve talked about what you’re doing and con-
firmed that you’re on target, you can approach a more personal eval-
uation. By starting with the quantitative—the projects you’ve been
working on—you can establish a more comfortable atmosphere to
discuss the more qualitative feedback.
Welcoming Feedback
For any professional—in particular, a new employee—it can be very
difficult to accept (let alone welcome) feedback. If you’re like most
people, you love to hear praise, but you hate to hear criticism. That’s
natural. But you won’t really learn if you don’t hear the negative as
well as the positive. If you still find this difficult, ask yourself: Would
you rather not know?
It’s especially important (as mentioned in Chapter 5) to get feed-
back early on, particularly in the first 90 days. This early dialogue and
your open response to it will help build a foundation of trust between
you and your manager. As you actively implement advice and correc-
tive actions, you will not only become more effective, but you’ll also
show respect to the person who gave you the feedback.
Frank LaFasto, senior vice president of organization effective-

ness for Cardinal Health, believes so strongly in the value of
feedback that he calls it a “gift.” “Feedback is the lifeblood of any
organization and certainly any career. Without any opportunity to be
self-corrective, we are destined to be as good as we are right now. We
won’t get any better,” Frank explained. “Because of its importance,
feedback is not something to be endured. It’s something to be sought
after, because that’s the way that we get better. If people are only
telling us about our strengths, we’ll be disappointed at some point
when we fall short.”
Typically, feedback addresses two common shortcomings: the
absence of something and the overextension of a strength. The
absence of something refers to knowledge, a skill, or an understand-
ing that a person needs in a specific area. For example, a person may
have a good grasp of the overall picture but may need to understand
accounting or gain a better working knowledge of the distribution
channel. Overextension of a strength refers to a behavior or action
that is used to the extreme. For example, someone may be results-
oriented but as an overextension may focus on results to the exclu-
sion of everyone around him or her.
If you think getting feedback is difficult, consider this. Giving it is
even more difficult for most people. Why? Many people have diffi-
culty giving feedback because it can spark conflict or an emotional
response. For that reason, when you’re on the receiving end of feed-
back, you actually are more in control than the person giving it. (That
might make you feel a little better next time!)
“The most interesting thing about feedback is the receiver has far
more control over the outcome than the giver,” Frank added. “The
giver may stumble their way through, perhaps not using the best
words or the best examples. But if someone is open to feedback and
wants to grow, they will pull out of the message something that helps
them to get better. That’s why feedback is a gift.”59
140 FROM DAY ONE
For most young professionals, the best feedback is from a variety

of sources. Number one is your boss. The second is HR. The third is
a mentor or other advisor. Ideally, the fourth person is your spouse or
life partner, if you are lucky enough to be with someone who truly
looks out for your best interests, understands business, and is sensi-
tive to how you come across to others. (I have been fortunate enough
to be married to my trusted advisor for 45 years.) A trusted friend can
also give you feedback, but usually for specific periods in your life
when he or she has close contact with you. This feedback should
come from someone who champions you and sees you in a different
context than your colleagues.
When it comes to feedback, clearly the power rests with the
receiver. To facilitate this process, Frank LaFasto offers a three-step
process, which he calls the “ABCs of Feedback”:
• Attitudinal. The first rule of receiving feedback is that it

requires the appropriate frame of mind. Listen with an open
mind.
• Behavioral. While some people prefer to give abstract com-

ments (for example, “You could have a more positive atti-
tude.”), the person receiving the feedback should ask for
concrete examples of his or her behavior. An example is “It
would be helpful if you could think of a situation or example
where I could have done something differently.”
• Change. The next step is to show a willingness not just to hear

the feedback, but also to act on it. Some feedback can be
addressed immediately. Other development needs will require
attention over time. HR could provide information about
courses and training.60
You may also receive feedback from more experienced members of

your team, particularly if your boss has delegated your training
to them. Try asking them for some feedback by using a specific
example. You might say, “I have a feeling I wasn’t as effective as I

could have been in this situation. What other techniques or
approaches do you think I could use?” Or make suggestions of your
own, such as, “These are the things I think I could have done better.
What do you think?”
Chances are, you are receiving informal feedback constantly
from those around you. Are you picking it up? It’s very possible that
your colleagues have been subtly trying to coach you all along.
Reflect on what people have been telling you. Were the suggestions
and observations you received really an attempt to give you some
feedback? Do you take these opportunities to invite more construc-
tive comments and criticism?
Additionally, many companies are instituting 360-degree
appraisal systems. This concept captures input from the people who
surround you and who are familiar with your work. This might
include managers, supervisors, direct reports, peers, and, in a few
instances, even customers and suppliers. If you’re fortunate to be in a
company that uses this technique, be sure to make the most of it.
Although you may not encounter 360-degree appraisals until you
become a manager, some companies are utilizing them at all levels.
Your manager will typically aggregate comments from several people
and give you a summary of all their comments, criticisms, and sugges-
tions. Your first response may be to try to figure out who said what.
Despite that temptation, it is crucial that you relax, accept the feed-
back, and really learn and grow from it. After all, your team’s percep-
tions of you are their reality. Even if you think some of the comments
are undeserved, you need to address them. (By the way, as a new
employee you may be asked to give 360-degree feedback on your
boss. Although comments are confidential, you may be scared that
your boss will figure out what you said. The best advice is to be as
honest and objective as possible, but never extreme, because you’re
new and your frame of reference is limited.)
142 FROM DAY ONE
The actions you take after you receive feedback—your willing-

ness to listen, absorb it, and act on it—will help you and honor the
person giving you the feedback. That is why I see this process as a
“virtuous cycle” composed of five steps or stages:
1. Welcome it. Let others know that you are open to receiving
feedback, especially constructive criticism to help you do
your job better.
2. Listen and absorb. Show by your body language, facial

expression, and tone of voice that you are really listening to
what’s being said. Don’t interrupt with rebuttals and excuses.
3. Make a plan to modify your behavior. After you’ve

received some feedback, think about how you can change
your behavior.
4. Make the changes. When you make changes in your work

habits and behavior, others will see by your actions that you
value their comments and observations. However, if you’re
attempting to make a major change in your behavior, do it
gradually. For example, if you talk too much in meetings, you
don’t want to go silent. If you need to be more responsive,
you don’t want to become impulsive. If you go too far too
fast, it will seem insincere, and you won’t be able to sustain it.
5. Welcome more feedback. Seeing the changes you’ve

made, others will be encouraged to give you even more feed-
back, which will help you continue your goal of meaningful
self-improvement.
This is a “virtuous cycle” that continues throughout your career, a

slow but steady spiral that takes you upward to increase your skills
and experience and then outward to expand your contribution. With
the knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses, what you’ve mas-
tered, and where you need to develop, you can seek out what you
need. The place you will undoubtedly turn to, time and time again, is
the HR department.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Don’t underestimate the power of HR.
➤ Distinguish yourself by volunteering for the

“dirty work” and unglamorous jobs.
➤ You can progress faster and farther vertically by

first moving horizontally.
➤ Be proactive in your performance appraisal;

don’t wait for your boss to start the process.
➤ When you receive feedback, accept it and

act on it.
PART IV:
THE NEW MANAGER
Chapter 8 The First-Time Manager 147
Chapter 9 Building Your Team 169
145
8
THE FIRST-TIME
MANAGER
When you become a new manager, the skills that got
you there are not what will keep you successful.
You’ve been out of college for a few years and, after proving what you
can do on the job, you’ve been promoted to become a team leader or
manage a department. At this moment in your career, you’re under-
going an important shift as you take on your first experience of man-
aging and leading others.
As a new manager, many of the skills that made you successful in
the past (and that may have been the reason you were promoted to
manager) are no longer critical for you. Now, your success as a man-
ager will become dependent on how well your team performs. Their
skills and abilities to do the job will be more important than your
aptitude for the same tasks. In other words, you’ve moved on to the
next level, and new and different things will be required of you.
At the same time, you’ve just become the person to whom others
will look for their next raise or promotion. While you may have some
limited experience as a team leader or project leader, perhaps as a
summer job or as part of an assignment, this will be the first time that
147
148 FROM DAY ONE
you will have direct influence over others’ professional lives. Now,
not only do you have your own career to manage, you also have other
people to worry about.
Becoming a successful, motivating, and highly effective manager
takes years of experience. It may even take you a few years to begin
feeling comfortable and confident in this new role, particularly if you
are managing people who are older than you. To help you make the
most of your time as a new manager—to further your progress along
this phase of the “understanding curve”—it’s important to know what
not to do. In fact, I believe that being aware of the common “rookie
mistakes” that managers make will help you be more effective in your
job and increase your contribution to your company, your depart-
ment, and the team you’re leading.
Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

The rookie mistakes described in this chapter are the “default mode”
of behavior that most new managers fall back to unless they are made
aware of these pitfalls. If these mistakes are not addressed early on,
they can seriously undermine a manager’s effectiveness and confi-
dence—and potentially derail a promising career.
Mistake No. 1—Reluctance to Delegate
As a new manager, your field of responsibility has broadened tremen-

dously. But with this change comes a shift in your day-to-day activi-
ties, including the need to delegate some tasks and responsibilities.
This includes work that you’ve become highly proficient at and for
which you’ve earned some very positive feedback. Admittedly, it’s
hard to let go of what you’re good at. After all, you’ve just invested all
this time and effort into developing an expertise, which is what dis-
tinguished you in the first place!
CHAPTER 8 • THE FIRST-TIME MANAGER 149
“…(R)eluctance to delegate assignments also has its roots in

some very real fears. First is the fear of losing stature: If I assign
high-profile projects to my staff members, they’ll get the credit. What
kind of visibility will I be left with? Will it be clear to my boss and my
staff what value I’m adding?” wrote Carol A. Walker, president of
Prepared to Lead, a management consulting firm in Weston, Mass.
“Second is the fear of abdicating control: If I allow Frank to do
this, how can I be sure that he will do it correctly? In the face of this
fear, the rookie manager may delegate tasks but supervise Frank so
closely that he will never feel accountable,” she added.61
Some well-respected authorities and even some people in the
business press advise young managers to continue building on their
strengths. I take the opposite view: Delegate what you’ve mastered
so that you can broaden your skills and expertise. One of the real
issues for rookie managers who suddenly find themselves with wider
responsibilities—perhaps even for several teams or departments—is
that they focus on where they came from. The reason is simple: that’s
where their strengths lie. This is a clear case of if you don’t delegate,
you lose.
Delegating what you’ve already mastered frees you up to learn
something else. Moreover, with your existing expertise, you are in a
better position to help others master those skills and attain a higher
level of proficiency. This is a concrete example of servant leadership
in action: empowering your team members to excel and discover new
skills. At the same time, you will expand your competency and effi-
ciency as a manager. It will take you less time to review work that
you’re the most familiar with than tasks that are new to you.
Delegating and developing your team members, however, can
raise a host of your own fears about being overshadowed by someone
else. The important thing, however, is not to give in to that fear. This
would be detrimental to the individual’s development, the team’s
contribution, the company’s talent pool, and your own reputation as a
manager.
150 FROM DAY ONE
William G. Bowen, president of The Andrew W. Mellon

Foundation and former president of Princeton University, had this
advice for young managers: “When young professionals move into a
position of some authority and managerial responsibility, it’s
absolutely key that they not be afraid of good people. There are those
who are afraid that they are going to be shown up by someone
smarter and more persuasive than they are. The right attitude, how-
ever, is that you want to surround yourself with people who can do
what you cannot do. If you encourage them, then everyone will
thrive,” he said.62
Mistake No. 2—Prejudging People’s Productivity
Delegating does raise another issue that confronts young managers

and even some experienced ones: your frustration with the perfor-
mance of others who are taking over delegated tasks. How fast should
they complete these tasks and handle these responsibilities? Should
they be as fast as you or slower than you? If slower, by how much?
This is a trickier proportion than you may think, because it forces you
to put yourself in another person’s position.
It’s even more difficult to gauge tasks and responsibilities that
are unfamiliar to you. (If you delegate what you already know and
focus on what you don’t, this gives you an advantage.) Otherwise,
how can you realistically place expectations on people doing a job you
have never done? What kind of expectations can you place on other
people?
Begin by observing and asking questions. What are the existing
benchmarks around the organization for performance? What pace of
work and level of expectations already exist? Once you know what the
norm is, you have a baseline for your own expectations. For a young
manager, it’s always best to start with the status quo, particularly as
you get a feel for the breadth and depth of the jobs and responsibili-
ties in your department.
Furthermore, start with the assumption that your direct reports

are already competent and are performing at or above expectations.
Assume that the people who work for you are good until they prove
otherwise. Seek out opportunities to mentor others. This is a perfect
way to give back the mentoring you’ve received and increase your
contribution to the organization.
This attitude has a strategic payoff as well. When you expect the
best from others and assume that they are producing at a high level,
they are more apt to rise to the level of those expectations. Assuming
that people are below the grade and need to prove themselves wor-
thy can be both demoralizing and counterproductive. This “expect
the best” attitude has been proven not only in my own experience,
but in research as well. J. Sterling Livingston, a former Harvard
Business School professor and founder of the Sterling Institute,
found that the boss’s expectations played a key role in the results that
were achieved.
“Some managers always treat their subordinates in a way that
leads to superior performance. But most managers…unintentionally
treat their subordinates in a way that leads to lower performance
than they are capable of achieving,” Livingston wrote. “The way man-
agers treat their subordinates is subtly influenced by what they
expect of them. If managers’ expectations are high, productivity is
likely to be excellent. If their expectations are low, productivity is
likely to be poor.”63
As a new manager, your team’s performance will directly reflect
your own attitude. Instead of prejudging others as lacking, a new
manager would do well to start with his or her own attitude.
Mistake No. 3—“Saving Souls”
As you evaluate your team, you will almost always find someone who
is just not up to par with the others. At this point, as the manager, you
need to determine whether this person can be retrained or coached.
152 FROM DAY ONE
Would redefining the job or changing responsibilities in the depart-

ment make a difference? As the manager, you have to ask the deep
question: Is the employee passionate about the work? If so, insist that
he or she develop a plan to improve performance. In the end, you’ll
know whether the person can be helped or if this is a case of some-
one in the wrong job.
While this can be a very difficult and potentially painful experi-
ence, you cannot “save” people by keeping them in a job in which
they cannot or will not perform. The person needs to be relieved of
that position so that he or she can find a job that’s a better fit. Unless
you take the necessary steps, however, that won’t happen.
Before taking any action, you need to ascertain why and how
this person ended up in your department. Often, a story exists that
you may not be aware of—and sometimes circumstances that may
preclude you from taking any further action. For example, is the
person a long-time employee who has been moved around many
times, and now upper management has decided that this person will
stay on your team until retirement? Or does the person have some
connection to someone higher up in the organization, which means
you cannot terminate him or her? You won’t be aware of any behind-
the-scenes issues unless you ask and someone tells you.
Trying Too Hard to “Save Souls”

In my own career, I’ve had to fight the temptation to “save souls,”
particularly if I believed that someone was capable of performing
up to expectations. I remember one manager, a foreign national,
who was transferred from an overseas operation to the U.S. I
believed that if I worked with this man long enough, he could
adapt his style to the U.S. operating environment. I tried unsuc-
cessfully for years to coach him. Finally, I could see that this was
not working. He was far too entrenched in his style and mode of
operating to change. Ultimately I had to recommend to the board
of directors that this person be let go. As a result, the man took the
option of retiring early.
One of the company’s directors called me aside and gave me valu-

able advice. He said, “Bill, you’ve done a good job up to this point,
but you have to be less of a saver of souls. There are times when
things just don’t work out.”
The lesson I learned was that you have to make an honest effort to
determine if you can coach someone through a difficult transition
or a lackluster performance. But if that individual doesn’t improve
in a reasonable amount of time, you have to face the facts. It
comes down to an issue of balance between moving too quickly
and not giving someone the chance he or she deserves and waiting
too long, which ultimately wastes the person’s time and yours.
Dealing with people issues promptly and directly is not only good
for them, it’s also fair to the rest of the organization. If one person
is stuck and not evolving as he or she should, that person is also
blocking other people’s growth.
Mistake No. 4—When You Can’t Fix a Problem
With a little persistence and the right attitude, any problem can be
fixed. Right? Wrong. This fact may be hard for an enthusiastic and
idealistic manager to swallow. However, in most companies (if not
all), long-term, enduring issues persist that you, as a young manager,
will face. These problems are often endemic, like a pesky competitor
you can’t get rid of or a technology in the marketplace that exceeds
yours. That’s not to say you should shrug off every challenge you
encounter. You need to know when to tackle a problem head-on and
when it’s futile to refuse to accept defeat. Some problems—for the
time being, anyway—won’t go away.
When you encounter such a situation, discuss it with your boss.
Find out the history behind the issue and the problem. You may also
learn that your boss has the very same frustrations you have. One of
the solutions is to look for little pieces of the problem that you can
solve. By “eating around the edges” of the bigger problem, you may
find that, in time, you can reduce the size of the overall situation to
one that can finally be addressed.
154 FROM DAY ONE
This is reminiscent of the challenge faced by the Japanese auto

industry as it began competing in the U.S. market, which had been
dominated by General Motors and Ford. The Japanese companies
knew the competition problem they faced was too large to tackle
head-on. Instead, they found a niche in which they could gain a
foothold, producing high-quality, lower-cost small cars, which GM
and Ford did not feature. From this initial step, they gained smaller
pieces of the market until they were able to mount a larger competi-
tive challenge.
Mistake No. 5—Pet Projects That No One Cares About
As a new manager, you’ll set priorities for your team or department.

With this responsibility comes the temptation to follow your own
agenda of pet projects instead of focusing on the the organization’s
bigger goals. It may be the area in which you really shine, or some-
thing you like doing. But be honest with yourself: Are you on a tan-
gent that’s unimportant or is in a different direction than the
company’s goals? You can rationalize it all you want, but if these pet
projects don’t serve the greater good and are not aligned with the
company’s objectives, you are not doing your best as a manager.
Some companies, such as 3M, historically have allowed managers
and engineers to spend up to 15 percent of their work time on pet
projects. If your company does that, you’re in luck. Otherwise, if you
need help evaluating these projects, seek your boss’s feedback. As a
new manager, you’ll be pursuing open communication with your
boss and welcoming feedback. Let your boss know what priorities
you have set, and make sure that you’re on target with the bigger
objectives.
Mistake No. 6—Moving Too Fast
Another common mistake for new managers is the belief that they
have to show they are “the boss.” Usually, they think the way to do
that is to make major decisions quickly, often without the proper
analysis, in hopes of looking aggressive. Or they strive for a sense
of urgency by making decisions without consulting others whose
approval should be sought. (Decision-making is addressed later in
this chapter.)
This may involve giving raises quickly to people on the team who
claim to be underpaid. This is the usual scenario: As soon as a new
manager takes over, someone (or a few people) says, “I’m so glad
you’re the boss! Your predecessor never did the job right. Now
that you’re here, things will be much better.” And then the litany of
complaints begins: “You know, I haven’t gotten the raises I was
promised.”
If you try to look decisive by granting raises to “correct” an out-
standing problem, you run the risk of making decisions too soon, for
the wrong reasons, and without the necessary approval. Many of
the people who will approach you with a list of complaints and injus-
tices are the whiners who are really underperforming. Chances are
the raises they were supposedly promised were mostly in their imagi-
nation. Before making a rash decision, take the time to observe
your staff and figure out who is a true performer and who is an
opportunist.
Moving too quickly in decisions may be rooted in the desire to
look like a “dynamic leader.” That motivation, in itself, is a problem.
If you find yourself wondering, “What are the biggest challenges to
becoming a dynamic leader?,” you’ve answered your own question.
The problem is in trying too hard.
Don’t worry about being “dynamic.” Do what’s expected of you as
a new manager. Make sure you’re in sync with your boss’s objectives
and the company’s goals. Make your team’s success your first priority.
156 FROM DAY ONE
Making Decisions
Now that you know the rookie mistakes to avoid, it’s time to address
the attitudes, behaviors, and habits that will make you an effective
manager who can lead others and increase your level of contribution.
One essential area for new managers is making decisions. This
encompasses knowing what you can and cannot decide on your own,
seeking input, and implementing a decision with confidence.
The challenge for some managers is that with this newfound
authority they believe they have been “knighted” and no longer need
anyone’s approval before marching off on their own quest. This is a
very flawed attitude. The truth is that some decisions will always exist
for which you need approval. Even if you become the CEO someday,
certain decisions will require the approval of the company’s board of
directors. It’s that simple.
So how do you find out what decisions you can and cannot make
without approval? Ask your boss. Then, as you begin evaluating
things in your department or area, you will come up with ideas and
actions that you want to put into motion. You can bring these to
your boss for discussion and approval. You’ll get feedback (see
Chapter 7, “Developing Your Career”), and in time you may be given
more authority to operate independently. As a new manager, how-
ever, make sure you know the parameters of your decision-making
authority.
When you are privy to the broader decision-making process,
know where your input is appropriate and where it is not. Offering an
opinion just for the sake of “looking smart” is not a wise move if you
are talking about areas in which you have no experience or direct
involvement. Know what your role is and when your experience is not
broad or deep enough to add value to the whole organization.
As Greg Maddux, the Chicago Cubs pitcher, told me, “I get asked
from time to time by management, should we get this player or that
player. I can’t comment on something like that. It’s not my money to
spend, and I believe that. I’m just glad that they gave me a job. I’ll do
the best job I can and do all I can to make the team better…. You
have to play by the rules. There will be times when you can use your
own imagination and creativity, when it will work best for both
sides.”64
As you make decisions, understand that your attitude says even
more than the words you use to communicate it. If your decision
appears to have been made effortlessly, others will follow you more
readily. If you have trouble with this and you tend to agonize over
decisions, make sure you don’t show that internal struggle.
Understand, too, that to be a good decision-maker, you must use
a combination of logic and instinct. In other words, you may have
reached the logical conclusion or the answer that is dictated by the
data, but that decision must still “feel” right. While some managers
go by their “feeling” about something, this is not the optimal way to
make decisions. You must have the right combination of facts and
instinct to make a good decision, to have confidence in it, and to
communicate it to others believably and with authority.
In your decision-making process, sometimes you will seek addi-
tional input. My former boss, Jack Gray, believed strongly in having a
dialogue with people about issues and keeping an open mind if some-
one could convince him with a well-founded argument. A strong
manager is one who is perceived as willing to invite and accept input.
After all, you are the team leader whose job it is to set the pace,
prioritize the tasks, and monitor the progress. You’re not expected to
be a genius who knows everything. When you seek input from others,
however, you must be sincere.
As my mentor, Professor Georges Doriot, frequently said, “Don’t
ask people for their input if your mind is already made up.” You may
have strong feelings one way or the other, but if you still have an open
mind and can accept input, do so. Of course, if your boss is the one
giving you the input, and he or she doesn’t agree with your point of
158 FROM DAY ONE
view, you should listen carefully to the argument. As you receive and
filter the input, trust your ability to make a final decision.
As a new manager, it’s good to seek input from many sources,
including some more experienced members of your staff. Keep in
mind that input is not a “vote.” The best managers I know establish
decision guidelines for when they need to seek out information to
make their own decision, when they invite a group decision, or when
they issue a directive.
What happens to inexperienced managers, however, is that the
conflicting opinions make it difficult to reach a conclusion. As a
result, they may make decisions based on the last person who talked
to them. This insidious habit shows a lack of conviction and an inabil-
ity to take a stand. You may not recognize this tendency in yourself,
but everyone else does.
The Boss Who Couldn’t Say “No”
The flip side of receiving valuable input in your decision-making

process is a frustrating problem I ran into as a manager many years
ago. I had a boss who would seemingly agree with everything I was
proposing, all through our dialogue and my presentations. He’d
never say no, although he never said yes outright either.
His body language and his demeanor gave me the clear message
that he was in agreement. With this understanding, I would go
forward with what I was pursuing, right up to the point of needing
his final approval or signature on a contract. That’s when he’d
finally get around to saying no. What I learned from that frustrat-
ing experience is the value of letting people know, up front, when I
disagreed with them.
While seeking additional input before making a decision is a good

practice, don’t go to the extreme. Believing that you can’t make a
decision unless you have every fact and consider every possible
scenario will render you powerless to make a decision. It’s the old
“paralysis by analysis” scenario. This is where experience and balance

come in, and you may get some coaching on this from more seasoned
managers or even your boss. While you don’t want to act impulsively,
you don’t want to agonize to the point of being unable to make a
decision.
Don’t be afraid to make decisions in increments. Rather than
changing everything—reassigning jobs or completely changing the
work flow—you can break things down in steps and see what hap-
pens. Remember, you can always speed up the pace of change. But if
you slow it down, you’ll throw your decision-making into question.
You may inadvertently raise suspicion among your team members
about “what else might be going on” that caused this sudden change
in pace. Making decisions incrementally also helps counter a com-
mon rookie error of second-guessing the decision once it’s made.
This may stem from a lack of confidence or a lack of experience, but
it can dog a manager throughout his or her career.
Also know when the proper decision is to say no rather than
promising everybody that “we’ll look into that” or “I’ll take that to
management for consideration.” Probably some bona fide issues in
your department need to be presented to your boss for consideration.
However, it’s not your job to gather everybody’s issues, complaints,
and problems and dump them on someone else’s desk. You are not an
“agent”; you can make decisions, and it’s your responsibility to dis-
cern what needs to be addressed and what really isn’t a problem.
Then you can decide what you can deal with yourself, within your
parameters of responsibility, and what you need your boss’s input to
address.
Your Management Style

Your decision-making process is part of a broader scope of attitudes
and behaviors that, taken together, form your management style. For
example, are you the type who is very demanding when it comes to
160 FROM DAY ONE
results? Or are you the kind of manager who believes in coaching

others to help them do the best job possible?
Your management style, to a great degree, reflects your personal-
ity. For example, some people are naturally “hardwired” to be more
persuasive, while others are nurturing. The question is, does this nat-
ural style fit into the organization and the area in which you’re work-
ing? This may be less of an issue if you have moved into the role of
manager within the company. If you were hired from the outside,
however, you need to determine whether your natural management
style is one that your company’s culture affirms and embraces.
Feedback from a trusted advisor will help you evaluate your
management style and identify where your rough edges are. Your
basic style of managing, however, is not likely to change. It’s up to you
to be honest with yourself as to whether this department or company
is a good fit for you or if you need to seek another opportunity that
will suit you better.
In your career, after you’ve been promoted from being an indi-
vidual contributor to a manager, you may find that the position is not
a good fit. You may be far more comfortable and effective operating
on your own than being responsible for a team or department. Or the
corporate culture could change after a merger or acquisition. If that
happens, it’s okay to admit this isn’t a good fit and to look for a new
opportunity where you can contribute using your strengths. Some
very talented individuals can make a great contribution and enjoy
success as individual contributors.
Meeting Your Team
The first days on the job as a new manager are both exciting and
nerve-racking, no matter what your rank is in an organization. In this
new position, you have high expectations for yourself and your team
and a deep commitment to making a contribution. At the same time,

you have to face an element of uncertainty: How will you and your
direct reports get along?
Luckily, tried-and-true advice for young managers will help ease
this transition. The first step is to make sure you meet your team
face-to-face and one-on-one as soon as possible. In my career, when-
ever I took on a new management position, I devoted much of my
first days on the job to meeting with everyone. I wanted the opportu-
nity to introduce myself and to get to know them. In this first, critical
round of meetings, understand that you gain respect by giving it. The
primary message that you should communicate is that you sincerely
care about them and their needs. When your team members believe
they are your top priority, you will be rewarded with their respect,
confidence, and loyalty.
As you interact with your team, let them know that you welcome
their feedback. Your company may have a formal or informal way of
doing that. Your approach, however, should be to encourage honest
and open feedback and to receive it without being defensive.
Probably one of the most memorable pieces of feedback I ever
received was that I was impatient. Knowing that about myself, and
how it made others around me feel about themselves, I was able to
correct my behavior. It’s not that I instantly became a patient man-
ager. Rather, I monitored how I spoke and acted. Believe me, the
only time you get to be impatient is when you’re the CEO! As a
young manager, it was better for me to understand what was involved
with a certain task or project, including how my team performed its
duties, than to simply ask for it to be accomplished more quickly.
As you meet your team, you may find that you are managing
workers who are older than you. It’s not uncommon for a newly grad-
uated MBA with a few years of work experience to be managing peo-
ple who are 10, 20, or even 30 years older than they are. This can be
quite a challenge for everyone involved!
162 FROM DAY ONE
Asking for Advice from and Dealing with Older Workers
When you’re a fresh manager in a new assignment, you’ll have to

learn many things, particularly about “how things work” in the com-
pany or a particular department or division. You know that, and so
does your team. So how do you deal with older workers, who have
more experience in the company and whom you’re supposed to man-
age? The answer is simple: Ask for advice.
Believe me, nothing melts an old-time tough guy’s heart faster
than the sincere request, “Can you give me some help and advice?”
One caveat, however, is that the older workers will know in a nano-
second whether you’re being sincere.
Remember that these older, more experienced workers have
seen a lot of managers come and go. The first assumption they will
probably make is that you, like your predecessors, won’t be around
for very long. After a few years, you’ll move on to something else.
Your responsibility as the new manager is to show a level of commit-
ment to them that indicates that you plan on being around for a long
time—or at least to act like it. Your attitude will be a welcome change
and will give your team members the security that you are committed
to them and to making positive changes on their behalf.
Managing Your Boss

As you become a manager, chances are you will have a new boss. Just
as you did as a new employee, you will have to initiate communica-
tion with your new boss. Now that you’re a boss, you’ll have a lot
more empathy for your boss! You’ll understand the pressures that
come from having direct reports, who are looking to you for direc-
tion, guidance, and their next promotion or raise. You’ll appreciate
that bosses are people, too.
One of the key components of your relationship with your boss is

to make him or her look good through the contribution made by you
and your team. Too often, young managers want to make a name for
themselves, and they are concerned that their bosses will take credit
for what they’re doing. My advice is, don’t worry about it. True,
sometimes bosses take credit for your work; I’ve seen it happen.
Chances are, however, that other people will notice that your boss is
suddenly smarter—ever since you joined the team. Ultimately, your
boss will probably recognize how valuable you are and how commit-
ted you are to leading your team.
What happens, however, when your boss is off-target? Your boss,
for whatever reason, seems to have a different agenda and is going in
a different direction. What should you do? Robert E. Kelley, Ph.D., a
professor at Carnegie Mellon’s Graduate School of Industrial
Administration and a consultant to major companies, suggested that
young managers “keep an eye on the boss.” “If you don’t,” he added,
“you put yourself at risk.”65
As a first step, the manager can try to satisfy the boss’s demands
while making sure that his team’s work is still focused on the com-
pany’s main objectives. If the problem becomes more severe, it’s time
to seek out confidential advice from a trusted mentor or an advisor in
HR or elsewhere at the company. It could be that your boss has a
personal agenda that is different from the company’s agenda. Perhaps
the boss still wants to pursue a new technology, an operating plant, or
a product that the company has already turned down. The boss may
believe that, in time, management will come around to his or her way
of thinking.
With your advisor’s help, you will be able to come up with the
best course of action for you, your department, and your boss. Don’t
try to go it alone in these situations. You need the perspective of
someone with more experience and a broader perspective—someone
you know and trust.
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Personal Selling and Negotiating

By the time you become a manager, you should have some experi-
ence with both personal selling and negotiating. These two skills will
serve you well throughout your career. Your personal selling involves
making a pitch, whether on behalf of yourself or your team. You
could be selling an idea to your boss, to your boss’s boss, or one day to
the executive office or the board of directors. It may be a new tech-
nology, an improved compensation system, an innovative marketing
idea, or another proposal. Whatever you’re pitching, you must have
some skills in personal selling to communicate the benefit of your
idea and what it entails.
The key skills in personal selling are listening to a particular
problem that a customer has, understanding the situation, and then
creating a solution that will add value. This is in contrast to trying to
push your product or services on someone by convincing him that he
needs it.
A closely related area is negotiation, particularly as you try to
meet the needs of your team or department and others within the
company. You may be negotiating with an outside vendor, an adver-
tising agency, or with your boss on a project timeline or to promote
someone. Or you could be dealing with other managers who want to
hire a member of your team. (Having other people in the company
hire away your staff is a credit to you if you are seen as a manager
who develops his or her team members.)
Selling and negotiating are inextricably linked, revolving around
the concept of understanding a problem from the other person’s per-
spective. You’ll find that the best salespeople are good listeners and
skilled problem solvers. They negotiate by using “alternative curren-
cies,” offering one thing for another.
Using “Alternative Currencies”
Nathan, a vice president of marketing, used a combination of edu-

cation and personal comfort in exchange for buyers’ valuable time
and attention. Every year buyers for major retail chains from
across the country would come to the Housewares Show in
Chicago, at which Nathan’s company was an exhibitor. Instead of
only exhibiting at a booth at the show, Nathan came up with a
novel idea to get the buyers’ attention and earn their loyalty by
offering something that was valuable to them: education.
Nathan put together a mini-seminar on topics such as store layout,
different kinds of store fixtures, facing and displaying products,
and the importance of return on investment over the cost of
acquiring products. Before the Housewares Show, the buyers were
all contacted, invited to the seminar, and asked about their travel
arrangements. Then, when they arrived at O’Hare International
Airport in Chicago, greeters hired by the company met the people
at the gate and escorted them to a suite at the airport hotel to
attend the seminar. Other handlers from the company fetched
their luggage and put it into waiting limousines. At the end of the
program, which included only a small presentation about the com-
pany’s products (and some refreshments), the buyers were
escorted to the limousines and taken to their hotels.
The first year Nathan tried this approach, a few buyers took him
up on the offer. The second year, many more buyers participated.
By the third year, buyers were calling Nathan well in advance to
inquire about that year’s seminar. The goodwill he established by
offering the seminars and the hassle-free comfort of getting to the
hotel paid off in increased loyalty and more business from these
buyers.
As you negotiate with customers, both inside and outside your
company, consider the kind of “alternative currencies” you can
use. Time, resources, talent, a service, or convenience may be
highly valued by your customer and readily at your disposal.
166 FROM DAY ONE
As you approach personal selling and negotiating, think a level or

two higher than just the immediate situation. Think about why you
want to sell a particular idea, concept, project, or product. How does
this fit into the larger scale for the customer, whether it’s someone
inside the company who must “buy into” your idea or an external cus-
tomer who is considering a product or service you’re offering? The
more you can think from the customer’s perspective, the better sales-
person you will be by truly solving problems. The key is to offer
something of value to the other party that you can easily deliver.
Creating a Positive Environment
As a young manager, you have a critically important perspective: You

remember what it was like, not so long ago, to be an entry-level
employee or a member of the team without any real authority. With
that knowledge, you can create a motivating environment for your
direct reports and team members.
The root of your success will be your ability to shift your perspec-
tive as you undergo a major, and most likely permanent, transition
from an individual performer to a manager. Instead of focusing solely
on what you can do, your contribution as a manager is leveraged and
magnified through the efforts of others. This will require you to dele-
gate tasks at which you are proficient, to help others develop their
expertise in areas you have mastered, and to challenge yourself to
take on new duties and assignments.
To ease your transition in becoming a manager, be aware of the
rookie mistakes to avoid, as well as the habits and behaviors that will
help you become more effective. Above all, don’t forget what it was
like to be on the team and to have a boss to manage. Now that you’re
in that role, others are trying to manage their relationships with you!
Your awareness and willingness to create a positive team environ-
ment can establish a successful relationship for all involved.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Delegate what you know and have mastered in

order to develop yourself—and your team.
➤ Don’t be afraid to set high expectations; people

can usually meet them.
➤ Make your boss look good.
➤ When making decisions, know when you need

approval and when you don’t.
➤ Every management style is valuable; the trick is

to match it to the situation.
➤ Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.
➤ You must be an effective salesperson, inside and

outside the company.
9
BUILDING YOUR TEAM
“Star performers are never expensive, but mediocre
performers are unaffordable.”
—Georges Doriot
You probably want your team to be composed of all high-performing

superstars who excel at their tasks and exceed expectations. However,
that is not how it works in the real world. You are more likely to find
that most of the people on your team are not stars, and some of them
never will be. Rather, teams are more often heterogeneous mixes of
people, some of whom are better than others. Some teams and indi-
viduals can be coached to a higher level of performance; others never
will make the grade.
As a young manager, taking a good hard look at the team you
inherited can be disillusioning. You may see a mix that is not that
appealing. The good news, however, is that virtually every manager is
confronted with the same reality. Therefore, if you strive to build a
team that can make even a slightly better contribution to the com-
pany, this will have a significant impact on the organization. Know
too that you don’t need to get every member of your team up to the
next level. Probably only six to ten people report directly to you. If
169
170 FROM DAY ONE
only one or two improve, the positive impact will be greatly leveraged
by the whole team.
Your job as a manager is to continually build your team, making
improvements in performance whenever and wherever you can.
Some members who are not performing up to standard will be
replaced. They will either change jobs themselves, or they will be ter-
minated. You may have some direct reports, including some of your
best performers, who are recruited away from your team to other
departments or even to other companies. Thus, your job of culling,
improving, and motivating your team is an ongoing one.
Team building has two essential elements: one is coaching and
developing; the other is hiring. As important as these activities are,
you won’t be 100 percent successful with either of them. When it
comes to being coached, only a small percentage of people will really
“get it” and make determined efforts to change their habits, modify
their behavior, and stretch themselves to reach new levels of effec-
tiveness. With your hiring, you won’t be nearly as good at interview-
ing and selecting people as you think you are or want to be.
As disappointing as this may be, the good news is a little improve-
ment goes a long way. If you can coach even a few individuals to bet-
ter performance, this can make a significant difference to your team
and to the company. Similarly, even a small improvement in your
ability to interview and select people will make a tremendous impact.
Let’s take a look at some of the specific areas of team building, start-
ing with one area in which most managers are lacking: adding the
right players to the team.
Selecting People for Your Team

When you are faced with the need to hire someone, the first
consideration is where to find the best candidates. One of the most
effective techniques is to keep a list of the people you’ve met and
CHAPTER 9 • BUILDING YOUR TEAM 171
their particular interests or talents (see Chapter 3, “Your Network:

It’s All About ‘Giving,’ Not Just ‘Getting’”). Look for people who are
diverse, but will complement your existing team. Recognize that indi-
vidual members have unique roles to play based on their personality
types and experience. For your high-performance team, you may
need to bring in a “producer” to energize the group, a “creative” to
spark new ideas, a “controller” to pay more attention to detail, and so
forth. Ethnic and gender diversity is not only a good business
practice, it can also strengthen your team.
By keeping in contact with people—including former associates,
classmates, and others—you will know about their successes,
strengths, accomplishments, and career progression. Furthermore,
they will know about top people in their fields. Your list will include
people inside your company and outside. As you look for candidates,
consider first the people within the company, since the goal of most
organizations is to develop their internal resources. Moreover, their
track record of skills, expertise, and contribution are already known,
as are their faults.
The 60 Percent Rule

As you evaluate potential candidates to fill an opening on your
team, one person comes to mind: Sarah is already inside the com-
pany and has a proven track record of accomplishments. She’s an
eager learner, is well liked by others, and her manager speaks
highly of her. There’s only one problem: Sarah doesn’t have all the
skills and experience needed to join your team. She is, however,
more than halfway qualified.
This is where the “60 Percent Rule” comes into play. If you can
determine that someone who is already inside the company is at
least 60 percent ready to take the job, is well liked and respected,
and is supported by people around her who would feel she’s a good
fit for the job, hire her.
Once Sarah is in the job, she will need to fill out the other 40 per-
cent of knowledge, skills, and experience. The people around her,
172 FROM DAY ONE
however, will coach her and step in if she gets into a bind. That is a
virtual guarantee of Sarah’s success on the job. On the other hand,
if you bring in some hotshot from outside the company who
appears to be 110 percent ready for the job, people on the team
may resent this outsider and do nothing to help him.
In order for the internal candidate to be a good fit, however, the 60
Percent Rule—and all its qualifying conditions—must be met.
Taking a chance on a promising internal candidate who may not be
fully ready for the job can have many benefits all the way around.
You will get credit for helping promote and develop internal tal-
ent, your new hire will be highly motivated to perform, and your
boss will be happy with the positive outcome.
When considering an internal candidate who is not quite ready

for the job, make sure you weigh carefully the organizational support
that this person is likely to receive. In other words, how will people
feel about this person being promoted or hired by another depart-
ment? Will she be coached and supported by her colleagues? Or will
he be left on his own, to make mistakes without anyone’s stepping in
to help? While a lack of expertise or skill can be made up with coach-
ing from colleagues, this important development will not occur if
someone, for whatever reason, lacks the support of the organization.
Consider the case of “Martin,” who was hired as a customer ser-
vice representative at a large financial services company. From the
start, he let it be known that he was moving up in the company. He
went out of his way to ingratiate himself with every team leader,
supervisor, and boss. But Martin never cared about his team and all
but ignored his colleagues. Martin finally got his wish and was pro-
moted to become the leader of another team. While he was very
bright and had mastered the job he came from, he was still on a
learning curve. Technically, he was 60 percent ready but needed the
support of his new team to succeed. His reputation preceded him,
and no one on that team went out of his or her way to help him. After
a year, Martin left the company.
Bringing “Your” Team Onboard
As a manager looking to build your team, you will face the big temp-
tation to bring in “your” people from inside and outside the company.
Unless you’re in a turnaround situation, in which new talent must be
brought in immediately, some very real drawbacks exist to bringing in
your own team. (In addition to a turnaround, another possible excep-
tion is in financial services, where it’s not uncommon for an entire
team or trading desk to move in tandem.)
For one thing, you don’t want to decimate the ranks of the
department you came from by moving over the heart of the team.
Maybe you want to recruit one person, or possibly two. You must
make sure, however, that the person you’re bringing in is vitally
important to this new operation and not just a “buddy” or part of your
comfort zone. If someone is truly a specialist who can add value to an
operation, consider recruiting that person—obviously after checking
with the current boss first. Otherwise, look at your existing pool of
talent to see who can be developed with training and coaching.
Don’t give the impression that you can only work with “your”
people. That can be demoralizing and counterproductive for the
existing people in the department. They’ll be concerned that their
jobs are on the line—even if they’re not—and their performances
will likely suffer out of fear that they won’t be around for much
longer.
The worst example is to load your team with friends and former
classmates. The simple advice is don’t do it. You and your friend may
be convinced that you can handle this dual relationship and that your
friendship won’t interfere with your professional life and vice versa.
The problem arises, however, when you have to discipline that
174 FROM DAY ONE
person or give him or her some particularly tough feedback. If you

have a personal connection, it becomes too difficult.
If you think you’re helping your friends by hiring them, you’re
actually hurting them. You could be tempted to let poor performance
slide and not adequately challenge them to excel. Overall, the best
thing to do for your friends is to encourage them to seek their fame
and fortune working for someone else.
Interviewing Skills
Once the candidates for the job have been identified, including some
people from outside the company, it’s time for the job that most man-
agers don’t adequately prepare for and handle poorly—interviewing.
Unfortunately, too many managers don’t realize that they do a poor
job of interviewing people. They may believe that they are so good at
managing and motivating people that this automatically makes them
good at interviewing and selecting the right candidates. These skill
sets, however, are completely different. Even if someone is a gifted
manager, a patient coach, and a real champion for his team, he may
not possess the right skills for being a good interviewer. Or she may
be so busy with the day-to-day running of her team that she doesn’t
take the time to brush up on her interviewing skills by taking a course
or role-playing with someone in human resources.
That’s where you as a young manager can take positive steps to
consciously improve your interviewing skills. This is one area that you
don’t want to delegate. When it comes to interviewing, you already
have an advantage. You remember what it was like to go through
interviews (see Chapter 4, “Finding Your Ideal Position”) and to deal
with managers who weren’t very good at the process. This should give
you the motivation to become more skilled at interviewing.
If you’re concerned about having enough time to develop this
skill, ask yourself what’s getting in the way. If you are handling too
many of your team’s day-to-day duties, it’s time to delegate. See who
can take some of these responsibilities. The person will benefit from
the opportunity to develop expertise in a new area, and you will free
yourself to acquire better skills as a manager. Your company will ben-
efit in both instances.
Even if you continually upgrade your interviewing skills, don’t
expect that you’ll have a 100% success rate with your hiring, or even
80% or 70%. The members of a university advisory council composed
of experienced businesspeople were asked to estimate their personal
success rate in hiring. Most of them said about 50%. Although this is
anecdotal, it’s important to note that these senior people did not see
themselves as having a stellar track record hiring. (If 50% seems low,
remember the old saying about baseball: You need to have a hit only
four times out of ten to make it to the Hall of Fame!) With your hir-
ing, if you’re batting .400—being “right” 40% of the time—you don’t
have to aim for the impossible goal of perfection. If you can improve
to a 50% success rate (batting .500), that’s a 10 percentage point dif-
ference—or a 25% improvement.
The better you become with interviewing and the selection
process, the easier your life will be as a manager. You will end up with
a mix of people, to be sure. But this creates a greater likelihood of
having people who are willing to be coached and of having the poten-
tial to make a real contribution. You may even end up with a few
superstars.
To add value to what’s already been written on interviewing, I
want to focus on a few targeted ways to improve your skills and com-
fort in conducting interviews. At the top of that list is behavioral
interviewing, which helps you determine what a person has actually
accomplished and the specific contributions he or she made in previ-
ous jobs. Someone’s résumé may list some impressive-sounding jobs
with well-known and respected companies. But was he or she really a
valuable employee? Or did he or she coast along on the team’s
momentum? You can explore these issues by asking open-ended
questions such as “What was your role in the project?” and “What
176 FROM DAY ONE
problems did you encounter, and how did you address them?” Make
sure that you’re doing far more listening than talking in the interview,
which is the opposite of what you experienced when you were the
one interviewed for a job. In fact, you should talk only about 10 to
20% of the time, which you can accomplish if you ask good, open-
ended questions.
Another way to make interviews more effective is to extend the
session to observe the person in a more relaxed situation. This helps
you focus on the person’s behavior, not on his or her skill at answering
questions. This may be as simple as walking the person to the eleva-
tor, to the front door, or even to his or her car. See how he or she car-
ries on a more relaxed conversation. Does he or she acknowledge the
receptionist with whom he or she first spoke? Consider inviting the
person to lunch or even to have a cup of coffee outside the office.
The longer you can spend with a candidate, the more likely it is that
the pretenses will come down and you will gain insight into who this
person really is and how he or she will fit with your team.
The “Stress” Interview
Ted was being recruited to become a general manager at the com-

pany, a position in which he could make a tremendous contribu-
tion. Making sure he was the right person for the job, therefore,
was paramount. After two previous interviews, Ted was being
flown in for another meeting with management. That gave me an
idea. My wife and I invited Ted and his wife to come in early and
spend an entire day with us. It just so happened that the profes-
sional baseball team in the city in which we were living at the time
was in the playoffs, and I had tickets for the game. Ted and his
wife were eager to go.
Unfortunately, it was unseasonably hot that day. As we sat and
watched the game, we were drenched with sweat, and our
clothes were literally sticking to us. We were sitting in the hot
sun, watching an exciting game under the most uncomfortable
circumstances. Yet nobody wanted to go before the game was over.

When we finally did leave the ballpark, we brought Ted and his
wife back to our house before dinner to shower and change
clothes (they had to borrow some of ours).
This was not the day we had planned, but Ted and his wife were
such good sports. We truly enjoyed their company, and I had a
high level of confidence in hiring him. He turned out to be one of
the best hires I ever made. The moral of this story is, while you
shouldn’t go out of your way to artificially create a stressful situa-
tion, you can learn a lot about a person when faced with a chal-
lenge—even if it’s only a hot day at the ball game.
As a final step in the interviewing and screening process, refer-

ence checking is effective only if you speak to someone who will can-
didly discuss the person and his or her performance. The references
candidates provide are the names of people who will say nice things
about them. More valuable and unbiased feedback needs to be
sought out. However, given our litigious society and company poli-
cies, this may be difficult to obtain. One way to get around these
obstacles is to call someone who is not listed as a reference (perhaps
the candidate’s former manager) when you know he or she won’t be
in the office. Leave a voicemail to the effect of “We have been inter-
viewing So-and-So. We believe this person is an outstanding candi-
date for the job and has the kind of skills and expertise we’re looking
for. If you think we’re making the right decision, please call me
back.” If you hear from the person, you’ll get the confirmation you’ve
been seeking. If you don’t hear from the person (particularly if you’ve
left similar messages with two or three people about an individual),
you should ask yourself if you’re making a mistake.
When the interview process is over, you must make a decision
based on the input and feedback you’ve received. In addition to indi-
vidual accomplishment, also consider a person’s creativity and curios-
ity, which can lead to innovative solutions and unique approaches.
178 FROM DAY ONE
However, as Professor Georges Doriot used to say, “Always choose an

‘A’ manager with a ‘B’ idea over a ‘B’ manager with an ‘A’ idea. An ‘A’
manager can improve a ‘B’ idea, while almost always a ‘B’ manager
will not deliver on an ‘A’ idea.”
After you’ve made your decision, keep a record of whom you’ve
hired and what your expectations are. This lays the groundwork for
“feedback analysis,” which, according to management guru Peter
Drucker, will help you identify your successful and not-so-successful
hires66 (see the “Forecasting” section in the Appendix, “Your Toolbox
for Success”). Over time, you’ll see how often your expectations have
been realized and how often the actual results fell short of what you
had hoped. Patterns may develop that will be helpful in the future.
For example, do you value technical competence over interpersonal
skills? Are you too easily impressed with how well a person communi-
cates and overlook what he or she has actually accomplished? When
you know your weak spots as an interviewer, you can avoid making
the same mistakes.
Delivering Feedback
To build and maintain your team, you have at your disposal some very
important and highly effective tools. This includes your observations
of how the team is performing and the feedback you can give to indi-
vidual employees. You remember when you were starting your career
how important feedback was to your development. Hopefully, you
are still seeking feedback from your peers, your boss, and even your
direct reports about your own performance.
As uncomfortable as it was for you to solicit and receive feed-
back, now you will experience just how difficult it can be to deliver it.
“Giving feedback is difficult; it’s hard to do well. Giving feedback
constructively and effectively may well be one of the most difficult
skills to master,” observed Frank LaFasto, senior vice president of
organization effectiveness at Cardinal Health.67
One contemporary technique that is gaining popularity is asking

your team members to evaluate their own performance first. That
way, you will have feedback from them on how they believe they are
performing, where they see their strengths, and what they identify as
their development needs. Many times, your direct reports will recog-
nize that they are having a problem with a particular skill or area of
responsibility. This opens the door to a discussion that you may have
been uncomfortable initiating.
As a manager, at times you will have to give negative feedback to
a member of your staff. This can be intimidating, especially the first
few times. This should always be done in private and confidentially.
The best approach is to be specific about the incident and to address
it as quickly as possible. For example, suppose a longtime worker
makes a negative comment in a staff meeting and then walks out
before the meeting is over. Take time to speak with that employee as
soon as possible. Break the ice with a comment such as “At the meet-
ing I saw some good things and some bad things. Do you want my
feedback?”
Begin with some positive or neutral feedback. Some experts sug-
gest that you have at least two positives to note before you get into
the negatives. For example, “Let’s start with the good news first. I
thought the meeting was very productive in the beginning, and I
appreciated your comments. You asked a very insightful question that
moved the discussion along.” Then, without getting defensive or
showing anger, get to the heart of the issue: “Later on, however, I
heard you say, ‘We’re spending too much time on this unimportant
issue’ before you walked out of the meeting. Can you tell me what
was going on so that we can address it?”
Handling issues in this manner will benefit everybody. First, the
employee will feel heard, and you may prevent future outbursts.
Second, you will feel empowered to manage difficult situations in a
positive manner that benefits your team. To be most effective, this
type of feedback should be given immediately, not when it’s time for
180 FROM DAY ONE
the next review in six months or a year. Feedback loses its potency
and relevance the longer you wait.
After you’ve given your feedback, offer the person support for
changing his or her habits. Remember to reinforce the good things
and not just catch the bad behaviors. Your desired ratio as a manager
would be to give feedback on positive behaviors and actions two or
three times more frequently than you point out negative ones that
the employee is trying to change. To further the person’s develop-
ment you may also coach him in a particular area or encourage him to
take a course to develop a skill. These are the demonstrable ways in
which you can show that you are truly committed to your team.
As you deliver feedback to your team, such as part of periodic
performance reviews, keep the perspective that what you’re giving
them is factual, based on observable actions over time. This feedback
is intended to help them grow and develop (see Chapter 7,
“Developing Your Career”).
In addition, as manager, it’s important to break the connection
between feedback and raises. At some companies the link is so
strong, managers use the dreaded phrase “I have to give you this
feedback so you can get your raise.” Every time these words are
uttered, even the most thorough and high-quality feedback is over-
shadowed by their focus on finding out about the raise. While some
managers want to associate performance appraisals with raises to save
time, it’s far better to address these issues separately.
The real world for a manager is filled with challenges that you
may not be prepared for, even if you’re coming from the best gradu-
ate school program. These issues include difficult personnel issues,
such as disciplining an older employee, reining in a high performer
who won’t follow the rules, dealing with a troublemaker, or breaking
the news to an employee who expects to be promoted that he won’t
get the job.
Carefully prepare and rehearse with a trusted advisor or some-

one from HR. Although these practice sessions won’t be the same as
confronting the individual, the more you prepare, the better your
discussion. Keep your comments brief and factual, and deliver
them without strong emotion. Make sure that the person under-
stands the message and what he needs to do. Assure him that you’ll
support him as he commits to a plan of action to modify his behavior
and make positive changes. If the person isn’t open and accepting of
this feedback, be sure to have a backup plan, which may include
punitive steps.
Positive Firing
It’s inevitable for every manager that, sooner or later, you will realize
that someone on your team needs to be let go. Once you have deter-
mined that retaining and reassignment are out of the question, that
you have given the person ample chance to improve to no avail, and
that all the necessary documentation is in place, it’s time to take
action. Before you do anything, however, you must examine your own
attitude. If you believe that getting fired is the worst thing that could
ever happen to a person, the experience will be painful for you and
the employee. If you believe, however, that this is ultimately a posi-
tive step that will help this person find the right job, it will be far eas-
ier for both of you.
Your mind-set is critical to successfully carrying out one of the
most difficult conversations you’ll ever have. Here, rehearsal is even
more important—not just what you will say, but how you will deliver
the message. Deliberately plan when and where you will meet with
the person, preferably at a neutral site. Have HR and other resources
available for follow-on meetings immediately after. Anticipate the
person’s reaction, which could range from disbelief to anger.
182 FROM DAY ONE
In this short conversation, it’s important to stress that this is a

decision, not a discussion. Avoid comments such as “I know how you
feel,” which invites discussion and wanders into inappropriate terri-
tory. The person needs to understand that ample evidence demon-
strates that he or she is not working out in the job. Do not get into a
discussion about changing the decision or giving the person another
chance. The overall tone should be that this is an opportunity for the
person to move on to a job that is a better fit.
The Right Mind-set for the Most Difficult Conversation
“Ed,” a vice president of sales, had come to the realization that

“Sam,” a regional sales manager, needed to be terminated. Despite
a lot of coaching from Ed, Sam still wasn’t performing up to expec-
tations and needed to leave the company.
I did some initial work with Ed on how to proceed with Sam’s ter-
mination, and Ed rehearsed his remarks in role-playing sessions
with human resources.
The day of Sam’s termination, Ed came into my office. “I can’t do
it,” he told me. “I can’t fire the guy. I’m not emotionally prepared.
I’m afraid of what might happen to him. I think you should
fire him.”
“I can’t do that,” I told him. “He works for you.”
We decided to do it together. It was a difficult conversation, but it
went fairly well, and we sent Sam to human resources to find out
about his termination package. “I couldn’t do this without you,” Ed
told me. “But now that I’ve gone through it, I could do the next
one.”
The point of the story is, no matter how much rehearsal you have
or how serious you are about terminating someone, it’s extremely
difficult if you are not in the right frame of mind.
Another challenge in firing is when the person you’re letting go

refuses to believe that it’s really happening. Facing this situation, you
may find your resolve and confidence challenged as the person

openly defies your authority. “Gordon” was very intelligent and capa-
ble of high potential, but his intellectual arrogance got in the way.
Gordon believed he was superior to everyone else, didn’t have to take
direction, and considered himself very well connected to the upper
echelon of management. His performance, however, was under par
because he was following his own agenda rather than the depart-
ment’s priorities.
After going through all the right steps, including discussing the
decision with upper management, his supervisor called Gordon into a
meeting and told him that he was not performing up to the standards
of the department and the company. He would be better off pursuing
an opportunity elsewhere. Gordon became indignant and then bel-
ligerent. He refused to believe that he was being fired. It couldn’t
happen to him! His performance was great! He knew people in high
places.
Gordon was told his termination had been approved by upper
management and that he was, indeed, being fired. It was a challeng-
ing situation, to say the least, but one that carried an important
lesson. Rather than getting defensive and arguing with Gordon, the
immediate supervisor held his ground and his conviction that firing
Gordon was good for the department and good for him. Gordon was
unhappy in his job and would be far better off someplace else.
Creating the Motivated Team

In addition to managing a staff day-to-day, continually developing
and culling internal talent, you may also have the opportunity one day
to pull together a handpicked team for a specific project. While you
will look for individuals with talents, skills, and expertise for the job,
your bigger challenge will be to create a motivated and unified team.
One way to do this is to recognize the importance of their individual
184 FROM DAY ONE
and collective contribution. This will empower your team, helping

them stretch their limits and accomplish things they may not have
thought possible.
Receiving recognition for their efforts and the satisfaction of a
job well done will mean far more than any financial reward they may
receive. Ample empirical evidence shows that psychological rewards
are the best motivators. Compensation ranks behind such factors as
making a contribution, doing meaningful work, and having an oppor-
tunity to grow.
As a manager, you want to demonstrate that you genuinely care
about the individuals on your team and recognize the unique value
each person brings. Furthermore, you want to tailor assignments that
play to their strengths and allow them to maximize the contribution
they can make.
While you want to be seen as a champion for your team, keep in
mind that you will need to maintain a very professional relationship
with them. You can go out with your entire staff for a beer after work
on occasion. However, you should avoid socializing with only a few
people or developing a close friendship with one person on the team.
To be a manager with objectivity who can command respect, keep a
respectful distance.
Still, you should make every effort to get to know your team. One
way to do this is to visit people in their offices, at their desks, and
in their cubicles. Professor Doriot called this “visiting people in
their cages.” When you visit people on their turf, they are apt to be
more at ease than if they are called into your office. Plus, it gives you
a chance to observe what’s on their desks—their photos and memen-
tos—which offers a glimpse into their personal lives and pastimes.
“Visiting people in their cages” also brings a strategic benefit. When
the discussion is over, you can exit gracefully. If someone comes to
your office, it can be more difficult to end the meeting without
appearing rude or abrupt.
Organization as a Tool
As you develop your team, one of the areas you will look at is how
your staff goes about doing their jobs. What tasks and responsibilities
does each person have? Are some people on the team better suited to
specific tasks and not others? Should the tasks and responsibilities be
grouped in a different way? Making organizational changes to rede-
fine jobs and redistribute tasks is a tool to help motivate your team
and to give your staff opportunities to learn new skills and develop
expertise.
Organizational changes, however, require the right balance. If
you make changes too frequently, your team will not have a chance to
settle into their jobs. If you don’t make enough changes, the structure
becomes rigid, and people fall into a rut. The goal is to have an orga-
nization that can adapt to changes in the work environment and per-
form jobs that are continually morphing to accommodate new tasks,
demands, opportunities, and challenges.
As you look at your team, look beyond their current duties and
tasks. Consider what each person longs to do because of a particular
skill, aptitude, or area of interest. It may be something that’s aligned
with an outside interest or hobby. The only way to discover someone’s
dreams is to get to know that person and his or her interests and pas-
sions. Knowing that, you can really get creative about utilizing the
person’s talents and matching him or her to the company’s needs.
An operating manager at a plant in California had already distin-
guished himself as a wonderful supervisor and team leader, but what
made him particularly interesting was his talent for and interest in
mechanical things, which stemmed from his hobby of collecting and
restoring antique trucks. Because of his outside interest, he was
always suggesting ways that equipment could be rebuilt and used for
a second purpose. Management thought about moving him to the
maintenance/engineering department, but he was so valued in the
operations chain of command that they didn’t want to transfer him.
186 FROM DAY ONE
Instead, management added to his regular job the additional respon-

sibilities of equipment design and working with the engineering staff.
That allowed the company to tap the creativity that came from his
hobby while enabling him to continue in a job where he was
valued.
As effective as reorganizing job assignments can be, it is not a
cure-all for personnel problems. At times, no matter how much
reorganization you do, it still doesn’t work. The reason is probably a
“people problem” that can’t be solved by changing jobs around. Only
after the personnel issue is addressed can the reorganization be
effective. In the end, if you have a team of people who understand
their roles, like what they are doing, and respect each other, the orga-
nizational structure becomes secondary—almost to the point of
being meaningless.
As a new manager, you will have many opportunities, with your
boss’s support, to fit your organization to the strategy of your depart-
ment or enterprise. For example, if the priority is to deliver faster
than your competitor, you will probably train and organize your peo-
ple so that any one person can do the whole job. If you are trying to
minimize costs, you would likely train people to have very deep skills
in just one function. While the goal will shape the structure, it still
has to work with the people, individual talents, and personalities
involved.
Rewarding Superstars
As you build and maintain your team, how do you recognize and
reward the real star performers who are making the biggest contribu-
tion and having the greatest impact? Never hesitate to reward a
superstar on your team. After all, you want to make sure that the per-
son is paid fairly, even if it is slightly off the payroll scale. If this
person is truly exceptional, no one else in the organization will take
offense if that person is paid more based on performance.

(Remember, salary is never kept secret for long in any organization.)
People do get upset, however, if someone is paid more than his or her
performance dictates.
While you must ensure an appropriate “return on investment”
for salary and bonuses, don’t be too frugal with the rewards. As
Professor Doriot observed, “Star performers are never expensive,
while mediocre performers are unaffordable.”
His comment underscores why anything you can do to make
even modest improvements in the performance of mediocre team
members will have a significant impact. A small improvement is
leveraged across the team, which will lead to better productivity and
lower labor costs. This is all the more reason for a young manager to
focus his or her energies on mediocre performers, provided they
have the capability and interest in improving.
Keep in mind that compensation can also be used as a motivating
factor in the inverse—when a financial reward is withheld temporar-
ily. This is a highly effective but largely underutilized strategy that
never fails to get someone’s attention, provided that the person
understands why the action is being taken and what he or she can do
to correct it.
The Carrot and the Stick
Brad was one of the greatest talents anyone at the company had
ever seen. A marketing vice president, he was enormously creative
and had great potential. Unfortunately, Brad was also very lazy and
didn’t like to extend himself. He was so good, however, that he
could perform fairly well while working at a fraction of his speed
and potential. The frustration for his manager, however, was imag-
ining what Brad could do if he really set his mind to it.
No amount of coaching seemed to make a difference to Brad. He
had gotten by most of his life operating this way, and as far as he
was concerned, he was doing his job. His manager didn’t want to
188 FROM DAY ONE
give up on Brad, knowing what amazing things he could do if he

worked to his full potential. The manager used a carrot-and-stick
approach to get Brad’s attention and ultimately spark him into
action.
After reviewing Brad’s performance, his manager explained that
he would receive no salary increase. His pay wouldn’t be cut,
but neither would it be raised. Brad was angry and upset at first
(and so was his wife, who for months afterward gave the manager
the cold-shoulder at company social gatherings). In the past, Brad
had been paid well because he was evaluated on the basis of his
potential, not his performance. The zero pay increase got his
attention. The manager carefully explained that if Brad wanted to
increase his compensation, he had to change his work habits.
Only then did Brad’s performance change, to the point that he
became a real star. As such, he was well rewarded. While the les-
son was painful in the short term, it served Brad well over the
years as he continued to operate at a high level.
Your team may not be the ideal mix of high performers, innova-
tive thinkers, and creative geniuses that you would like. Most likely
they will range from the mediocre to those who have potential and,
occasionally, the exceptional. Over time, your team will change.
Some people will leave, on their own or because they are not a good
fit. New members will join the team, some of whom will be good
hires and some who will be disappointing. And a few may develop
and grow, becoming star performers over time.
Instead of being discouraged by the ever-changing mix of people
and talents, managers should appreciate the benefit of even one or
two team members improving. In a realistic corporate environment,
a little improvement goes a long way. Managers who strive to develop
their teams while honing their own skills will distinguish themselves
for making a measurable and meaningful difference.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Find and develop the talent on the team

you inherit.
➤ Beware the superstar from the outside.
➤ Be very selective when recruiting “your” people,

and never hire friends.
➤ Distinguish yourself by being a skilled interviewer.
➤ Adopt a positive mind-set for delivering feedback.
➤ Diversity is not only good business, but makes for

an effective team.
PART V:
SUCCESS HABITS FOR
A LIFETIME
Chapter 10 The Successful Life 193
Appendix Your Toolbox for Success 211
191
10
THE SUCCESSFUL LIFE
“We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then is not
an act but a habit.”
—Aristotle
You are valued for your contribution and were promoted on the basis
of your accomplishments. You’ve gone from team member to team
leader. Your sights are set on the next level or the one after that, and
maybe the executive suite someday. In other words, you feel as if
you’ve made it.
Does that mean you can stop learning, growing, and developing?
Hardly. Lessons to be learned can be found at every stage, from Day
One to retirement and beyond. Many of those lessons have very little
to do with your career per se but have a major impact on your suc-
cess. Those lessons have to do with how well you achieve balance—
between your personal life and your professional life, between what
you do and who you are. The more balance you have, the better you
can reevaluate circumstances, seize opportunities that arise, and
recover from the setbacks you didn’t foresee.
Throughout your career, you will find that certain skills, habits,
attitudes, and behaviors have been helpful to you in the past. You will
193
194 FROM DAY ONE
identify areas that you need to develop and practice more. Some will
be on the edge of your radar screen but not fully in focus yet.
You may find someday (or perhaps you’ve already experienced it)
that you are not 100 percent happy in your current career or job
choice. Perhaps you were attracted by a job’s financial rewards with-
out giving adequate thought to what the work demands would be. Or
maybe you’re working in an area that, honestly, doesn’t interest you
or spark your enthusiasm.
“I encounter so many recent graduates who are quite unhappy in
their first or second jobs because they’re doing what somebody else
wants them to do. Maybe it was for reasons of job status. They have
an appointment with a large law firm or consulting group, and the
money is good, but the work is frustrating and dissatisfying,” com-
mented William G. Bowen, president of The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation and former president of Princeton University. “The
question then becomes, how do you get restarted because what you
are doing doesn’t give you enough satisfaction. If you don’t have
that satisfaction, whether it’s from your paying job or volunteer work,
then every day is going to be a long day—and it’s not going to be a
good day.”68
The good news is that any day can be “Day One” when you
recommit to your goals and vision. Throughout your career you will
have many “Day Ones,” some externally driven by new jobs, promo-
tions, and career changes, and some internally sparked because of a
recommitment to your personal goals. You may even have a “Day
One” because of changes in your personal life and the corresponding
change in your professional life as well.
Life, after all, is not linear. It is a series of surprises, disappoint-
ments, opportunities, deadends, U-turns, and unplanned excursions
down paths that bring tremendous satisfaction. So how can you plan
for a life like that? The answer is, you can’t. It’s fine to have objectives
and goals that lead you forward, as long as you understand that cir-
cumstances will change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for
CHAPTER 10 • THE SUCCESSFUL LIFE 195
the worse. Keeping an open mind as well as a healthy, balanced life

will help you cope with the unexpected and take advantage of the for-
tuitous.
“While you should be thinking ahead—where step A leads you to
step B and so forth—it’s awfully important not to overplan,” Bill
Bowen added. “You can’t think that you can control things that you
can’t control. As a wise friend of mine says, ‘Life is what happens
when you are planning something else.’ It’s important to be open to
new things, perhaps changes in perceptions or new opportunities,
and not to stay with some plan that you developed in the absence of
such information. You should have a plan, but it should always be
subject to revision.”69
“Investing” in a Dream
Herman Cain’s background in mathematics and computers,

including an advanced degree from Purdue University (see
Chapter 6, “Is Graduate School Right for You?”), had set him on
an upward career path. He eventually became vice president of
technology for The Pillsbury Company—an executive post he
achieved at the early age of 34.
“I was managing 200 people and a $100 million budget. Then I
realized after completing some major assignments that the joy just
wasn’t there. I wasn’t happy,” Herman recalled. “I had reached the
point where I was making good money. I had security, stock
options, and the like, but I was not happy. After much assessment
and soul-searching, I discovered that I wanted to run a business. I
wanted to be the head of a business.”
Herman’s management experience did afford him an opportunity
to switch gears, out of technology and into the consumer side. But
first, he would have to take a dramatic step down in both compen-
sation and prestige to join the lower ranks of the Burger King
organization, which at the time was owned by Pillsbury, and learn
the ropes of a new business. Eventually, he worked his way up
again, becoming a vice president and general manager for Burger
196 FROM DAY ONE
King. He was put in charge of 400 restaurants in the Philadelphia

area that were, at the time, among the worst-performing units in
the chain. Three-and-a-half years later, they were among the best.
“It was a risk. But I couldn’t get to where I wanted to go unless I
moved myself down in terms of compensation and status. But
that’s what I did,” he added.70
Taking a chance, Herman left the area that had distinguished him
as a success to follow his dream. For him, it was a new “Day One”
of his own making.
You may find that to follow your dream, you have to take a step
back before you can leap forward in another direction. It takes
courage and confidence to make this move, but the payoff in your
long-term happiness and success is worth it.
The Sources of Your Success

As you move along your career path, keep in mind that your job isn’t
the only source of your success and satisfaction. When you read those
words, do you really believe them? Or do you think that, for you, the
directional arrow points one way: up? Even if you’re a high achiever,
know that a job title and salary alone won’t bring you satisfaction—
not for the longterm, anyway.
Having enjoyed a successful corporate career, and now in the
midst of a post-retirement career as a professor, I can tell you that
true success is the result of having a balanced life. Only you can
decide what makes up that balance in your life. It may be career and
family. It may be career, friends, and outside interests. It may even
include a spiritual practice. Whatever provides you with greater bal-
ance will enhance your life and help you achieve more satisfying and
longer-lasting success. If all your satisfaction is derived from one
place—your career—you may very well find that your life is out of
balance. Moreover, a major disappointment in your professional life
can be devastating, and all because you don’t derive enough pleasure
and satisfaction from other areas of your life. However, if you are
fully engaged in several different areas of your life, if you experience
a disappointment in one, you have the others to fall back on.
“What I have come to believe very much is that it’s a matter of
encouraging each individual to march to the tune of his or her own
drummer,” Bill Bowen added. “Here’s an example from my current
situation. I am an incorrigible seven-day-a-week worker. I enjoy what
I do. I am very privileged that there is no line between work and play
for me. However, I have a wonderful young colleague who is
extremely able and talented, who has a young family and strong inter-
ests in his church and community. So I’ve gone to great pains to
explain to him not to work my schedule, but rather to work the
schedule that suits him and his family. That is a crucial point, because
there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You need to find the balance that
works for you based on your life, your age, your family responsibili-
ties, and your interests. You can’t be mechanical about it, because
there isn’t one formula.”71
For Andrea Jung, chairman of Avon Products and the mother of
two, balance is not accomplished day by day, but rather over time.
“You can’t have it all in a day,” she reflected. “There are absolutely
days that Avon loses, and there are absolutely days that my children
lose. But it’s never on the most important days for Avon or on the
most important days for my children. I will always be at the most
important meeting for Avon and at the most important recital or
game for my children. You can’t do it 10 days out of 10. You do it 6
out of 10—but make sure that it’s the right 6.”
Whether you’re striking the balance between work and family, a
personal life, or an outside interest, it’s all about making the right
choices for the quality of your life. “That is the glass being half full,”
Andrea continued. “Yes, there will be things that you will miss. But at
the end of the day, it becomes a freedom, knowing that I don’t have
to do 10 out of 10.”72
198 FROM DAY ONE
While a diversified life requires a balancing act, it does make you

a more interesting person whom others will want to get to know.
Some of the most boring people you’ll ever meet are workaholics
who can only talk about what they do. If you feel like you run the risk
of having a one-dimensional life in which you derive all your joy and
satisfaction from one source—be it your job, your marriage, your
hobby—take note. A little balance goes a long way, helping to allevi-
ate stress and provide you with a different perspective that can even
make you more effective in your life and work. With balance also
comes the opportunity to enjoy long-term, enduring success in many
areas of your life.
Nell Minow leads a diversified life, wearing two distinctly differ-
ent hats: as editor of The Corporate Library, an independent
research firm providing corporate governance data, and as a movie
critic for Yahoo.com. An attorney by training who spent many years
working in government, Nell says her two jobs are “actually one
vocation.”
“They are both just different kinds of systems analysis. Even
before I had these two jobs, when I was in government, I was looking
at regulatory programs—when they work and when they don’t. I have
always been interested in why things didn’t work,” Nell commented.
Both her jobs, she’s quick to add, also met the three criteria that
have governed her life and career for more than 20 years, ensuring
that she kept a vitally important balance between work and her per-
sonal life.
“The first thing for me, which was absolutely nonnegotiable, was
that I work no more than three days a week. If I did not do that, I
could not have a happy family,” explained Nell, now the mother of
two college-age children. The second consideration, she said, was “to
learn something new all the time. I like to multitask.” Third, “I had to
feel like I was on the side of the good guys. I need to help make the
world a better place. So I needed to have fun and work at something
that makes a difference.”
In addition to her two busy careers, Nell has been very active as a
volunteer in various community organizations, which she calls “indis-
pensable” at any stage of life. “If you don’t do that (volunteer work),
you don’t have a full life,” she observed. “I think you should do a
range of things, some that is very community-oriented; I did Cub
Scouts and Girl Scouts. Later, consider some volunteer work that has
a broader reach. I think that’s crucial.” If you’re still in college or just
launching your career, volunteering and doing “good works” may be
something you envision doing later, after you’ve established your
career. Who knows! Maybe you think you won’t do that until you
retire. Right now you are just too busy to do anything beyond your
job. The problem, however, is that if you aren’t careful, your work life
can absorb you to the exclusion of everything else. That won’t make
you more successful; in fact, it could work against you. Having mean-
ingful outside interests will make your life more balanced and will
give you a richer context and a break from the nose-to-the-grindstone
routine of work.
“Deciding to do volunteer work later? That’s baloney. You have to
do it all the time. That was a lesson I learned from my parents, who
were extremely busy people, and yet who were involved in every
good civic work in Chicago—and we still had dinner together every
night. I could see that it was their volunteer work that made their
eyes light up. They set a good example,” Nell said.73
The value of volunteer work extends beyond just doing “good
work” to knowing that you have really made a difference to your
community, an organization, or a cause that you feel very strongly
about. This can lead to enormous satisfaction, helping to balance the
disappointments that you may face in your professional life, and
amplifying the success you reap over the long run in your career.
Success, like happiness, does not come from a single source. Rather,
enduring success comes from a life well lived.
200 FROM DAY ONE
Enduring Success
Laura Nash, a senior research fellow, and Howard Stevenson, the
Sarofim-Rock Professor of Business Administration at Harvard
Business School, researched the components of what they called
“real, enduring success,” which they defined as “rewards that are sus-
tainable for you and those you care about.” Through interviews and
observations, Nash and Stevenson concluded that success is “more
than a heart-pounding race to the finish line.”
“Our research uncovered four irreducible components of endur-
ing success: happiness (feelings of pleasure or contentment about
your life); achievement (accomplishments that compare favorably
against similar goals others have strived for); significance (the sense
that you’ve made a positive impact on people you care about); and
legacy (a way to establish your values or accomplishments so as to
help others find future success),” they wrote.74
Of these four components of success, happiness and achievement
are the ones that draw most people, especially early in their careers.
They want to be happy (who doesn’t, after all?), and they want to
achieve their goals and reap rewards. These are normal and healthy
motivations. But they are not the only definitions of success, even for
the young professional. The other two components—significance and
legacy—are important at any age or stage of your career.
Significance can be defined as the ability to make a difference to
those around you. In your work life, you may achieve this by being a
team player who genuinely cares about others, or as a manager who
truly wants to challenge and develop the people on his or her team.
In the thick of things, however, it is so easy to get caught up in the
process of running a business. With project deadlines, production
schedules, goals, and initiatives, your job can consume your attention.
The need to stay focused on what is happening now may keep you
from stepping back and thinking about the proverbial big picture.
Nonetheless, if you only think about getting the job done—even
doing the job well—you have missed the chance for significance.
Production quotas, quality control standards, project deadlines, and

so forth are vitally important, and they may be the measure of your
productivity. They are not, however, the source of your significance.
That is reserved for the people you help, influence, and inspire along
the way.
The fourth component of legacy may seem like a topic that’s best
left for your retirement. It may seem difficult or even absurd for a
young professional to contemplate the legacy that he or she will leave
behind. It’s never too early, however, to consider the legacy that you
build day by day. Throughout your career, you will also benefit from
the legacy that others have left behind for you. It may be a person
you’ve admired, or a lesson that someone took the time to teach you.
It may be an experience as a young professional that you carry with
you the rest of your life. It may be something so profound that, many
years later, it continues to have an impact.
A Legacy of Being Nice
One of the people who exemplified the power of one’s legacy for
me over the years was Ron Burton. I first met Ron when we were
undergraduates together. He was also a consensus All-American
football player and was the first draft choice of the newly estab-
lished Boston Patriots professional football team. After graduation
he went on to have an unbelievable career at John Hancock, first
as an outstanding sales executive and later as a motivational
speaker addressing young people on the dangers of drinking,
smoking, and doing drugs and the importance of family. Ron and I
remained close friends over the years until his death from cancer
in the fall of 2003.
Ron talked about life and what’s important. He underscored the
concepts of treating everyone equally and serving the greater
good. I can tell you from experience that Ron lived those princi-
ples. He had a simple catchphrase that he would share with stu-
dents in guest lectures. He’d say, “People like nice people. Others
will migrate toward a nice person.”
202 FROM DAY ONE
The students would always question him: How can you be nice to
everyone? Don’t they take advantage of you?
Ron’s reply: “Only once.” If someone tried to take advantage of him,
he had no feeling of retaliation, no need to get revenge. Rather, he
could recognize the problem and its source: the other person.
Ron’s message continues to have an impact to this day, with the
people he touched, the way he conducted himself, and the stories
he shared. His legacy lives on with the Ron Burton Training
Village, a 300-acre camp outside Boston, Mass. Its mission is to
build self-esteem, self-reliance, respect for others, and racial
harmony through athletic and educational activities for middle
and high school-age boys from inner-city neighborhoods in
Massachusetts and other states nationwide. Because of his per-
sonal commitment, Ron left an indelible positive mark on the lives
of underprivileged youths, many of whom went on to have suc-
cessful careers of their own.
Your actions, decisions, and interactions with others will compose

the legacy you leave behind. With forethought and purpose, you can
ensure that your legacy from Day One reflects your commitment to
do your best for the organization and for others who work with you
and for you. This is a long-term investment in others that will pay
rewards to you over time. Even if you leave an organization, the
impact you leave behind is the legacy that lives on. If an organization
can operate better because you were there, you have made a power-
ful impact. Others’ legacy to you is the lasting influence they have on
your life.
“Smile More Than Anyone Else”
Thomas O. Ryder is a success by anyone’s standards. Chairman and

chief executive officer of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., Tom
attributes his success to three simple statements, which he calls
“Ryder’s Rules for Guaranteed Success.” (See Chapter 7, “Develop-

ing Your Career.”)
In addition to the first two rules, “Work harder than anybody
else” and “Do the dirty jobs no one else wants to do,” Tom’s third rule
is “Smile more than anybody else.” Tom learned that lesson many
years ago from a man named Shorty Morris, who worked with him on
the Missouri Pacific Railroad back when Tom was entering college.
“Our job was tearing up concrete with jackhammers. It was an
eight-hour job,” Tom recalls. “I was playing football at the time and
was in good condition. Shorty was 62 or 63 years old. When I came
on the job, I lasted about 30 minutes before I had to take a breather.
Shorty was the kind of guy who didn’t stop, and he smiled all through
the job.”
Working with Shorty that summer before going off to college,
Tom learned the value of hard work, setting and keeping commit-
ments, and smiling all the while. “Shorty used to say, ‘If you take a
man’s money, you give him a day of work.’ He would never cheat on
the breaks. It was a 15-minute break and then back with the ham-
mer,” Tom explained. “This was a guy who worked all his life for min-
imum wage, and he had an impeccable ethical sense about his
work.”75
That was the legacy Shorty Morris left for young Tom Ryder, who
never forgot the lesson and applied it throughout his career.
Early Lessons from a First Mentor
The legacy you reap from others may also be the result of someone
taking the time to mentor you. That was the experience of Frank
LaFasto, who today is senior vice president of organizational effec-
tiveness for Cardinal Health. Back in the late 1970s, when Frank was
on the second day of his job at American Hospital Supply (which was
204 FROM DAY ONE
later bought by Baxter Healthcare), he met one of the top executives.

He was, as Frank recalled, “my boss’s boss’s boss!”
Frank walked up and introduced himself. “Please call me Brien,”
the executive said, and eagerly engaged Frank in conversation. “I told
him that I was new with the corporation and wanted to know if he
had any suggestions of how I could best make a contribution,” Frank
recalled.
The executive’s advice was to find a drugstore nearby, stand by
the entrance, and hold the door open for 10 people. “He told me, ‘I’d
like you to observe a couple of things: how many people say thank
you and how many don’t. Then observe the people themselves. What
do you notice about those who say thank you and those who don’t?’
When I finished this assignment, he told me to call him,” Frank
explained.
Frank did as Brien suggested then called him. “I told him that six
said thank you and four did not,” Frank continued. “Those who said
thank you seemed to be smiling. They were better groomed, and
they didn’t appear to be preoccupied with themselves. Those who
didn’t were more rough around the edges and seemed a little into
themselves.”
Asked about how he felt about the ones who said thank you,
Frank said that he obviously felt better about those who did.
Then Brien gave him advice that Frank took to heart: “He told
me, ‘Whatever you decide to do, I want you to remember the two
most important words in the world—thank you. People who know
those two words go further.’ That was a piece of feedback about
what I could do to make a contribution that made an indelible
impression on me. I can tell you that I’ve raised five children, and
I’ve taught them that lesson. It’s made a difference in how I approach
humanity.”76
Doing Things Right
The legacies that others leave for you may not seem like such a big
deal at the time, but upon reflection you realize their impact.
That’s certainly the case with my job at the gas station when I was
about 16. My family wasn’t wealthy, so I was always looking for a
part-time job while I was in high school. When I was hired at the
gas station, my job was pumping gas (there was no self-serve in
those days), checking the oil, and washing the windshield. My boss
was a fanatic when it came to windshields. After I would wash a
customer’s windshield, he would come out and inspect it with his
eyes right up against the glass.
“It’s not clean,” he’d tell me, even though it looked awfully clean to
me. But the windshield had tiny specks that were only visible close
up. “If you’re going to do a job, do it right.”
I had heard that advice before, but this time I really took it to
heart. From then on, my goal was to do a job to the very best of my
ability and make sure the final product was as good as it could be.
Sometimes that really impressed a customer. When 16-year-old
Jane Schulte drove up to the station in her parents’ car and said,
“Fill it up!,” I put the gas pump in for 30 seconds before gas
started squirting out.
“I don’t think you need any gas,” I told her. The gas tank was full
when she came in. I washed the windshield, and I did an excellent
job, if I say so myself. Jane must have been impressed. We’ve been
married 45 years.
“Help Your Rivals”
Don’t overlook the value of lessons you’ll gain in your day-to-day

interactions with your peers. Even a competitor vying for the same
promotion can teach you about true leadership and healthy competi-
tion. One of the lessons that Tom Ryder learned through the course
of his career was “help your rivals.” Although it seems counterintu-
itive, this lesson increased his contribution both inside and outside
206 FROM DAY ONE
the company. In his early 20s, Tom and another young professional
named Fred were rivals for their mentor’s attention and for the next
job. They were pitted against each other to goad them into better
performance. Tom, however, wasn’t comfortable with the dynamic
and decided to do something radically different.
“I decided that if I helped Fred, the rivalry could not exist. I bent
over backwards to help him achieve things that were part of our com-
mon goals. It changed the relationship,” Tom recalled. “What had
been a rivalry became an intense friendship. Let me tell you, that was
one of the best organizations that I ever worked in. There is a team of
people who still have an annual reunion every year—that’s how close
we were.”77
As you build your legacy, be conscious of the things of which you
are the most proud. It may be the project that was on time and under
budget, or the initiative that you championed from concept to com-
pletion. Or it may be the potential “star” you spotted on your team
whom you coached and developed, who later went on to a high-level
position in the organization.
In your life and career, the people you influence and those who
leave a lasting impact on you should be many and varied. They
should be like flowers in a garden, perennials that bloom and grow
year after year, each beautiful and unique in its own way.
Disappointments and Missed

Opportunities
As much as you’d like to focus on your achievements and accomplish-
ments, you will have your share of disappointments, setbacks, and
missed opportunities. With the passage of time, you may find your-
self lamenting the missed opportunities, the bad decisions, and the
wrong turns you’ve made along the way. No one is exempt from these
feelings. If you—or someone else—can learn something from your
mistakes, even if they had disastrous consequences, it’s not a total

loss.
Know that you can only make decisions based on the knowledge
and perspective you have at the time. If you turn down something
that ends up being a big winner, well, that’s life. Know what your rea-
sons were and why you made that decision at the time. If nothing
else, you’ll have a good story to tell.
Opportunities Missed?
One day, I received a phone call from a friend with a clothing com-
pany in Baltimore. Given my background, there was someone he
wanted me to meet.
“I have this acquaintance,” he told me, “a young designer, about
your age, who has great taste and a sense of style. But he doesn’t
have your expertise in operations. He and his uncle are starting a
business in Brooklyn, and I think you two could be a good match.”
He gave me Ralph Lipschitz’s phone number, and I called him.
We conversed at length. I learned more about his operation, which
was really a family business. Ralph and I talked for a while, and it
seemed like an intriguing idea. But by this time, I had four young
kids. I didn’t want to uproot them and move them to Brooklyn to
work at a clothing startup with Ralph.
His business, I should mention, was called Polo.
I turned down Ralph Lipschitz, later known as Ralph Lauren. He
was a very nice guy with whom I could have easily worked. I just
didn’t think that decision was the best for my life at the time. Did I
throw away a valuable opportunity? In hindsight it sure seems like
it, but at the time I made the decision based on my career, my life,
and my family.
When you are faced with personal and professional setbacks, look
for the big picture in terms of long-term, broad-based goals. Short-
term, specific goals are pretty meaningless, because circumstances
208 FROM DAY ONE
are always changing. Focusing on them can mean one disappoint-

ment after another. But if you have a vision of where you want to be,
which is less specific about the steps along the way, you have a
greater chance to achieve what you set out to accomplish.
While it’s easy to become absorbed in the tasks at hand and the
responsibilities you shoulder, you can gain the necessary psychologi-
cal or spiritual perspective only by taking a step back and away from
work. Nell Minow recalled that, while she and her husband were law
students at the University of Chicago, they decided to “play hooky” to
enjoy a beautiful spring day. Upon returning to campus, they ran into
a classmate, one of the top students, who was coming out of the
library, where he had spent the entire day. “When we told him what
we had done, he said, ‘There will be beautiful days when I become a
partner.’ That was so sad. If you believe that, then you give away part
of your soul,” she commented.
“You have to be a complete person, to make space for friends and
family and volunteer activities, for going to the theater and to con-
certs. In addition to fulfilling your life, they will make you better at
what your job is,” Nell added. “There is a terrible trap out there
about working long hours. The truth is, most people manage their
time very badly and they are not that effective. If you are working
seven days a week, you’re not an effective worker or a complete
person.”78
Disappointments can also have their own positive payback, in
ways that you may not have initially anticipated. It may be that, in
taking a risk to try something that did not work out as you planned,
you gained insight into yourself.
Herman Cain—successful businessman, author, and motivational
speaker—was encouraged to seek public office, and he became a
candidate for the U.S. Senate from Georgia. He had already proven
himself to be unafraid of taking risks, such as when he made a dra-
matic career change at age 34. Running for the Senate, he was willing
to take a risk again. While he was not ultimately victorious, his first
foray into politics was hardly a failure, as Herman sees it. “That race
has become a springboard to things I never considered before. Other
opportunities have come about that are just as important as having
won the race,” he observed.79
He is now in a position to consider those opportunities because
he was willing to take a risk and embrace another Day One at an age
when many successful executives would be glad to rest on their lau-
rels and retire quietly.
Giving Back
At some point in your career, you will need to consider your obliga-
tion to give back. This will be part of your legacy as well. You can
accomplish this in small ways, such as mentoring a new colleague, or
in big ways, such as becoming actively involved in community work
or a charity.
For you too, every time you recommit to your personal and pro-
fessional path, every time you revisit your priorities and evaluate the
contribution you are making, it is a new Day One.
SUCCESS SECRETS
➤ Genuine success is enduring.
➤ A balanced life cushions the inevitable disappoint-

ments and amplifies your accomplishments.
➤ Be conscious of the legacy you build From

Day One.
Appendix
YOUR TOOLBOX FOR
SUCCESS
Do you wonder how or why people get ahead? Why are they chosen
for schools, picked for clubs, drafted onto teams, or put into business
leadership positions? Have you noticed that often it’s not the smartest
person or the one who has accomplished the most who succeeds?
What, then, is the secret to this success? Is it networking?
Personal work ethic? Emotional intelligence? I believe it’s a combi-
nation of these factors, plus a few more of what I call the
Fundamental Habits for Success. These qualities and skills are
derived from abilities and habits you already have—reading, writing,
speaking, listening—and they complement others you have devel-
oped, such as understanding other people’s emotions and controlling
your own. Combined, these skills and behaviors are important tools
to use from Day One and throughout your career.
At the core of these skills are the Fundamental Habits for
Success. As you read the following list, you’ll see that none seems
revolutionary. You’ve been listening and speaking since long before
211
212 FROM DAY ONE
you could tie your shoes! These basic human skills, however, can be
elevated to an art form. This will improve your retention of what is
being said, increase your understanding of what is truly important
and germane to the situation, and allow you to speak in such a way as
to command respect.
Fundamental Habits for Success

• Reading: Broad-based and eclectic, including things you don’t
agree with
• Writing: Logically, emotionally, naturally
• Speaking: Confidently, with integrity
• Listening: Segmenting your brain to keep engaged; asking

“therapist questions”
• Prioritizing: Implementing time-management strategies
• Estimating: Employing practical discernment
• Forecasting: Making predictions and gauging impacts
Reading: You Are What You Read
Successful people read very widely. They are very eclectic readers
with interests that span a great many fields. Among their reading
materials, however, are a few common elements. For one, they read
the best newspaper in the country, wherever they happen to be living
and working. In the United States, the best newspaper, I believe, is
the New York Times, because the vast majority of the material in the
Times is original reporting. Only a small percentage of the content
has been picked up from wire service reports or other sources. This
isn’t true of many other large and respected newspapers.
APPENDIX • YOUR TOOLBOX FOR SUCCESS 213
The second thing on your reading list should be the largest circu-
lation newspaper in your city. This is essential for any manager for
the simple reason that this is the newspaper that people working for
you are reading. If you want to know what affects their lives, what
interests them, and what they are thinking about, read the local
newspaper.
Third, read things you don’t agree with. While you can’t do this as
a steady diet, it is important to expand your mind and your point of
view by purposefully reading articles, columns, and editorials that are
of the opinion opposite of yours. For example, if you’re in business,
read the union newspaper. Approach it with an open mind and a will-
ingness to understand opposing viewpoints and how they are pre-
sented.
At this point, you may be saying to, “I don’t have time to read all
that!” So here’s the answer: If you can’t read everything in the paper,
just read the front page. Newspapers employ very accomplished and
well-paid editors who decide what goes on the front page. You can
trust their judgment to keep you informed.
Clipping goes hand-in-hand with reading. When you come across
an article you think someone else would like, or that you will proba-
bly find useful in the future, clip it. (If you read newspapers and mag-
azines online, the same ideas apply. Printouts, emails to yourself or
others, and electronic bookmarks will help you build your own files.)
What happens when you come across an article you think
your boss would like? Do you just send a note that says, “Here’s an
article about that technology/concept/idea/whatever you discussed
yesterday.”? Or do you say something like, “Thought you might find
this interesting.” Or do you use one of those standard “For Your
Information” notes? Take a second look at these possibilities. These
comments may look innocuous, but your boss could perceive them as
presumptuous on your part and maybe even a little condescending.
So what should you do—forego the clipping altogether?
214 FROM DAY ONE
My mentor, Professor Doriot, made a simple suggestion: Attach a

note that says “In case you missed this.” That’s it. Write it. Email it.
Attach it. The words “in case you missed this” assume that the recipi-
ent is knowledgeable and well-read, and you appear to be thoughtful
and helpful. No one could be offended by that, and you won’t appear
foolish, no matter who gets the note.
Writing: The Power of the Written Word
When you are a manager, you will probably get monthly reports from
your direct reports. With a stack of eight or nine of these reports to
go through, which would you read first? The one that discussed the
most pressing problems at the company? The shortest? The longest?
The top choice is often the best-written, for two reasons: First, you
can get through them right away and be left with the feeling that the
manager of that particular unit or division is doing a good job of deal-
ing with the situation at hand. Second, well-written reports are inter-
esting and inherently logical, making them easy to follow.
Too often people in the business world think that volume
impresses people. They think that if they write a 20-page report,
they’ll look smarter and more impressive than if they write only five
pages. But it depends. Does it really take 20 pages to explain all your
points? I doubt it. Procter & Gamble used to have a one-page rule.
All proposals, notes, and other communiqués had to be kept to one
page.
Don’t confuse brevity with speed. Often it takes a lot longer to
write a succinct report than it does a long, rambling one. It may be
harder to write succinctly, but it’s certainly easier on the reader. In
the wise words of President Harry S Truman, “Never use two words
when one will do best.”80
Business reports can be humorous, but you have to be careful

about not making light of the wrong subject. Don’t be afraid of
putting emotion into them; let the reader know you care about the
topic. The best thing you can do when you write is to have it sound
like you talk—flowing, conversational, engaging.
In your business emails, you can no longer write with the same
offhanded style and shorthand that you used with your friends and
classmates. Using B/C and little smiley faces is probably not appro-
priate for a business email. Think of style and protocol before you
start typing. Also keep in mind that it’s very easy, in a two-line email,
to come across as arrogant, demanding, or smart-alecky. After you
write an email, take a moment to read it one more time before click-
ing Send, because once it’s gone, you can’t get it back! Plus, it could
be forwarded to many more people.
One more note about writing. Handwritten notes make an
impact. Yes, it is far easier to dash off a quick email or to click Reply
and toss a few lines to someone. But does that really make an impact?
Are you really making the person feel special? To show others that
they matter, send a handwritten note on good stationery, preferably
monogrammed. Amy Vanderbilt, the doyenne of etiquette, used to
call these thank-you notes “bread and butter letters,” one of the
basics of good manners.81
If you are wondering when you might employ this bread-and-
butter letter strategy, consider it when you are interviewing for a job.
The conventional means is to respond via email to thank the inter-
viewer for taking the time to meet with you and to express your inter-
est in the job. I suggest that you take that standard reply to a higher
level by sending a handwritten note on good stationery. While this
may seem old-fashioned, handwritten notes are so “out” that they’re
“in.” Interviewers will be pleasantly surprised by your effort and will
remember you.
216 FROM DAY ONE
Speaking: Mastering the Spoken Word
Become comfortable with speaking in public. Take a public-speaking

course. Toastmasters is inexpensive and relatively painless, and you
can find one almost anywhere. Do what you have to do to become
more at ease speaking in front of a group. Learn to speak well, with
emotion and persuasion.
In informal speaking, it’s important to know when to speak and
when not to. For those starting out in business, this can be a very
tricky judgment call. Not wanting to say something inappropriate,
you say nothing at all. Not wanting to be overlooked, you speak up
freely. How do you know what to do? My best advice is to observe
what’s going on around you. Pick up the tone and undercurrents of
the business meeting. If someone else speaks out in what appears to
be an argumentative tone, and you can see a negative reaction
from others, file it away for yourself. That’s not how you want to par-
ticipate. However, if a free-flowing discussion is under way, and
people who speak out with emotion and conviction are heard and
respected—even if they voice a contrary view—note that too.
In the business world, each of us has a certain number of “chips”
or credits, if you will, that allow us to make a mistake or speak out of
turn and be indulged or forgiven. Your supply of chips, however, is
not inexhaustible, although they do regenerate with time. Knowing
that, you should be more confident about speaking out when you feel
strongly. If the discussion is going off on a wrong tangent, away from
the critical main point, and you feel absolutely confident that you are
right, speak up and say so. But don’t make a habit of it, or you may
find that you won’t be invited to the next meeting, or people will
begin to question whether you are a good fit with the organization.
You may even question it yourself.
If you are having the feeling too frequently that things are going
in the wrong direction, perhaps you are in the wrong organization. If
this is the case, you’ll have to plan your transition to doing something
else. The organization’s values will not change.
The one area in which you must always speak up is ethics. If an

ethical issue comes up, and you are taken aback by the tone of the
discussion or the decisions that are being talked about or made, you
should stand up and say something like “I don’t like where this dis-
cussion is going.” Then leave the room. If you are uncomfortable
with such a bold public statement, just make a fuss when you get up
and leave. Whatever you do, a visible exit will get your point across.
Even if it costs you your next promotion, or you lose your job, you
cannot sit silently in the face of a serious breach of ethics. Otherwise,
you can never see yourself (or be seen by others) as an ethical person.
That’s one compromise you can never make.
Another key point is asking questions. In general, your goal
should be to ask open-ended questions that invite explanation and
discussion rather than closed questions that can be answered with a
quick “yes” or “no.” When asking open-ended questions, you must be
mindful of two important factors: the content and the emotion. The
content is what you are looking to ascertain, and the emotion reveals
your motivation. For example, if you are double-checking some-
thing—the expected deadline, some fact that was mentioned earlier,
and so forth—your question should be without emotion.
A good strategy is to phrase a question in such a way that the
other person does not feel challenged at all, but rather is invited to
give feedback. For example, let’s say you want to get an update on an
ongoing project. Rather than asking, “Is the project on time?”—even
if you suspect that it won’t meet the deadline—try a more subtle
approach. “Were you pleased with the results of this phase of the pro-
ject?” Phrasing the question this way assumes that the project is on
schedule. If it is, the other person has been invited to discuss the pre-
liminary findings or give an update on what’s happening thus far. If
the project is behind schedule, the respondent may be embarrassed
but clearly will get the message.
On the other hand, let’s say you want to find out if someone is
truly committed—emotionally as well as financially—to completing a
218 FROM DAY ONE
project. Sensing that the person’s commitment is weak or wavering,

you might take a reverse tactic with a question such as “How would
you feel if we just canceled the project right now?” Using this reverse
questioning, you will soon find out if that person is willing to stand up
and fight for the project. One way or another, you’ll know if the pro-
ject is likely to proceed or be canceled, without directly calling into
question the person’s commitment to it.
The art of asking questions is developed with practice, not only
by doing but also by observing. As others ask questions, look for the
feedback that goes beyond the answer that’s given. For example, does
the person act defensive? Is the question answered thoroughly or
brushed off? What’s important, though, is to recognize that feedback
and interpret it. Even if this doesn’t come naturally to you, it is a
habit that can be developed.
When it comes to asking questions and being part of a group dis-
cussion, don’t underestimate the impact of silence. Listen. Observe.
Absorb.
A final note on speaking: beware if you have fallen into the trap
of college-speak. It’s essential that, as a new professional, you use ter-
minology that’s generally accepted in your new organization. Avoid
“awesome” and know that the word “like” is used to describe some-
thing, not as an extra adjective that can be thrown in at random.
Listening: A (Nearly) Lost Art
Listening is not a passive endeavor. It requires discipline and the full

commitment of your brainpower. The problem, however, is that
when you listen to someone speaking, whether in a meeting, in a
classroom, or when a speech is given, you can keep up with him or
her using a small portion of your brain. The rest of your brain is free
to wander to other topics, whether it’s lunch, the weekend, your
girlfriend/boyfriend, or your next vacation. The problem, obviously, is
that these other thoughts can distract you to the point that you don’t
retain the important information that is being presented.
How, then, can you become a better listener? One way is to
actively engage your brain while you are listening. Use that “spare
capacity” to anticipate the next point, to ask mental questions about
why the speaker said something and not something else. Observe
what the speaker has said and where he or she might be going next.
Few people do this well. But once you have mastered it, the speaker
can see it in your eyes. Your expression reflects a mind that is
engaged, not a blank stare. Remember, it’s very hard to be tuned into
speakers if you don’t look at them. Active listening also leads to accu-
rate listening.
Developing your listening skills will also help you with a common
problem: remembering names. Many successful executives are
known for this ability. Several techniques can help you remember
names. The first is to repeat the name as soon as possible. Second,
tell yourself that this is something you want to remember, and, if pos-
sible, link it to a visual image that helps you recall the name.
As you fine-tune your listening skills in the business world, know
that there’s no such thing as an unimportant comment by the boss,
particularly a high-ranking one. If your boss makes a comment, take
note. If the boss’s boss says something, really pay attention. Most
bosses do (and all of them should) choose their words carefully
because of the problem of amplification—when a few casual words
are taken out of context and blown out of proportion. When you’re
the CEO, you can’t make an off-the-cuff remark and expect others to
shrug it off, because people hang on to every word the top leader
says. Even a comment that’s made lightly can get amplified and spark
actions that are not only unexpected, but possibly unwelcome. (Keep
that in mind too as you are promoted and take on positions of
increasing authority.)
How do you get to be a better listener, particularly in one-on-one
situations? Pretend that you’re a therapist, asking questions of a
220 FROM DAY ONE
client. Between comments, let there be momentary silence. Don’t

jump in with your own words to fill the void. Use inviting comments
such as “So…” or “Yes…” Using the power of silence will encourage
the person to provide more information and details, and it will give
the positive impression that you’re really listening to what’s being
said.
Prioritizing: Managing Your Time Wisely
When priorities change or demands shift, you will need to be flexible

enough to refocus your attention and reprioritize your tasks and
responsibilities. To do this successfully, you will need to assess your
time-management skills. You may need to shift your focus when an
urgent task or project suddenly preempts what you’ve been doing.
You may be working in an environment, such as a consulting firm,
where you are expected to do whatever it takes to get the job done—
even if it means working nights and weekends.
At other firms, you may be able to get help to complete the pro-
ject. Or you may be able to approach your boss with a plan on how to
reprioritize the work. Don’t look for your boss to sort it all out for
you, though. Explain what you can accomplish on deadline and what
you can put off for a while. Even if the boss disagrees with you and
shifts your priorities, you will demonstrate that you can prioritize
tasks and that you’re not afraid to seek help.
One technique for improving your time management is to watch
out for potential pitfalls that can sabotage your efforts to be efficient
and responsive. For example, if you tend to be a perfectionist, your
work habits can get in the way of knowing when something is “good
enough.” (If you are creative or have artistic inclinations, you may
have this problem. You know from experience that you can tinker
with a phrase, color, or design endlessly, only to end up back where
you started.) You need the discipline to know when to stop in order to
turn in good work on time and to shift to the next project.
Extreme perfectionists also fall into a category of people known

as “time abusers,” for whom routine organization techniques don’t
work. According to Steven Berglas, a clinical psychologist and execu-
tive coach, time abusers include, in addition to perfectionists, “pre-
emptives,” who turn in their work ahead of time to stay in control but
who are not good team players; “people pleasers,” who can’t say no to
others and end up taking on too much; and “procrastinators,” who
put off as much as possible. The real issues with these time abusers,
Berglas says, are “brittle self-esteem and an unconscious fear of
being evaluated and found wanting.” His advice for time abusers, and
the bosses who manage them, is to find out what makes them anx-
ious, instead of teaching them to organize their day.82
Another key time management skill is multitasking, which means
being able to put aside one project to take up another and then
return to the first one. Some people by nature can do this better than
others. If you multitask easily, you are a “parallel.” It’s easy for you to
keep tabs on more than one thing at a time, and you can switch from
one thing to another easily. If multitasking is more difficult, you may
be a “serial.” Your preference is to work on one thing at a time, con-
cluding each task before starting another.
Some drawbacks exist to being a serial, though, which could
hamper your career later. General managers, I believe, are typically
parallels, able to multitask many things and keep track of multiple
responsibilities. If you are a serial who can’t (or doesn’t want to) try to
become more parallel, you may be more comfortable with staff posi-
tions and projects.
The last consideration about time management is to consider
your responsiveness. Instant messaging. Email. A cell phone in
everybody’s pocket. We live in a world of immediate access. But not
every communiqué is urgent, and if you immediately reply to every
email, you may have difficulty getting your work done. One way to
tackle this problem is to devote specific blocks of time to read and
222 FROM DAY ONE
reply to email. Respond to your email based on the message’s

urgency and priority. Another trick is to deal with each email only
once. If you leave it hanging, you’ll waste time rereading needlessly.
Certainly be responsive and reliable, answering email and voicemail
within a day. But don’t be so glued to your email that it gets in the
way of your ability to focus on your work.
Estimating: Is It $2 Million, $20 Million, or

$200 Million?
This scenario happens far more often than you think, particularly in
business when someone is asked to write a report that includes some
calculations. “The production line’s full capacity is 40,000 units a day,
which would result in maximum output of 12 million a month…”
What? The real answer (40,000 units times 30 days a month) is 1.2
million. The decimal point was simply in the wrong place.
While this error is easy to detect, think about what can happen
with far more complex calculations. That’s why estimating is impor-
tant, to make the numbers more relevant and logical before you do
the calculation. Using this basic example, if a production line could
make 40,000 units a day, that’s 280,000 in seven days—a little over a
quarter million a week. Since a month has four weeks, that means the
answer will be a million and change. If you did the calculation and
came up with an answer of 12 million, you’d know that something
was wrong. You’d go back through your math and find the errant
decimal.
Practice with things around you. Next time you take a drive, esti-
mate how long it should take you to get from one place to the next
based on the distance and your speed. Make mental calculations, and
double check them with your math. Estimating will keep you from
making errors that you wish you hadn’t.
Forecasting: What’s Your Prediction?
When something occurs, how often do you hear somebody say,

“I knew that would happen”? Maybe you say it yourself. But did
you really expect that outcome or result? Forecasting is an important
skill that you will employ not only in business, but also in your
personal life.
One of the most important areas to forecast is predetermining
how you expect people will react when you unexpectedly announce a
decision. Granted, in the earliest stages of your career, you may not
be making many of these kinds of decisions. But even when you
become a low-level manager, you should devote time and effort to
anticipating how specific employees will react to something. Based
on your predictions, you can plot out your communication plan
accordingly. Once you’ve made the announcement, you can deter-
mine how accurate your forecasts were compared with the actual
reactions. This will tell you how skilled you are at making these inter-
personal predictions.
Peter F. Drucker, the renowned management expert, takes a
complementary approach to forecasting, which he calls “feedback
analysis.” “Whenever you make a key decision or take a key action,
write down what you expect will happen,” Drucker advised. “Nine or
12 months later, compare the actual results with your expectations. I
have been practicing this method for 15 to 20 years now, and every
time I do it, I am surprised. The feedback analysis showed me, for
instance—and to my great surprise—that I have an intuitive under-
standing of technical people, whether they are engineers or accoun-
tants or market researchers. It also showed me that I don’t really
resonate with generalists.”83
Like Drucker, you may also uncover some hidden talents when it
comes to forecasting. For example, as you practice predicting out-
comes in terms of people’s reactions, you may also test your skills at
studying and forecasting trends that are related to your job. You may
224 FROM DAY ONE
find, for example, that you are good at forecasting the future price of
a commodity (be it oil or soybeans), but you aren’t as good at deter-
mining the outcome of opening two factories. Even if this kind of
decision-making isn’t part of your job right now, you can still practice.
Determining how accurate you are at forecasting particular events
and outcomes will help you see the type of business area you might
pursue.
Your Emotional Habits for Success

In addition to the Fundamental Habits for Success, additional skills
and habits can enhance your ability to do the job and make a contri-
bution. They are the Emotional Habits for Success. At the top of the
list is “emotional intelligence,” which has been widely discussed over
the years, and which remains highly relevant today.
Two psychologists, John “Jack” Mayer, Ph.D. of the University of
New Hampshire and Peter Salovey, Ph.D. of Yale University, are
credited with early work on emotional intelligence. They defined it as
the “ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions,
to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide
one’s thinking and actions.”84
Author Daniel Goleman studied emotional intelligence in the
business world, concluding that it is vitally important to success.
“Emotional intelligence skills are synergistic with cognitive ones; top
performers have both. The more complex the job, the more emo-
tional intelligence matters—if only because a deficiency in these abil-
ities can hinder the use of whatever technical expertise or intellect a
person may have.”85
Let’s take a look at some business world examples of why emo-
tional intelligence is important. Your boss says that a particular prob-
lem or situation is “no big deal.” But the boss’s emotions, as revealed
by his or her facial expression, tone of voice, and body language, indi-
cate something else. The boss is clearly upset by what is going on, but
for some reason—personal or political—he or she has chosen to
downplay the impact in words.
Or a colleague may be sending signals that he or she is uncom-
fortable with a conversation. When you ask, “What’s wrong?”, the
person only shrugs and says, “Nothing.” Do you believe the words, or
should you pay attention to the emotional signals? Becoming astute
in reading people will provide you insight between the lines of what
is being said, helping you ascertain the “hot buttons” before conflict
erupts, and letting you know that far more is occurring below the sur-
face than words indicate.
Controlling Your Emotions
Controlling your emotions is another component of emotional intelli-

gence that will help you be more effective and make a greater posi-
tive impact at work. Admittedly, this can be challenging, particularly
when you’re in a confrontational or stressful situation. Rather than
shooting from the hip with a retort or an outburst, a better way to
respond is by first calming your body and clearing your mind. Find a
way to quiet your racing heart and curb your temper, whether it’s
counting to ten or taking deep breaths. The point is not to become
passive. Rather, your aim is to control your temper and to communi-
cate with appropriate emotion, instead of confronting one adversity
after another. Controlling your emotions also will help you read oth-
ers more clearly.
A highly effective tool to control your emotions is to compart-
mentalize your thinking. This will help rein in out-of-control fears,
anxiety, and stress to keep them from devouring your life. Whether
it’s a personal issue consuming your business life or the other way
around, at times you will feel overwhelmed. In that state of emotional
226 FROM DAY ONE
overload, your ability to contribute to your company will be dimin-

ished, and you will have far less satisfaction from your daily life.
By compartmentalizing your thinking, however, you literally set
aside problems that you cannot deal with at the moment to focus on
the issues at hand. You may find that, when you return to the prob-
lem, you have more clarity of thought to address it. From a business
standpoint, compartmentalizing is a valuable attribute. People who
walk around with emotional hangovers and an air of distraction about
them may not be viewed favorably, and they could find that they are
the last ones to be promoted.
Your emotional intelligence—encompassing your emotional con-
trol and well-being, your ability to read others, and your disposi-
tion—is important to consider as you enter the business world.
Whatever career path you choose, your emotional qualities and
attributes will greatly influence how others perceive you, including
whether they want to work with you.
As you move forward from Day One, what will make you an
important member of the team? To answer that question, go back to
your childhood and think about when sides were chosen for teams.
Some kids were picked first, and some were chosen last. What made
the difference in most cases was the person’s ability to play the game.
In that regard, things haven’t changed all that much.
In the teams to which you are assigned, in the ones you are asked
to join, and in the ones you will lead, you can distinguish yourself by
using the Fundamental Habits for Success and the Emotional Habits
for Success. These behaviors and habits can enhance the talents,
skills, expertise, and interest you bring to the job and make you more
effective—from Day One and throughout your career.
END NOTES
1. Bogle, John C., founder and former chairman of The Vanguard Group.
Telephone interview. August 10, 2004.
2. Maddux, Greg, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Telephone interview. August 29,
2004.
3. Bogle, John C.
4. Kelley, Robert E., Carnegie Mellon’s Graduate School of Industrial
Administration. Telephone interview. July 20, 2004.
5. Lieberman, Pamela Forbes, former president and chief executive officer of
TruServ (now known as True Value Company). Telephone interview. July 15,
2004.
6. Jung, Andrea, chairman of Avon Products. Telephone interview. November 23,
2004.
7. “The Top 50 Women to Watch,” Wall Street Journal Online, November 8, 2004.
http://online.wsj.com (accessed November 8, 2004).
8. Batts, Warren, former CEO of Premark and Tupperware. Telephone interview.
July 6, 2004.
9. Jung, Andrea.
10. Batts, Warren.
11. Gray, John D., former CEO of Hart Schaffner & Marx. Telephone interview.
July 20, 2004.
12. Jung, Andrea.
13. Bogle, John C.
14. Lieberman, Pamela Forbes.
15. Bowen, William G., president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and for-
mer president of Princeton University. Telephone interview. October 6, 2004.
16. Greenleaf, Robert K. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of
Legitimate Power & Greatness, 25th Anniversary Edition. New York/Mahwah,
N.J.: Paulist Press, 2002.
17. Maddux, Greg.
18. Donovan, John. “Center of Attention: Modest Maddux can’t escape spotlight
as member of 300 Club,” SportsIllustrated.com, August 7, 2004.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/john_donovan/08/06/maddux.300/
(accessed February 23, 2005).
19. Gray, John D.
227
228 FROM DAY ONE
20. Delves, Donald P. Stock Options & The New Rules of Corporate Accountability:
Measuring, Managing, and Rewarding Executive Performance. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 2004.
21. Barr, Peggy, professor emeritus at Northwestern University’s School of
Education and Social Policy and former vice president of student affairs.
Telephone interview. August 17, 2004.
22. Bogle, John C.
23. Tischler, Linda. “Extreme Networking: MBAs Show the Way,” Fast Company,
July 2001.
24. Kelley, Robert E. How to Be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You
Need to Succeed. New York: Times Business/Random House, 1998.
25. Kelley, Robert E.
26. Luthans, Fred. “Successful vs. Effective Real Managers,” Academy of
Management Executives, (1988).
28. Barr, Peggy.
30. Jung, Andrea.
31. Citrin, James, senior director of Spencer Stuart. Telephone interview. August
12, 2004.
32. Cain, Herman, former chairman of Godfather’s Pizza, CEO and president of
T.H.E. Inc. Telephone interview. October 28, 2004.
33. Bell, David E. “Reunion—Reframe the way you think about risk,” Remember
Who You Are: Life Stories That Inspire the Heart and Mind. Edited by Daisy
Wademan. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
34. Bolles, Richard N. What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for
Job-Hunters and Career-Changers. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press, 2005.
35. Citrin, James.
36. Niewoehner, Gerry, corporate psychologist and principal of Niewoehner
Associates. Telephone interview. June 23, 2004.
37. Livingston, J. Sterling. “Pygmalion in Management,” Harvard Business Review
(January 2003).
38. Batts, Warren.
39. Delves, Donald P., founder of The Delves Group. Telephone interview. August
17, 2004.
40. Delves, Donald.
41. Citrin, James M. and Richard A. Smith. The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary
Careers: The Guide for Achieving Success and Satisfaction. New York: Crown
Business/Random House, Inc., 2003.
42. Citrin, James.
43. Batts, Warren.
END NOTES 229
44. Batts, Warren.

45. Batts, Warren.
46. Maddux, Greg.
47. Peters, Thomas J. and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. In Search of Excellence:
Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies. New York: Harper & Row
Publishers, 1982.
48. Wilson, Edmund, associate dean emeritus of the Kellogg School of Manage-
ment at Northwestern University and former associate dean of MBA programs
and student affairs. Telephone interview. October 25, 2004.
49. Cain, Herman.
50. Valdmanis, Thor. “Tuck’s MBAs are hot property again,” USA Today (June 30,
2004).
51. National Public Radio, Morning Edition, August 28, 2002. “Interview: Jeffrey
Pfeffer on claims made by some business schools to students about well-paying
jobs and quick promotions.” www.npr.org (accessed May 24, 2004).
52. Wilson, Ed.
53. Badenhausen Kurt, and Lesley Kump. “The Best Business Schools, B-Schools:
The Payback,” Forbes.com, October 13, 2003. www.forbes.com (accessed July
19, 2004).
54. Wilson, Ed.
55. Cain, Herman.
56. Wilson, Ed.
57. Ryder, Thomas, chairman and chief executive officer of The Reader’s Digest
Association, Inc. Telephone interview. August 30, 2004.
58. Ryder, Thomas.
59. LaFasto, Frank, senior vice president of organization effectiveness for Cardinal
Health. Telephone interview. August 30, 2004.
60. LaFasto, Frank.
61. Walker, Carol A. “Saving Your Rookie Managers from Themselves,” Harvard
Business Review (April 2002).
62. Bowen, William G.
63. Livingston, J. Sterling.
64. Maddux, Greg.
65. Kelley, Robert E.
66. Drucker, Peter F., “Managing Oneself,” Harvard Business Review (March-April
1999).
67. LaFasto, Frank.
70. Cain, Herman.
230 FROM DAY ONE

72. Jung, Andrea.
73. Minow, Nell, editor of The Corporate Library. Telephone interview. October
14, 2004.
74. Nash, Laura and Howard Stevenson. “Success That Lasts,” Harvard Business
Review (February 2004).
75. Ryder, Thomas.
76. LaFasto, Frank.
77. Ryder, Thomas.
78. Minow, Nell.
79. Cain, Herman.
80. Key, Ralph. The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman: A Treasury of Quotations,
Anecdotes, and Observations. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.
81. Tuckerman, Nancy and Nancy Dunnan. The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of
Etiquette: Entirely Rewritten and Updated. New York: Doubleday, 1995.
82. Berglas, Steven. “Chronic Time Abuse,” Harvard Business Review (June 2004).
83. Drucker, Peter F.
84. Emotionaliq.org. “Overview of Emotional Intelligence.”
www.emotionaliq.org/EI.htm (accessed April 18, 2004).
85. Goleman, Daniel. Working with Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam
Books, 1998.
INDEX
3M, 154 ambition, as secondary to

The 5 Patterns of company goals, 13, 35,
Extraordinary Careers: 51-52
The Guide for Achieving American Hospital Supply
Success and Satisfaction Corp., 61, 122, 203-204
(Citrin and Smith), 93 Andrew W. Mellon
“60 percent rule” for team Foundation, 26, 150, 194
selection, 171-172 Apple Computer, 69
360-degree appraisals, 141 Avon Products, 10, 15, 23,
401(k) plans, 83 60, 197
A B
advisors and mentors, 11-12, balancing life and career,
54-56, 203-204 196-199, 208
feedback from, 140, 160, 163 Barr, Peggy, 37-38, 56-57
human resources people Batts, Warren, 13, 16, 78, 94,
as, 130 97, 99
“alternative currencies,” 165 Baxter International Inc., 61,
203-204
231
232 INDEX
Bell, David E., 64-65 human resources

Bell & Howell (now ProQuest), department, 129-132,
18, 70, 130, 135 135-136
benefits. See also incentives location, 79-80
and bonuses career choice, 9-12
401(k) and retirement plans, as based on interests, 60-61
69, 83 as conflicting with talents, 64
stock purchase plans, 84 flexibility in, 61-62, 64-65
Berglas, Steven, 221 glamour of, as lure, 65-66
Bogle, John C. “Jack,” 5, 8, narrowing down, 66-67
25, 39 reconciling expectations over,
Bolles, Richard N., 71 62-65
boss, as factor in career, 77-78 career development, 132-133,
communicating with, 97, 133, 135-136
137-138, 162, 213-214 career search. See also contacts;
giving feedback on, 141 interview; résumé
listening carefully to, 219 evaluating multiple offers.
for managers, 162-163 See career, factors in
Bowen, William G., 26, 150, identifying company
194-195, 197 opportunities, 69-71
Burger King, 195-196 Internet, use of, 71
Burton, Ron, 201-202 interview, 75-76
networking, use of, 71-72
C résumé, 72-75
Cain, Herman, 63, 113-114, career success, 92-94
119-120, 195-196, dressing for success, 96
208-209 due diligence, 95
Cardean University, 121 getting feedback, 109-110,
Cardinal Health, 139, 178, 203 138-139. See also
career, factors in. See also feedback
compensation identifying mainstream
compensation, 80-87 opportunities, 108-109
corporate culture, 79 interacting with others,
first boss, 77-78, 97 103-105
first day on job, 91-92 setting expectations, 96-98
first position, 80 setting objectives, 99-102
INDEX 233
setting realistic pace, 97-98, coworkers

106-108 diversity of, 14
socializing, 103-104, 184 equal treatment of, 36-39,
spending time wisely, 102-103
102-103 feedback from, 140-141
workspace rules, 105-106 helping, 7-9
Carnegie Mellon University, 121 helping, when rivals, 205-206
Citrin, James, 60, 72-73, 93 interaction with, 103-105
Columbia Business School, 121 “local knowledge” of, 15-16
compensation, 68-69, 80-81 respect for, as important,
base pay, 81-82 15-16, 23, 36-37, 125,
benefits, 68-69, 83-84 172-173
discussing, at interview, customers
82-83 contact with, 134-135
fairness of, 86 service to, 165
incentives and bonuses,
68-69, 84-87 D
as rising with responsibility, decision-making, 156-159
81-82 delegating responsibility, 34,
contacts. See also networking 148-150, 174-175
advisors and mentors as, Delves, Donald P., 83, 85
54-56 DeVry University, Keller
benefits of maintaining, Graduate School of
52-54 Management, 121
as often unexpected, disappointments and missed
53-54, 57 opportunities, 206-209
use of, to find a job, 71-72 distance learning MBA
within company, 47-49 programs, 121-122
contributions to company, Donald, Luke, 64
making, 4-10, 92-94, 133 Doriot, Georges, xxiv-xxv, 12,
through human resources 49, 82, 107, 157, 178,
department, 131-132 184, 187, 214
corporate culture, 66-69 dressing for success, 96
and ethics, 25-26 Drucker, Peter F., 178, 223
examples of, 67-68 Duke University, 117, 122
as factor in career, 79
234 INDEX
E first day on job, as factor in

email, 215, 221-222 career, 91-92
emotional intelligence, 224-226 first position
entry-level positions, 7, 16-17, as factor in career, 80
80-82 as factor in MBA
estimating costs and figures, 222 admission, 126
ethics, 21-23. See also personal The 5 Patterns of
ethics Extraordinary Careers:
and corporate culture, 25-26 The Guide for Achieving
speaking up on issues of, 217 Success and Satisfaction
etiquette, importance of, 56-57, (Citrin and Smith), 93
76, 203-204, 215 forecasting, 223-224
401(k) plans, 83
F Fuqua School of Business
feedback, 138-142 (Duke University), 122
360-degree appraisals, 141
from advisors or mentors, G
140, 160, 163 goals of company, focusing on,
from coworkers, 140-141 4-7, 15, 33-34, 92-94.
as delivered by managers, See also servant
178-181 leadership
as factor in career success, as part of résumé, 73-74
109-110, 138-139 Godfather’s Pizza, 63, 113
firing employees, 181-183 Goleman, Daniel, 224
inviting and interpreting, graduate school, 111-114. See
217-218 also master’s degree;
performance appraisals, MBA programs
136-138 admission to, 125-127
and raises, dealing separately networking at, 122-123
with, 180 gratification, delaying, 10-12
receiving, rules for, 140 Gray, John D. “Jack,” 11, 17,
from subordinates, 141, 161 36-37, 157
“virtuous cycle” of, 142 “greater good,” serving, 13,
“feedback analysis,” 223 33-34. See also servant
firing employees, 181-183 leadership
first boss, as factor in career, Greenleaf, Robert K., 34
77-78, 97
INDEX 235
H inflection points, of companies,

habits for success, 211-212 69-71
emotional intelligence, In Search of Excellence:
224-226 Lessons from America’s
estimating, 222 Best-Run Companies
forecasting, 223-224 (Peters and Waterman),
listening, 218-220 102
prioritizing, 220-222 interaction with coworkers,
reading, 212-214 103-105, 205-206
speaking, 216-218 interests, personal, 60-61,
writing, 214-215 185-186
handwritten notes, 76, 215 International Home &
Hart Schaffner & Marx (now Housewares Show,
Hartmarx Corporation), Chicago, 165
11-12, 17, 29-30, 36, Internet, as used in career
134-135 search, 71
Harvard Business School, 117 interview
Hewlett-Packard, 102 being truthful at, 28, 40
hiring freezes, 70 choosing to attend, 11-12
honesty, 27-28, 40 discussing compensation at,
How to Be a Star at Work: 9 82-83
Breakthrough Strategies as handled by manager,
You Need to Succeed 174-178
(Kelley), 8, 48 handwritten note,
human resources (HR) importance of, 76, 215
department questions to ask, 75-76
as factor in career, 129-132, reference checking, 177
135-136 videotaping, for practice, 75
mentors in, 130
networking with, 131-132 J
humility, 7, 15-18, 37-38, 125 job interview. See interview
jobs. See career, factors in;
I career choice; career
incentives and bonuses, 68-69, search; career success
84-87 Jung, Andrea, 10, 15, 23,
signing bonuses, 85 60, 197
stock options, 37, 86
236 INDEX
K life lessons, 193-196

Keller Graduate School of balancing life and career,
Management (DeVry 196-199, 208
University), 121 disappointments and missed
Kelley, Robert E., 8-9, opportunities, 206-209
47-49, 163 helping rivals, 205-206
Kellogg School of leaving a legacy, 201-202
Management, 112, 117, making an impact, 200-201
125-126 smiling, importance of,
knowledge 202-203
compiling information on, 49 “thank you,” importance of,
of coworkers/subordinates, 203-204
15-16, 48-49, 125, 162 LinkedIn.com, 54
deficit of, eliminating, 47-49, listening, 218-220
102-103 Livingston, J. Sterling,
hoarding, 50-51 77-78, 151
sharing, 49-50 “local knowledge,” 15-16
“knowledge deficit,” 47-49, location, as factor in career,
102-103 79-80
“knowledge map,” 48-49 London School of
Economics, 121
L lunches, for networking, 56-57
LaFasto, Frank, 139, 178, Luthans, Fred, 51
203-204
Lauren, Ralph, 207 M
layoffs, 70 Maddux, Greg, 6, 35-36, 100,
leadership 156-157
servant leadership, mainstream opportunities,
33-36, 149 identifying, 108-109
as valued by MBA Management By Objective
programs, 126 (MBO), 99
legacy, importance of, 201-202 mini-MBOs, use of,
Lieberman, Pamela Forbes, 9, 99-102, 108
25-26, 55, 57 “Management By
Wandering/Walking
Around” (MBWA), 102
INDEX 237
management style, 159-160 and their bosses, 162-163

meeting team, 160-161 as too aggressive, 155
with older workers, 162 as young, 14, 77-78, 162
managers manners, importance of, 56-57
dangers of socializing by, master’s degree, 111-113. See
103-104, 184 also MBA programs
dealing with distance learning, 121-122
underperformers, and earnings, 115-117
151-153, 155 full- and part-time study,
decision-making by, 156-159 118-121
delegation of responsibility and job prospects, 123-124
by, 34, 148-150, 174-175 and love of learning, 124
delivery of feedback by, reasons for pursuing,
178-181 115-118
ethical scenarios for, 28-31, Mattel, 11-12
40-41 Mayer, John “Jack,” 224
expectations of, for others, MBA programs, 111-113
150-151 admission to, 125-127
interviewing strategies for, costs of, 119-121
174-178 distance learning, 121-122
as learning from and earnings, 115-117
subordinates, 15-16, at elite schools, 117-118
160-162 experience, as valued by,
networking by, 51 121, 126
organizational changes by, full- and part-time study,
185-186 118-121
personal selling and and job prospects, 123-124
negotiating by, 164-166 leadership, as valued by, 126
pet projects of, 154 and love of learning, 124
problem-solving by, 154 reasons for attending,
star performers, as handled 115-118
by, 186-188 specializations in, 122, 124
style of. See management style MBO (Management By
as team builders. See team; Objective), 99
team-building mini-MBOs, use of,
as team players, 7, 160-162 99-102, 108
238 INDEX
MBWA (“Management By newspapers, 212-213

Wandering/Walking New York Times, 212
Around”), 102 Niewoehner, Gerry, 75-76
mentors and advisors, 11-12, non-commissioned officers
54-56, 203-204 (NCOs), 15-16
feedback from, 140, 160, 163
human resources people O-P
as, 130 older workers, dealing with, 162
Minow, Nell, 198-199, 208 “parallels” and “serials,” 221
missed opportunities and PepsiCo, 37
disappointments, performance appraisals,
206-209 136-138
Morris, Shorty, 203 “permanent record” of
multi-tasking, art of, 221 ethics, 24
personal ethics, 23-25, 32
N and corporate culture, 25-26
names, remembering, 219
rationalizing unethical
Nash, Laura, 200
behavior, 32-33
NCOs (non-commissioned
scenarios involving, 27-32,
officers), 15-16
40-42
negotiating and selling skills,
speaking up on issues of, 217
164-166
personality of companies, 67-69
networking, 45-46
“personal mosaic,” 18-19
advisors and mentors, role of,
Peters, Tom, 102
54-56
Pfeffer, Jeffrey, 116-117
benefits of contacts made
Pillsbury Co., 195
through, 52-54
Premark, 13, 78, 94
to find a job, 71-72
Prepared to Lead (consulting
at graduate school, 122-123
firm), 149
with human resources
prioritizing, importance of,
department, 131-132
220-222
importance of etiquette to,
Procter & Gamble, 12, 49,
56-57
122, 214
and “knowledge deficit,”
promotion, 132-133, 135-136
47-49, 102-103
ProQuest, 18
by managers, 51
public speaking, 216
versus schmoozing, 51-52
as way to find team
members, 170-171
INDEX 239
Q schmoozing, 51-52
questions, asking S.C. Johnson, xxiv, 122
by manager, 217-218 selling and negotiating skills,
by prospective employee, 164-166
75-76 “serials” and “parallels,” 221
by prospective employer, servant leadership, 33-36, 149
175-176 Servant Leadership: A Journey
into the Nature of
R Legitimate Power and
Reader’s Digest Association, Greatness (Greenleaf), 34
132, 202 signing bonuses, 85
reading widely, 212-214 silence, power of, 218-219
references, checking of, 177 Sisters of Charity, 29-30
Remember Who You Are: Life “60 percent rule” for team
Stories that Inspire the selection, 171-172
Heart and Mind, 64-65 slang and colloquialisms,
Reserve Officers’ Training avoiding, 218
Corps (ROTC), 15 Smith, Richard, 93
résumé, 72-75 socializing, 103-104, 184
accomplishments, listing, 74 “social loafing,” 101-102
company goals, as important speaking well, 216-218
to, 73-74 Stanford University,
cover letter, importance 116-117, 121
of, 75 star performers, handling,
personalization of, 73 186-188
retirement plans, 69, 83 startups, 69
rival coworkers, helping, Sterling Institute, 77, 151
205-206 Stevenson, Howard, 200
ROTC (Reserve Officers’ stock options, 37, 86
Training Corps), 15 stock purchase plans, 84
Rubly, Maria, 130 subordinates
Ryder, Thomas O., 132, 137, equal treatment of, 36-39
202-203, 205-206 expectations of, 150-151
feedback from, 141, 161
S importance of, to company,
salary, 68-69, 81-82. See also 15-16, 37-39
compensation “local knowledge” of, 15-16
Salovey, Peter, 224
240 INDEX
T U
team, 169-170 “understanding curve,” 3
delivering feedback to, University of Chicago,
178-183 Graduate School of
developing from scratch, Business, 117, 121
183-186 University of Phoenix, 121
firing members of, 181-183
importance of, 6-7, 160-161 V
selecting members of, Vanderbilt, Amy, 215
170-178 Vanguard Group, 5, 25, 39
star performers on, 186-188 videotaping, as interview
team building practice, 75
“60 percent rule” for, volunteer work, 199
171-172
hiring friends and former W-Z
coworkers, as dangerous, Walker, Carol A., 149
173-174 Waterman, Robert, 102
“thank you,” importance of, Wharton School (University of
203-204 Pennsylvania), 117
T.H.E. Inc., 63, 113 What Color Is Your
360-degree appraisals, 141 Parachute?: A Practical
3M, 154 Manual for Job-Hunters
“time abusers,” 221 and Career-Changers
time management, 97-98, (Bolles), 71
106-108, 220-222 Wilson, Ed, 112-113, 118,
Toastmasters International, 216 125-126
travel, pros and cons of, 65-66 workspaces, office, 105-106, 184
Truman, Harry S., 214 writing well, 214-215
TruServ Corporation (now
True Value Company), 9,
25, 55
Tupperware, 13, 94
Try
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From Day One

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Early Praise for From Day One

“Bill White’s book should be required reading for anyone

“Excellent, practical advice and wisdom-based counsel

“Looking for a shortcut to fame and fortune? This book

“Benjamin Franklin, the patron saint of self-improvement

“From Day One is not a book of pie-in-the-sky platitudes.

“From Day One is a great primer to assist college students

“Overflowing with tips, wisdom, and solid values on which

PEARSON PRENTICE HALL

Vice President and Editor-in-Chief: Tim Moore

© 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Prentice Hall offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in

Printed in the United States of America

Pearson Education Ltd.

PART I WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 1

PART II FINDING YOUR PASSION 43

PART III A SUCCESSFUL START 89

PART IV THE NEW MANAGER 145

PART V SUCCESS HABITS FOR

From the initial concept to publication, a great many people influ-

Paula Sinnott at Pearson Prentice Hall shared my enthusiasm for

William J. White has been a professor in the McCormick School of

Ram Charan, Charan Associates business advisor,

The natural temptation for ambitious young workers is to look at

Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin:

As a corporate-executive-turned-college-professor, I’ve seen the

best strategy for a young professional, a seasoned manager, or even a

closest to you. You owe it to yourself to identify your passions early

philosophy of management. Among the many things he taught was

Chapter 1 What Contribution Will

Chapter 2 Your Personal Philosophy 21

span two generations. Their wisdom, however, is timeless, particu-

Managing Your Career from Day One

“Wait a minute,” you’re probably thinking. “I’m not signing on for

Making a Contribution at Any Level

As you look to your professional future, ask yourself: What contri-

“I was given some advice that changed my life and my career,

The Value of Delayed Gratification

Sound Advice and Delayed Rewards

In my own career, I passed up an opportunity to be part of a very

Taking her advice, I did go back to Hart Schaffner & Marx to

Goals, Ambition, and the Greater Good

Welcome to a New World

Young professionals leaving the insular world of academics for their

everybody but never shows up on any organizational chart. But if you

Learning the “Local Knowledge”

In his first job as a manager out of graduate school, Warren Batts

While graduate students may take a job as a new manager, most

or trainees. It can be an abrupt shift in perspective from where you

Making Your “Personal Mosaic”

Focusing on making a contribution is not merely a crash course in

Your personal mosaic is composed of many pieces, large and

➤ Your long-term success in your career will

➤ Find what you are truly passionate about, and

➤ Seek out and listen to trusted advisors to help you

➤ Having ambition is good; flaunting it is your

➤ Remember, no role is too small, no task is insignif-

When it comes to ethics in business, you may have the image of a

espoused values. This parallels the recruiting process, in which a