post # 170 — Thursday, August 24, 2006 — a Careers post
The Best Advice I Ever Received
Get over it. Let it go. Move on.
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What was the best advice you ever received?
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Carl A. Singer said
www.ProcessMakesPerfect.net
There are several short lists of advice that make sense — one just has to remember (when & which) to apply same during the heat of the moment. That's key.
Here are two such lists that I've used in presentations.
The first from Jack Welch — when I was a GE I was so far from Corporate HQ that I would have needed three days rations and a bus ticket to get to corporate leadership — nonetheless these are good points.
General Electric Company - Jack Welch's Six Rules
1. Control your destiny or someone else will.
2. Face reality as it is, not as it was or you wish it were.
3. Be candid with everyone.
4. Don't manage, lead.
5. Change before you have to.
6. If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete.
Although I never heard these when we were officemates on the Army Staff (both much younger at the time), this list of rules is attributed to General Colin Powell:
Colin Powell's Rules
1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position
that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices.
You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
I was reading a project management article on my commute in this morning — everything in it made lots of sense, and nothing seemed new or earth shattering — I think the value (to me) was that organized and put key thoughts together in a useful package. Maybe that's what these rules are all about — they don't tell us anything we don't already know — they communicate them in a useful form that, hopefully, we'll be able to apply when appropriate to do so.
Carl
posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006