I was visiting with some colleagues the other day and one of them asked: “Read any good books lately?”
“As a matter of fact,” I piped up, “I just finished a very interesting book and I recommend reading it.”
The book is What a Job is Worth; How To Come Out on Top, written by Sylvester Stevenson, a veteran sales and marketing executive with more than 40 years of experience in the world of business.
Aside from being enlightening and educational, it provides some sharp insight into surviving and thriving in the business world.
In his book, Stevenson shares lessons he has learned to help others put the business world into perspective, set realistic expectations and understand the evolution of a career.
Rules
Stevenson offers some fundamental rules business people can follow in order to be successful, and he talks about what their role should be in achieving objectives.
Early on in the book, Stevenson observes that in business, “it’s not enough to just do the right things. You must do them in the right way, as the methods in accomplishing the task at hand are as important as the work itself.”
Of particular interest to me were the mind “exercises” developed by Stevenson. These are methods for getting co-workers to act and think differently, and for getting business person themselves to act and think differently to prevail.
One of my favorite exercises was Stevenson’s “Zombies” game. You’ll have to read the book to learn how this exercise is performed.
Enjoy the Ride
A key message that I took away from Stevenson’s What a Job is Worth; How To Come Out on Top is that life in the business world is not all about getting to the top, but more about enjoying the ride.
I would call this short, easily read and understood book a survival guide to bring reason into the workplace, especially with what’s going on nowadays. It’s well worth a read.
If you’re not a big reader, not to worry, the book is also available as an audio book.
Both can be found in many bookstores and through Tate Publishing or Amazon.
