Just finished a brand-new book -- and method of thinking -- about career paths and career development strategies.
_The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers_ by James Citrin & Richard Smith (Random House/Crown Business)
AUTHORS--High-level recruiters with the Spencer Stuart firm. Citrin wrote _Zoom: How 12 Exceptional Companies Are Navigating the Road to the Next Economy_. Smith is co-creator of Spencer Stuart’s Human Capital Market Index (HCMI) -- used to track relative changes in the value of talent over time.
PREMISE--Covey's 7 Habits describe effective individual lifestyle behavior. _Good to Great_ describes the development of effective businesses. Citrin+Smith describe the subtle factors and trends -- 5 patterns -- that help send people down career paths they desire and turn them into extraordinary professionals.
QUALIFICATIONS/INTEGRITY--Citrin+Smith analyzed their firm's large executive recruiting database (including C-level candidates for Yahoo, AOL-TW, etc.) for potential survey research respondents. They then got 2,500 comprehensive responses (when they could have used only 400!), along with freely submitted letters and notes, on who successful leaders really were and how they made it so far. Afterwards, 300 interviews with executives gave life to the data; words and stories from IBM, GE, Starbucks, Ziff Davis, and many others (even Enron!) made it into print. Check the website too --
THE 5 PATTERNS IN A NUTSHELL--People with extraordinary careers... (1) Understand how value is created in the workplace, and build their personal value throughout a career. (2) Do not claw their way to the top, but are carried there by the people they lead with benevolence. (3) Take steps to overcome the "no job without experience"/"no experience without the job" problem. (4) Do their defined jobs exceptionally well but don't stop there. (5) Make decisions with the long-term in mind, migrating towards positions that incorporate their strengths, passions, and people they like/respect.
THE REVIEW--If you understand that your career is a long-term project and these patterns appear over the long term, this can be a very eye-opening. The short-term changes you'll see will be based on your willingness to follow the 5 patterns; I sensed an immediate change in attitude and desire to modify behaviors in myself after reading parts of the book. If you already sense you're following the 5 patterns, the book can help refine your efforts and offer a bit of validation and inspiration.
BTW, I have NO affiliation with Spencer Stuart or any of the firms mentioned above. This is a real book review. Honest injun.
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Thank you: adam ("desperatehours"
Full-time: Typesetting Procedure+Policy Manager, GCom2 Solutions, Aston PA
Freelance: Proprietor, Desperate Hours Productions, Willow Grove PA
_The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers_ by James Citrin & Richard Smith (Random House/Crown Business)
AUTHORS--High-level recruiters with the Spencer Stuart firm. Citrin wrote _Zoom: How 12 Exceptional Companies Are Navigating the Road to the Next Economy_. Smith is co-creator of Spencer Stuart’s Human Capital Market Index (HCMI) -- used to track relative changes in the value of talent over time.
PREMISE--Covey's 7 Habits describe effective individual lifestyle behavior. _Good to Great_ describes the development of effective businesses. Citrin+Smith describe the subtle factors and trends -- 5 patterns -- that help send people down career paths they desire and turn them into extraordinary professionals.
QUALIFICATIONS/INTEGRITY--Citrin+Smith analyzed their firm's large executive recruiting database (including C-level candidates for Yahoo, AOL-TW, etc.) for potential survey research respondents. They then got 2,500 comprehensive responses (when they could have used only 400!), along with freely submitted letters and notes, on who successful leaders really were and how they made it so far. Afterwards, 300 interviews with executives gave life to the data; words and stories from IBM, GE, Starbucks, Ziff Davis, and many others (even Enron!) made it into print. Check the website too --
THE 5 PATTERNS IN A NUTSHELL--People with extraordinary careers... (1) Understand how value is created in the workplace, and build their personal value throughout a career. (2) Do not claw their way to the top, but are carried there by the people they lead with benevolence. (3) Take steps to overcome the "no job without experience"/"no experience without the job" problem. (4) Do their defined jobs exceptionally well but don't stop there. (5) Make decisions with the long-term in mind, migrating towards positions that incorporate their strengths, passions, and people they like/respect.
THE REVIEW--If you understand that your career is a long-term project and these patterns appear over the long term, this can be a very eye-opening. The short-term changes you'll see will be based on your willingness to follow the 5 patterns; I sensed an immediate change in attitude and desire to modify behaviors in myself after reading parts of the book. If you already sense you're following the 5 patterns, the book can help refine your efforts and offer a bit of validation and inspiration.
BTW, I have NO affiliation with Spencer Stuart or any of the firms mentioned above. This is a real book review. Honest injun.
==========
Thank you: adam ("desperatehours"
Full-time: Typesetting Procedure+Policy Manager, GCom2 Solutions, Aston PA
Freelance: Proprietor, Desperate Hours Productions, Willow Grove PA
