Managing Oneself

Energy, resources, and time should go instead to making a competent person into a star performer.

What one does well—even very well and successfully—may not fit with one’s value system. In that case, the work may not appear to be worth devoting one’s life to (or even a substantial portion thereof).

What should my contribution be? To answer it, they must address three distinct elements: What does the situation require? Given my strengths, my way of performing, and my values, how can I make the greatest contribution to what needs to be done? And

Do not try to change yourself—you are unlikely to succeed. But work hard to improve the way you perform. And try not to take on work you cannot perform or will only perform poorly.

finally, What results have to be achieved to make a difference?

It takes far more energy and work to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence.

Successful careers are not planned. They develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they know their strengths, their method of work, and their values.

Just as people achieve results by doing what they are good at, they also achieve results by working in ways that they best perform.

Organizations are no longer built on force but on trust. The existence of trust between people does not necessarily mean that they like one another. It means that they understand one another.