Mastering the Basics: Simple Lessons for Achieving Success in Business

by Dean Karrel

Overview

Are you limiting your potential because you haven’t mastered workplace skills, office politics, and career development?

Do you ever feel pressured to learn the latest strategies just to stay ahead of your peers? Are there times when you feel intimidated by colleagues with fancy titles or advanced degrees who don’t shy away from sharing their opinions? We can all fall into the trap of getting caught up in a competitive and stressful work environment and the result can negatively impact our confidence and ability to maximize our potential. Based on business lessons and techniques that Dean Karrel learned throughout his career this book reveals that common sense, integrity, character, and the importance of self-confidence are the critical cornerstones of being successful and fulfilled in business. Being yourself, working to the best of your ability, and mastering the basics is what can set you apart from the rest!

Just a few of the nearly two hundred topics covered include:

• Learning social and soft skills
• The value of emotional intelligence
• The importance of planning and preparation
• Working for a micromanager
• Keeping things simple and avoiding distractions
• Vulnerability is a positive quality
• Prioritizing and focusing on what really matters
• Why you shouldn’t be afraid you don’t know something

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781642932096
Publisher:	Post Hill Press
Publication date:	07/16/2019
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,101,030
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Dean Karrel is an Executive and Professional Career Coach. He is the instructor of over ten courses available on LinkedIn Learning and has also been in senior leadership positions for more than three decades with major global publishing companies.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

Dean's Philosophy 17

Admit When You Are Wrong and Apologize if Necessary 18

Age Is a Very Sensitive Subject 20

Always Be Learning-The Benefits of Being a Lifelong Learner 21

Always Be Learning-Books, Magazines, and Online Resources 22

Always Be Learning-College and University Classes 24

Always Be Learning-LinkedIn Learning 26

Always Be Learning-Seminars, Webinars, Microlearning 27

Always Be Learning-Your Company's Learning & Development Department 29

Always Be Learning-Personal Educational Training Budget 31

Ask Follow-Up Questions 32

Assessment Tests 34

At the End of the Day, It Is a Business 36

Be a Champion 38

Be an Evangelist 39

Be an Influencer 40

Be Authentic 41

Be Careful with Your Online Posts 43

Be Fair 45

Be Good to People with Whom You Work 46

Be Open to Constructive Criticism 48

Be Reliable 50

Be Vulnerable 51

Being Positive Is a Choice 53

Body Language 55

Body Language-Eye Contact 56

Body Language-Smile 58

Body Language-Posture 60

Body Language-Gestures and the Use of Our Arms and Hands 62

Bureaucracy Is Frustrating for Everyone 64

Call, Email, or Tweet Your Own Company 66

Career Planning by Developing Paths 68

Change Is Inevitable 70

Charisma 71

Collaboration and Teamwork 72

Common Sense Is Often the Best Approach 74

Conflicts: Don't Let Them Fester-Solve Today 75

Consider Hiring a Coach 77

Corporate Culture Is So Important 79

Count to Ten and Take a Breath Before Responding 81

Creativity 83

Credibility 85

Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM) 86

Delegate 89

Deliver on Your Promise 90

Developing Self-Confidence and Believing in Yourself 92

Difference Between Acquaintances, Connections & Colleagues, Friends, & Family 95

Do It Now-Don't Procrastinate 97

Don't Argue with Your Boss 99

Don't Be Afraid to Say "No" 101

Don't Be Afraid to Say "I Don't Know" 102

Don't Be the "Yes" Person 103

Don't Burn Bridges 104

Don't Burn Bridges, Take the High Road 106

Don't Forget the Small Details 107

Don't Hold Back Telling Bad News 108

Don't Rest on Your Laurels 110

Don't Show Off or Gloat 111

Don't Take All of the Credit-Share the Wins 112

Email Address for Your Work and One for Your Personal Life: Keep the Mail Separate 114

Email Management Is Important, Up to a Point 116

Email-Subject Line Headers 118

Emotional Intelligence-EQ Is a Valuable Skill 120

Encourage and Motivate Others 122

Enthusiasm Is Contagious 123

Ethical Behavior 124

Excel and Spreadsheet Training 126

Exhibiting Empathy and Compassion Are Valuable Skills 128

Expense Accounts 130

Family Comes First 132

Fire in the Belly 133

First Impressions Do Make a Difference 134

Foster Good Working Relationships 136

Get Away from Your Desk 137

Giving Constructive Criticism 138

Global Meetings-Respect Time Zones 140

Global Work and Cross-Cultural Competency 141

Goals at Work 144

Harassment and Discrimination 146

Have Patience 148

Help People Out When They've Lost a Job 150

Honor Your Commitments-Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep 152

How Do You Sound to Others? Listen to Your Voice 154

How to List Names on a Group Email and the Use of Blind Copies 156

Importance of a Strong Work Ethic 158

Improve Your Writing Skills 160

Is There Such a Thing as Confidential? 162

It's Okay to Ask for Help 163

Jargon, Buzzwords, and Annoying Phrases 164

Keep Things Simple 166

Keep Your Ego in Check 168

Keep Your Home Office Well-Organized and Professional 170

Keep Your Temper Under Control 173

Keep Yourself Honest 175

Know-It-All and Those with a Pompous Attitude 177

Know Your Audience 179

Know Your Company 182

Know Your Competition 184

Know Your Customers 186

Leadership vs. Management 188

Less Is More 189

Let People Off the Hook 190

LinkedIn Profile and Your Resume 192

Listening Skills and the Art of Not Speaking 193

Lofty Titles and Fancy Degrees-Don't Be Intimidated 195

Look in the Mirror. Do You Like What You See? 197

Look Out for Yourself 198

Losing a Job-The Cycle of Emotions 199

Loyalty to Friends and Your Company 201

Meetings 203

Mental Health Days 207

Model the Way 209

Morale in Business and Its Impact on You 210

Multitasking 212

Negative Attitude 213

Networking Is So Important 215

Networking with LinkedIn 217

Never Be "That" Person 218

Never Blame Others 220

Never Discuss Religion and Politics-Or At Least Be Careful 221

Never Discuss Sex and Health 222

Never Disparage Your Competition 223

Never Give Up 224

Never Hold a Grudge 225

Non-Disclosure Agreements 226

Office Romance 227

Participate and Raise Your Hand 228

Perceptions We Have of People-Are They Right or Wrong? 229

Personal Goals Are Important to Have 231

Personal Mastering of the Basics-Your Will and Living Will 232

Physical Health-Annual Exams 234

Prioritize and Focus on What Is Important 235

Prioritize Your Greatest Opportunities 237

Quarterly Reports 238

Read Your Audience 240

Remembering People's Names Means So Much 242

Reward Those You Work With 244

Rumors, Gossip, and Speculation 246

Say "Hello" 248

Set Boundaries 249

Share Knowledge and Information 250

Should You Have a Personal Website? 252

Sincerity 253

Social Skills and Soft Skills Are So Important 254

Special Events-Half Days or Group Functions 255

Spend Time, Be Seen, and Reach Out to the People You Manage 257

Spring Cleaning-Keep Your Work Station Organized and Clutter-Free 259

Staying Current with Skills Needed for the Future 260

Staying Up-to-Date with Technology and Software 262

SWOT Analysis-Business 264

SWOT Analysis-Personal 266

Take a Public Speaking Class 268

Take Action: You Can Do It! 270

Take Advice and Listen to Opinions 271

Take Control of Your Own Destiny 273

Thank-You Notes 275

Think Twice Before Sending That Email 277

Time Management 279

Time Management-Set Timelines and Firm Deadlines 281

Time Management-Your Most Productive Times to Complete Work 283

Time Management-Find Thirty Minutes a Day to Regroup & Reenergize 285

Time Management-The First Thing You're Going to Do on Monday Morning 286

Time Management-Take Twenty Minutes on Friday to Prepare for the Upcoming Week 287

Time Management-Plan for Thirty Days, Ninety Days, Six Months, One Year, Eighteen Months 289

Time Management-Break Things Down into Manageable Pieces 291

To-Do Lists Can Be Helpful 292

Training to Learn How to Dismiss and Let People Go 293

Transparency 295

Treating Everyone with Respect 296

Trust 298

Vacations 299

Value of a Mentor 300

What Does Character Mean? 302

What Have You Done to Improve Yourself This Week? 303

What You Say Matters (Especially as a Leader) 304

When the Team Wins, Everyone Wins 306

When You Go for an Interview, You are Interviewing the Company Too 307

Why Data Is So Important and Valuable 309

Work and Personal Visits, Emails, and Telephone Calls 311

Work Performance-360 Reviews 312

Work Performance-Appraisals 314

Working for a Lousy Manager 316

Working for a Micromanager 318

You Have to Learn the Basics of Finance 320

You Need a Good Accountant and a Good Lawyer 321

You Won't Be Liked by Everyone 322

Your Documents Folder and Desktop on Your Computer 323

Your Language Says a Lot about You 324

Your New Job-It Takes Six Months to Feel Comfortable 326

Your Personal Brand 328

Your Personal Description 330

Your Personal Values 332

Your Reputation 334

Your Vision-Dream Big ideas 335

You've Started a New job-Day One 337

Conclusion 339

Acknowledgments 341

About the Author 347