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Anonymous
Posted September 17, 2007
Corporate employees must contend with downsizing, scarce jobs and scarcer benefits. In today¿s virtual corporations, a handful of employees do the work that many people used to do. To survive, make yourself an irreplaceable employee. That¿s the short, sweet, familiar point (and the only message, given the book¿s brevity) that Bob Nelson conveys in this simple but clear manual for long-term employment survival. Take the initiative, assume responsibility, know your job better than anybody else and fulfill your supervisor¿s expectations ¿ even the unspoken ones. Become indispensable: it¿s here in a nutshell. We find that Nelson provides valuable tips on being a proactive employee and, for fun, illustrates them with some bright little stories.
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Posted September 24, 2001
Bob Nelson has done it again! This popular, best-selling author of such books as '1001 Ways to Reward Employees' and '1001Ways to Take Initiative at Work' has created another valuable tool for the corporate world. This book is not written for management, though it would be wise for managers to read it. The readers will be employees, who will absorb a meaningful message about their role in the work environment. It's a vital message that most employees never hear. The audience that will benefit most is new employees. In fact, it would be a good reading for high school and college seniors about to embark on their careers. The core of Nelson's message is that employees have responsibilities and opportunities far beyond what's delineated in their job description. Each and every worker should use his/her own best judgment and effort to do what needs to be done for the organization to be successful. The book presents this concept as the 'Ultimate Expectation'-a message every employee needs to hear, but one that few employers explicitly state. Employers are eager to have people on their team who take initiative, to take independent action to do what needs to be done for the organization to succeed. Why is this kind of worker so scarce? Because management has not conveyed to its employees that they are expected to take initiative; they don't have to wait to be told what to do. This message will resonate well with today's younger employees . . . if they're given permission or encouraged. Managers who don't know how to express or reinforce this concept now have a tool with this book. After an introduction to the concept and an explanation of the 'Ultimate Expectation,' Nelson presents Simple Strategies and Techniques.' To give you a sense for the straightforward content of this book, here are some of the topics under the headings Think, Act, and Persevere. Under Think: Make Your Job More Difficult, Ask Silly Questions, and Don't Be a Complainer. Under Prepare, topics include Collect Your Own Data, Develop Options and a Plan of Action, and Shoot Holes in Your Own Plan. Under Act, topics include Speak Up to Have Influence, Volunteer for Difficult Assignments, and Be a Person Who Makes Things Happen. The section on Persevere includes Persist When Obstacles Arise, and Learn to Enjoy Those Things That Others Hate to Do. The next section of the book addresses what holds us back from high achievement: fear, frustration, and failure. Fear includes 'I might make a mistake' and 'I'm afraid of being fired.' Frustration includes 'I don't have the authority' and 'I don't have the support.' 'I took initiative once and made a mistake' and 'Someone keeps blocking my efforts' comprise part of the Failure section. A concluding chapter encourages readers to realize their potential. The book is deceivingly small, with wide margins and extra space between lines. The open format is wisely less intimidating for the reader, making the book easy to use. That's a good selling point for this kind of a volume, which is useless if it isn't read. Buy this book now for your employees. Include it in the materials given to new hires in the orientation process. Grab the advantage over your competition by using this book to stimulate initiative and high performance. It pays!
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