In this book, McGovern provides lots of real-life examples, anecdotes, pointed direction, and practical methods for dealing with any workplace situation. This book is more about how to plan your career roadmap than about how to get a job.
It provides a career road map framework. This framework is a pyramid blocks, which could be things like, your education, specific skill sets, or jobs. Using these pyramid blocks, you can navigate your career in a controlled and systematic way without getting overwhelmed. As you move up progressively in your career, these blocks become fewer and fewer and ultimately culminate into your final job.
McGovern states that many people attach their careers vertically, climbing the proverbial ladder. But, if you are trying to build a tall structure, going straight up isn't always the best solution as you need lateral support to stabilize the height. A person with an approach that is too vertical often finds he is not rounded or resilient. I totally agree with McGovern.
What struck me most is that human life is 26,000 days. If you think that is small number, then consider than 45 year career has only about 10,000 days. How you plan and execute a strategy will determine whether you will retire early at age fifty or if you would supplementing your social security income with a part-time job in your seventies. The bottom line that we better plan to maximize those 10,000 working days.
McGovern points out that the your first ten years in 20's can often be the "make it or break it" period. This is a period you need to maximize your learning and learn all the trick of the trades. The period of 30's is the period where you need to practice, hone in, and perfect those skills. The period of 40's is the period of maximization where you can monetize your work experience. The period 50's is the golden period that culminates into your ideal job rewarding you for the wisdom you have collected throughout your career.
McGovern states that successful career achievers do many things well, with the whole package contributing to their success. In Bring Your "A" Game, he shares the 10 common attributes that are consistent with career high-achievers, or "A" players.
A formal, self-developed career plan: They have a career plan. With the overall objective in mind, they plan their career moves.
The ability to do easy stuff well: They don't fail at easy stuff. The easy stuff isn't mentioned on your performance evaluation, but it only takes one or two failings in this area to sidetrack your career.
A willingness to be coached: They are open to receiving feedback and equally enthusiastic to act on it.
An action oriented curiosity: They are curious to acquire new knowledge. They have developed habits to acquire this knowledge.
The ability to communicate clearly: They communicate in a manner that gets their points across.
They are good listeners.
Superior people skills: They have superior empathetic skills that facilitates their interactions, conversations, negotiations, and relationships.
The ability to handle corporate combat: They know how to grow, prosper, and contribute within the bounds of the company. They know
The ability to learn by observation: They learn core soft skills by observing their role models.
Resourceful problem solving skills: They never let a problem go unsolved and have an ability to come up with novel approaches to solving difficult problems.
The ability to make sound career choices: They have developed techniques for making logical, fact-based career decisions that correspond to their overall plan.
Overall, I loved this book for its practical and useful advice. This book is written in simple language and is very easy to read. I finished it in two weeks. I needed to read this book as I needed to motivation to keep working on my career roadmap.
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