How to get ahead at work: Review of The High Achiever's Secret Codebook

By Miriam Salpeter Keppie Careers

I am happy to share a review of a new book by Sandra Naiman, The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook. As a special treat, I’ll be offering a free copy of the book as a prize, courtesty of Jist Works Publishers, to one of my lucky readers…Be sure to read on for details about how to enter.

This book offers readers “Seven Secrets” to help careerists succeed at work. These rules, the author suggests, can make the difference between the professional who achieves his or her goals at work and the other, equally talented professional, who falters, stumbles and possibly never recovers.

I appreciate and agree with the author’s premise that how people perceive you at work is just as important as the choices you make. A successful leader must function in a nuanced, ever changing environment full of personalities, egos and varying interests. How to succeed? To start, remember Naiman’s message: ”You are never finished getting off to a great start” and take action to learn how to conduct yourself in ways that help you get ahead.

The rules?

Tread lightly. Learn how to overcome your instincts to jump in and have an immediate impact. Instead, slowly integrate into an organization to lay a foundation for success.

Play nice with everyone. Understand where the influence in the organization rests. Note - it’s not always where you think!

Yield the floor. Don’t focus on “right” and “wrong.” Learn to incorporate a variety of factors before making a decision.

Listen between the lines. Be alert to feedback that may not come via your performance review.

Get over yourself. Don’t get too comfortable!

Blow your horn softly. Let others know what you have to offer without being labeled a blatant self-promoter.

Keep sight of the shore. Be mindful of the fine line between self-confidence and overconfidence.

The book is full of great advice, stories and action items to help you succeed in virtually any situation. It offers a plethora of common sense suggestions and ideas you may not have considered. For example:

- “Be careful your email messages are not too brief. “Brief can be synonymous with “brusque.”
- “Lower your voice and speak slowly and deliberately” to cue your body to relax in stressful situations.
- “Talking about others is an excellent way to go about self-promotion.”

This book’s common sense and useful information will help readers understand and implement approaches that will help them be better employees, better managers and more successful in their business and personal lives.

I promised that one lucky reader will win a copy of The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook. For your chance to win, share an idea or “rule” that you live by (or know you should live by) at work. What has helped you succeed? Or, share a story about how you (or a colleague) didn’t conduct yourself so well. No ideas yet? Feel free to write why you’d like to win this book! You don’t need to use your full name, but do be sure to include a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I’ll choose one commentator from comments on all of my blogs. Feel free to enter at each one:

Examiner.com
Keppie Careers
GreatPlaceJobs.com

I’ll draw a winner on Friday!