Career Advice 2008

Career advice ’08 An overview of the important lessons found in Dan Pink’s latest book. A presentation (of sorts) by Garr Reynolds. Concerned about your professional future? Need some guidance? ook is b Th elp! an h c Six Career Lessons From Dan Pink Garr Reynolds presents an overview of Dan Pink’s latest book (with some expanded material thrown in). Garr Reynolds presentation by Introduction ! ...um... Hi! I’m Garr! I live here. I live here. ! In N APA J ! Let me tell you about a very cool book by Daniel H. Pink. Let me tell you about a very cool book by Daniel H. Pink. Dan! m all hi C Here it is Not actual size. Actual size. Have you read Dan’s other books? Have you read Dan’s other books? Not actual size. Have you read Dan’s other books? Actual size. Have you read Dan’s other books? T ’re a hey ome! wes Actual size. I spent the day with Dan once in Japan. Here’s a map of Japan (just in case...). Dan’s a smart guy. And a generous guy too. ooks y who l u k Some g Dan Pin like ort of s k Dan Pin Dan’s a smart guy. And a generous guy too. wait— ... ’s me that ooks y who l u k Some g Dan Pin like ort of s k Dan Pin Dan gave a great prezo to my biz students! Dan gave a great prezo to my biz students! Dan’s a kicka ss presenter ! Dan’s new book is fantastic! Buy one for yourself and every student you know who graduates this year. Dan’s new book is fantastic! Buy one for yourself and every student you know who graduates this year. sly — u erio S now! it get I read the book over lunch in Osaka...see? YUM! (You gonna eat that?) Anyway... As you can see, it’s presented in Manga style. Very cool and effective! This is Johnny Bunko, the main character. John ny This is Diana,the “career advisor.” Diana Here’s my summary of the key lessons from Johnny Bunko by Dan Pink. Here’s my summary of the key lessons from Johnny Bunko by Dan Pink. of little a dded Ia o spin t n ... my ow e tips h e of t som The context Question: Is this you? Basically a good person. Lis ten you ed rp to are nts . Took all the advice... Followed conventional wisdom... Studied hard. Did what you were supposed to do... You got a decent job! You got a decent job! ! , Jack s e shoe Nic  e you’r ...and w ! rd a h ng ki or BUT! BUT! BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT... BUT! You’re not satisfied... In fact... You’re beginning to wonder: Was ever wron yone g? Time to rethink “conventional wisdom” Six Career Lessons From Dan Pink Time to rethink “conventional wisdom” Six Career Lessons From Dan Pink Wish I kne w thi 20 ye s ars a go! Time to rethink “conventional wisdom” n , it’s Man ! late too ever Six Career Lessons From Dan Pink Wish I kne w thi 20 ye s ars a go! Lesson 1 There is no plan. 1 ? Does this sound familiar? Pay y our d ues Ge Suck it sy bu t up Up you g o! he t ot an! g t ’ve , S I an pl Problem is... You can’t map it all out. Your career path. You can’t map it all out. lly t it usua bu can try, u you Well, yo the way out n’t work does it. planned Your career path. You can’t map it all out. nd remi path r aree t c ng... i Tha meth o of s me s  Your career path. Your career path may look like this Think of it this way... A plan is like a path. A plan is like a path. wait— sm that’ e... G so show reat, e path me th ! A plan is like a path. wait— sm that’ e... G so show reat, e path me th ! t y no a ou m .. y . but K, wer s O e an h ike t l The path is.. The path is.. there is no path ! h ’o D wait— sm that’ e... ould u sh y yo Funn oh.” on “d enti m The way (doh) but there is a way. There is no set path... The key to the way? Make smart choices u let st t ’t jus n t. Do igh pen... R ap mly h rando ff Two types of reasons for your career choices: Two types of reasons for your career choices Instrumental reasons Fundamental reasons Two types of reasons for your career choices Instrumental reasons Fundamental reasons ren he diffe t What’s ce? Instrumental reasons Because you think (hope?) it will lead to something else whether you enjoy it or not. Fundamental reasons Because you think it is inherently valuable (regardless of what it may lead to). Most successful people make decisions for Fundamental reasons. e of th ll not a ys e. an sa e tim h .D t of t Right os but m time, Sounds foolish? Enlightened Pragmatists Think: Example: Steve Jobs Huh? Huh? Be h me t ar wi ond... a sec Huh? Be h me t ar wi ond... a sec Goog le St eve J at St obs’ s anfor peech d ‘05 “None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. Steve Jobs on studying calligraphy and learning about typography as a college student. ” Steve Jobs on the path: (connecting the dots) “You can’t connect the dots looking forward... —Steve Jobs ” “...you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever...it has made all the difference in my life. ” —Steve Jobs There is no plan. 1 Discussion Lesson 2 Think strengths not weaknesses. 2 Conventional wisdom: Focus where you are to make sure your weaknesses don’t hold you back. weak BUT! capitalizing on what they are good at. Based on research by Martin Seligman and Marcus Buckingham Successful people do not work so much on what they are bad at, they focus on Identify what you are good at and make *that* insanely great. Who wants to be mediocre? Your Passion Your Strengths Your “remarkable” (Your “insanely great”) remarkable. Find your ru gu ... ng say ti ke uld ar s m in wo A od G th Se Seth Godin action figure purple cow. Find your moooo e panes ks Ja a ! w spe kable co r , that Rema . Hey urple p * it’s *and Bottom line is... You are not “average” So just remember... Y hs! ngt tre rs ou on cus fo Think strengths not weaknesses. 2 Discussion Lesson 3 It’s not about you. 3 It’s about adding value. It’s about helping the client. using your strengths and talents in the service of others. e.g., helping your customer totally kick-ass! It’s about Improving your own life by improving the lives of others. e.g., helping your team in ways they didn’t even know possible. Your Passion Your Strengths What the world needs Your mission? Use your strengths, do what you love... And do work worth paying for that solves a problem or helps others. Use your strengths, do what you love... And do work worth paying for that solves a problem or helps others. Solar b at rka ? Rema tery ble! It’s not about you. 3 Discussion Lesson 4 Persistence trumps talent. 4 Yes, talent is important ... (which is why you must identify your strengths). But talent alone will not get it done. d people e ith talent is filled w he world T gave up... rsist, who e o didn’t p wh d people e ith talent is filled w he world T gave up... rsist, who e o didn’t p wh ...and were passed by pe ople with les talent but w s ith more grit and persiste nce. en pres t.pp t Continuous improvement . Think: Continuous improvement (Kaizen) Even small improvements matter... Step by step... Keep moving forward How are you motivated? Motivation Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic The more intrinsic motivation you have, the more you are likely to persist. The more you persist, the more likely you are to succeed. Kaizen Persistence trumps talent. 4 Discussion Lesson 5 Mistakes. 5 Make excellent istakes, m our m arn fro e le ore from If w even m we learn en can’t takes? th ent) mis (excell our big istakes, m our m arn fro e le ore from If w even m we learn en can’t takes? th ent) mis (excell our big ss ing carele alk es” e’re not t ...w e “mistak th here, but and blunders ought big th when you you made ce. ok a chan to en pres t.pp t istakes, m our m arn fro e le ore from If w even m we learn en can’t takes? th ent) mis (excell our big ss ing carele alk es” e’re not t ...w e “mistak th here, but and blunders ought big th when you you made ce. ok a chan to en pres t.pp t No pain, n o gain! So, why not... Think “ The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. —Michelangelo ” to be pared ot pre u’re n If yo come never you’ll rong, w ginal. ing ori anyth with up binson —Sir Ken R o Take a chance Mistakes. 5 Discussion Make excellent Lesson 6 imprint. 6 Leave an When you get older, you may have some questions... Questions you’ll be asking Did I make a difference? Did I contribute? Did I matter? Problem is... Most people get toward the end of their lives and they don’t like their answers. “ Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. — Sydney J. Harris ” for a anet is pl on th e’re e... W t tim shor very hy n W ke a t ma o ce? feren dif Why not make a contribution? on, uti trib ” con ut s… bo bi ea ar r jo ou We “ hat ’s w er hat in Zand t m Benj — a octor, wyer, d hter, la firefig r, erson, Teache ness p mer, r, busi worke rogram social ntist, p r, scie on.... eu n, and repren ent , and o and on igner, des We all want to make a contribution. (Otherwise, why get out of bed?) No matter what your career path looks like... ake M in t dent a erse. univ he imprint. 6 Discussion Leave an Review There you have it. That’s some of the key points in Dan Pink’s latest book. There you have it. That’s some of the key points in Dan Pink’s latest book. ew... revi Let’s pla n . re i s n o he esses . •T we a k n h s, n ot st re n g t Thi nk • t yo u . ot a b o u • It’s n t a le nt. r u mps te n c e t • Pe rs is t a ke s . nt m is exc e l le • Ma ke p r i nt. ve a n i m • Le a One more thought... You spent so much on your education... ou y re ta bu d? re pa re p You spent so much on your education... For the price of a few of these... ...you can get this creat ive and important book by Dan Pi nk $15 $100,000 t dy spen rea w ou’ve al Y t’s a fe ha much, w this s? e dollar mor Six Career Lessons From Dan Pink This was an overview by Garr Reynolds of Dan Pink’s latest book (with some extra stuff thrown in). Garr Reynolds presentation by Got any more? ? Got any more tip s you’d to add like to the l ist of s ix? Garr Reynolds presentation by Links www.danpink.com www.johnnybunko.com Links www.danpink.com www.johnnybunko.com o: bsite to e ut my W ko nd chec zen.com A tation presen www.