Harvey Mackay’s New Year’s Resolutions

In Harvey Mackay’s book, "Pushing The Envelope All The Way To The Top", he examines the role of leaders in today’s business world.  These resolutions are a way to be more successful in business and at home.

1. I will improve my listening skills.  I will remind myself that I can’t learn anything when I’m doing the talking.  I will abandon my phony “open door” policy and establish specific meetings and set aside specific times so that others can have real access to me.  I will break down barriers and I will try to end the “not invented here” syndrome and encourage the free flow of information across departmental and hierarchical lines.  I will answer my own phone – well, I will answer it more often.
2. I will improve my professional skills.  I will cease to be a pothole on the information highway.  I will not allow myself to become one of those old fuddy-duddies who brags about their inability to operate modern business equipment.  I will get up to speed in computers and communications equipment.  Nobody should enter the 21st century without being computer literate.
3. I will improve my reading skills.  Unfortunately, my reading ability has slowed down over the years and it is taking me longer to absorb less.  I will take a speed-reading course. Instead of reading what merely confirms my existing prejudices, I will search out material that introduces me to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
4. I will waste less time.  I will use my commuter time to read more or to listen to audiotapes that can help me improve my skills and broaden my understanding.
5. I will exercise regularly.  I will exercise regularly to the point where I become “positively addicted.”  I know exercise not only improves my health but helps me maintain a high level of performance on the job.
6. I will encourage risk-taking.  I know that more businesses fail from lack of boldness than from trying something new.  I will not punish or ridicule honest mistakes.  I love my work.  I want others to feel the same about theirs, so I will try to make my workplace a fun and exciting place to be, not just a paycheck.
7. I will put into practice a plan to become the sole source of supply to my largest customers.  The most important element of my plan is to treat my customers as though I were their most dedicated employee and consultant, ready to serve them in every way so they feel my company is practically a division of their company.
8. I will be committed to growing and improving every facet of our business.  I want every employee in my company to know we are open for hire eight days a week, 13 months a year.  I want them constantly to be on the lookout for good people to become a part of our team.
9. I will contribute to my community.  I will be a giver.  I will give money.  I will give time.  I will try to make a difference.  I want to help make the place I live become a better place for everyone.
10. I will not neglect my family in pursuit of the almighty dollar.  I will never forget that they do more to keep me on an even keel and bring more genuine happiness into my life than any business success I can ever achieve.  So Carol Ann, David and Virginia, Mimi and Larry, Jojo and Michael, make room for me.  I’m on my way home.

Harvey Mackay is the founder and president of Mackay Envelope Corp. in Minneapolis, MN.  He also is a popular inspirational author.  An article in The New York Times, August 24, 1996, listed "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie as number 7 on the list of best-selling motivational books of all time.  The article rated Mackay’s "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive" as number 10.
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It’s your first week on the job, and you are inundated with new names, faces, and responsibilities.  The most important of these names and faces belongs to your boss, and your most important responsibility is to please him or her.

The problem is that your boss, like most human beings, won’t always spell out precisely what is expected from you.  It’s up to you to determine this.  At a time when you’re still learning your official duties, and even when you’ve settled in, it can be a tricky task trying to figure out the list of tacit do’s and don’ts.

Well here it is, spelled out, 20 things your boss expects you to know but will probably never take the time or trouble to tell you.  Of course, all bosses have their pet peeves and individual ways of doing things.  These can be learned in time by watching and probing.  For those first hectic weeks, however this list will ensure that you start off on the right foot and stay there as you settle in.

Here’s the list.  Memorize it.  Apply it.

1. Don’t make excuses.  With rare exceptions, such as life and death crises, no boss hears or cares why something wasn’t done.  Get the job done and do it on time.
2. Don’t aim for perfection.  Getting the job done is more important than doing it perfectly, which can count against you if it interferes with your share of the workload.  This does not mean you can be careless or sloppy.
3. Doing more than is expected.  Doing only what is expected and no more puts you among the mass of expendable workers.  Take the initiative and follow up on your last job.  Bosses value people who do their work and look for more.
4. Anticipate problems.  Ask yourself what could go wrong.  When your responsibilities depend on assistance from others, make sure they know and understand what you’re requesting.  If the other person doesn’t follow through, you look inept with your explanation about John having promised to take care of it.  Make sure that you check up on whether the work has been done.  Remember that foul-ups, and unforeseeable failures by others, are a routine part of work life.
5. Handle problems yourself.  Solve whatever problems you can and try to anticipate problems before they happen.  If you lack the authority to handle the situation, come prepared with suggested solutions when you broach the problem.  Even though the boss may dismiss your solutions and use others, you’ll gain a reputation as a problem-solver.
6. Be punctual.  No amount of staying late makes up for your not being available when other people need help with their work.  Habitual lateness may result in your losing your job.
7. Take being at work seriously.  People quickly become aware of who makes an effort to be in regularly and who uses any excuse to take a day off.
8. Don’t be a squeaky wheel.  As a daily work style, this approach is self-defeating.  Don’t be seen as “here comes a problem,” or “here comes a complaint.”
9. Choose your battles carefully.  In deciding when to fight and when not to fight, here are questions to ask yourself: How much difference does this problem really make in my job life?  Is it permanent or transitory?  Is it worth possibly making an enemy or enemies?  And, most importantly, is there a realistic chance of winning?  Don’t be among the people who fling themselves into no-win job battles.  Ask yourself the questions above before doing something foolish.
10. Don’t hold a grudge.  You can’t win them all.  Even Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio, and Hank Aaron didn’t get hits about 65% of the time.  Expect to lose sometimes and you won’t squander your energy, the goodwill of your allies, and the patience of your boss by turning every issue into a personal crusade.
11. Deal with the decision-makers.  This is the best way to get action.  Dealing with people with less authority is usually a waste of time and effort.  Your most elaborate and impressive presentation often gets passed on to the real power in a watered-down version such as “Mark thinks we ought to change this procedure.”
12. Understand boss language.  “If it’s not too much trouble” means “Do it…and the sooner the better.”  “If I may make a small suggestion…” means “Do it this way.”  “I don’t want to rush you,” means “Hurry up.”
13. Learn what others are doing.  This is an essential often forgotten.  People get caught up doing their individual tasks and forget the big company picture.  The course of your career can be altered by keeping the overall picture in mind.  What were last year’s triumphs and failures for the organization?  What is being planned?  What are the organization’s major goals and fears?  How does your job relate with all that is going on?  Learn these things and you’ll know how and when to press for your goals.
14. Get along with co-workers.  No boss is interested in who is “right” in a co-worker squabble: all he or she knows is that internal battles mean less production.  To your boss, when you’re involved, you’re automatically wrong.  For this reason, be willing to make concessions for the sake of maintaining the peace.  This means sometimes letting others do it their way, even if you know your way is better and you can prove it.
15. Be discreet.  Never discuss organization business and people in detail or by name in public places where strangers can overhear.  Even in private, be discreet with outsiders about organization politics, problems, and business.
16. Develop a sense of timing.  Have the patience to wait for an appropriate occasion or situation.  Many factors – the boss’s mood, the success of your last project, the company’s latest quarterly earnings report – can make the difference between a yes and a no, a promotion and a dismissal.
17. Don’t lie.  Nothing is so serious that lying won’t make it worse.  If you’re caught in a lie, you lose your credibility, which can be harmful to your career.
18. Read industry publications.  It’s important to know what is going on in your industry, and trade publications will help keep you informed.  This exercise will also demonstrate you are interested in your job, your company, and the importance of professional trade news.
19. Get to know your peers.  Join and be active in one or more professional and trade organizations.  Contacts you make and information you glean will aid you on a personal level whenever you change jobs – while improving your status with your current boss.
20. Make no assumptions.  When you find yourself thinking or saying, “I never expected such behavior from her/him,” or conversely, “I’m so disappointed.  I was sure they would do it this way…” you know you’ve made the mistake of projecting your outlook concerning others’ behavior.  That’s a narrow, problem-generating attitude that irritates bosses.

In the end, it all comes down to the fact that just being good enough rarely is good enough today.  Once upon a time, perhaps it was the post-World War II baby boom during which you were born has changed all that.  Not only is there now an immense group of people in their 20’s and 30’s, but unprecedented national influence has made career training and college degrees commonplace.

As a result of this enormous pool of skilled workers, career competition is fierce, not only for baby boomers but for everyone at every age.  Under these competitive work place conditions good enough will never succeed.  Understanding how to satisfy your superiors by doing things without them having to ask will help propel you above the status of just another expendable worker.  By following these guidelines, you will be showing awareness and initiative that, if sustained, will surely be noticed.