Fast–Tracking Your Career – Soft Skills for Engineering and IT Professionals

<p>Foreword xiii<br /> Dr. Sorel Reisman</p>
<p>Guest Introduction i xv<br /> Dr. Simon Y. Liu</p>
<p>Guest Introduction ii xvii<br /> Dr. Arnold "Jay" Bragg</p>
<p>Guest Introduction iii xix<br /> Frank E. Ferrante</p>
<p>Preface xxi</p>
<p>Acknowledgments xxiii</p>
<p>About the Author xxv</p>
<p>Introduction and Summary 1</p>
<p>Engineers Are Potentially Better Positioned as Executives, 1</p>
<p>Categorization of Smart Soft Skills, 2</p>
<p>Rules for Mastering Smart Soft Skills, 3</p>
<p>Relationships among the Soft Skills, 8</p>
<p>PART ONE: Communications: The Absolutely Necessary</p>
<p>Chapter 1 Communications Smart 13</p>
<p>Rule 1: Being always ready for elevator pitches/speeches, 14</p>
<p>Rule 2: Mastering a presentation by mastering the onset, 16</p>
<p>Rule 3: Using three diagrams to simplify complexity, 18</p>
<p>Rule 4: Sizing up and resonating with the audience, 20</p>
<p>Rule 5: Being careful of careless comments, 23</p>
<p>Rule 6: Using plain language, 24</p>
<p>Rule 7: Using jokes and self–deprecating humor, 26</p>
<p>PART TWO: Dealing with People: The Essential</p>
<p>Chapter 2 People Smart 31</p>
<p>Rule 1: Getting accepted by accepting others fi rst, 32</p>
<p>Rule 2: Winning by understanding both ourselves and our counterparts, 34</p>
<p>Rule 3: Being aggressive by being nonaggressive, 36</p>
<p>Rule 4: Gaining by giving, 38</p>
<p>Rule 5: Successful networking by networking less, 41</p>
<p>Rule 6: Being heard by listening, 46</p>
<p>Chapter 3 Marketing Smart 49</p>
<p>Rule 1: Sizing up and resonating with our "customers", 51</p>
<p>Rule 2: Putting a positive spin on our "product", 53</p>
<p>Rule 3: Making a convincing presentation with a well–crafted presentation, 53</p>
<p>Rule 4: Inciting enthusiasm with enthusiasm, 54</p>
<p>A Marketing Role Model: Steve Jobs (and His Embodiment, Apple), 55</p>
<p>PART THREE: Dealing with the Self: The Basic</p>
<p>Chapter 4 Work Smart 59</p>
<p>Rule 1: Achieving outstanding results by not seeking perfection, 60</p>
<p>Rule 2: Avoiding blunders of overconfi dence, 62</p>
<p>Rule 3: Focusing on self–examination, not on blaming others, when things gone awry, 63</p>
<p>Chapter 5 Time Smart 65</p>
<p>Rule 1: Investing time with the same zeal as venture capitalists investing money, 66</p>
<p>Rule 2: Killing two birds with one stone, 68</p>
<p>Rule 3: Minding ROI, 70</p>
<p>Rule 4: Making nonproductive time productive, 71</p>
<p>Rule 5: Turning spare time into opportunities, 73</p>
<p>Rule 6: Keeping the mind sharp by taking catnaps, 74</p>
<p>Chapter 6 Career Smart 77</p>
<p>Rule 1: Opting to be a big fi sh in a small pond, 78</p>
<p>Rule 2: Hopping to a more opportune pond at opportune moments, 80</p>
<p>Rule 3: Never polishing a sneaker, 84</p>
<p>Rule 4: Making a good lasting impression by making a good first impression, 86</p>
<p>PART FOUR: Dealing with the Boss: Earning Trust and Recognition</p>
<p>Chapter 7 Job–Interview Smart 89</p>
<p>Rule 1: Being well prepared by collecting relevant information, 90</p>
<p>Rule 2: Putting a positive spin on our qualifi cations, 91</p>
<p>Rule 3: Preparing targeted elevator pitches/speeches, 91</p>
<p>Rule 4: Sizing up and resonating with the interviewer, 92</p>
<p>Rule 5: Winning interviewers confi dence in us by exhibiting confidence, 93</p>
<p>Rule 6: Avoiding gaffes by avoiding overconfi dence, 93</p>
<p>Stories of Failed Interviews, 93</p>
<p>A Successful Interview Story, 98</p>
<p>Chapter 8 Boss Smart 101</p>
<p>Rule 1: Winning trust by showing loyalty, 102</p>
<p>Rule 2: Gaining gratitude by sharing credit and taking blame, 104</p>
<p>Rule 3: Being astute by watching for nuances, 105</p>
<p>Rule 4: Being proactive and farsighted, 107</p>
<p>Rule 5: Showing enthusiasm for challenging assignments, 108</p>
<p>PART FIVE: Dealing with Staff: Inspiring Loyalty and Productivity</p>
<p>Chapter 9 Motivating Smart 111</p>
<p>Rule 1: Winning loyalty by being loyal, 112</p>
<p>Rule 2: Getting credit by not taking credit, 114</p>
<p>Rule 3: Motivating by complimenting, 115</p>
<p>Chapter 10 Delegating Smart 117</p>
<p>Rule 1: Getting more done by doing less, 118</p>
<p>Rule 2: Delegating successfully by matching tasks with staff, 119</p>
<p>Rule 3: Making controversial decisions by not making them, 122</p>
<p>PART SIX: Being Visionary: Leading to the C–Suite</p>
<p>Chapter 11 Beyond the Box 127</p>
<p>Rule 1: Examining the big picture to identify opportunities, 128</p>
<p>Rule 2: Forming a visionary plan, 131</p>
<p>Rule 3: Marketing the vision, 131</p>
<p>Successful Fast–Tracking Stories, 132</p>
<p>Final Thoughts 137</p>
<p>The Book′s Objective, 137</p>
<p>"Soft Skills" and "Rules" Outside the Scope of This Book, 137</p>
<p>High Achievers′ Soft Skills, 139</p>
<p>Personal Career Goals, 140</p>
<p>Appendix Tables for Principles, Strategies, and Rules 141</p>
<p>Table A.1 Principles and Strategies, 141</p>
<p>Table A.2 Communications Smart, 142</p>
<p>Table A.3 People Smart, 143</p>
<p>Table A.4 Marketing Smart, 144</p>
<p>Table A.5 Work Smart, 145</p>
<p>Table A.6 Time Smart, 146</p>
<p>Table A.7 Career Smart, 146</p>
<p>Table A.8 Job–Interview Smart, 147</p>
<p>Table A.9 Boss Smart, 148</p>
<p>Table A.10 Motivating Smart, 149</p>
<p>Table A.11 Delegating Smart, 149</p>
<p>Table A.12 Beyond the Box, 150</p>
<p>Abbreviations 151</p>
<p>Index 153</p>