Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen Paperback by David Novak Read Free Book Online Page A

be.”
    I loved that analogy because it reminded me that business is always a work in progress. It also got me thinking about what makes a great painting. A great painting, a masterpiece, is a one-of-a-kind that’s like nothing else on earth.
    When you think about it, you’re like that too. No one has your DNA. No one is like you. The best leaders are the ones who understand that they are like no one else, that they have a unique set of strengths and weaknesses, interests and knowledge, and that they are always going to be a work in progress.
HOW TO BE YOURSELF
    I was talking about this subject in my Taking People with You program one time, and someone said to me, “Hey, it’s easy for you to be yourself. You’re the CEO. You can be whatever you want to be and people have to adjust to you. But how do
I
do it?” It was a good question. It’s true that it’s easier for me at this stage of my career, but I wasn’t always the CEO. Looking back over my career, there have been numerous times when I wanted to get to the next level and I had to decide what I needed to do and who I needed to be to get there. I always fell back on the idea that I needed to be me and build on that, rather than trying to be someone I’m not. It’s a good thing to think about as your career progresses. Here aresome ways to help you be yourself no matter where you are in your career:
You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.
    — JOHN L. MASON, AUTHOR
  
Have Conviction:
Being yourself is the only way to be. Acknowledge that it’s key to building trust and credibility with others.
  
Know Your Stuff:
There is no substitute for time and experience. Building your know-how will give you confidence.
  
Know Your Environment:
Being yourself does not mean ignoring the impact you’re having on the people around you. Remember the example of Indra Nooyi: In business, you have to be yourself while also being compatible with your company’s culture.
  
Build Self-Awareness:
Constantly solicit feedback so you know how you’re impacting others. Ask people what they would do if they were in your position.
  
Be Open and Honest About What You Don’t Know:
It’s amazing how liberating it is to do this and how much more people will get behind you if you do. It builds trust and gives people a chance to contribute their own knowledge.
  
Use Positive Self-Talk and Positive Thought:
Reminding yourself of your strengths and your accomplishments will help you to believe that you can succeed. When the dragons of self-doubt come creeping in is a great time to look back at your lifeline to remember how far you’ve come while being careful not to get mired in negative things of the past. We all need to realize that our outlook on life affects how we act toward people and situations in our daily lives, so tune in to your thoughts and make them as positive as possible. Try it for yourself and you’ll see: it’s impossible to be thinking positive things and feeling negatively at the same time!
  
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone:
Use your unique gifts and keep pushing the boundaries of your potential. Mark Chu, now the president of Yum! China, started out as a McDonald’s restaurant general manager. He’s a dynamic and humorous speaker in hisnative language but barely spoke English when I first met him in 1997. Now he presents in English to our board of directors and can crack a joke with the best of them. You never know what you’re capable of. By the way, the only Chinese I know is
ni-hao
(hi),
xie-xie
(thank you), and
duo-kai-yi-xie
(build more!).
    Another thing people always ask me is, “How can you be yourself when you disagree with your boss?” to which I say, “Team together, team apart.” By this I mean that when you’re together with your team, always have the courage to express your point of view (team together). That’s what teaming up is all about, and you’ll be able to sleep better knowing you spoke up. If your boss decides to