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Career Warfare: 10 Rules for Building a Successful Personal Brand and Fighting to Keep It by D'Alessandro
In his signature, outspoken style, D'Alessandro offers concrete advice on building a reputation that commands respect, coping with office politics, and surviving the less-than-sane aspects of any organization. He explains why only 20 percent of the people in a given corporation are truly valuable to the organization, demonstrates the right way to polish the boss's image and prevent the boss from tarnishing the reader's, and provides valuable lessons in the etiquette of reputation building.
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First published January 1, 1955
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December 10, 2010There are'nt too many books on this theme so this book does deserve a higher rating than average. The language is quite informal and brief.
Some nuggets are
-You have to view your own actions in the same way that the people judging you will view them.
-Everyone has a natural tendency to make excuses for their behavior. Don’t make excuses for yours. People will decide who you are on the basis of the things you do.
-Don’t flatter yourself. You can’t build a good personal brand if you can’t see yourself as others see you.
-To get noticed, turn whatever particular qualities you offer into something that is of value to the higher-ups.
-When you are young, getting access to powerful people is the name of the game.
-You are also less likely to be fired or laid off if you are a hunter. That’s why there are so many obnoxious salespeople in the world who are retained even if their personality defects are numerous
-To quickly elevate your personal brand, make bold promises and deliver on them.
-You have to develop a reputation for leadership, because at some point your ability to do things yourself becomes meaningless. What counts is whether you can get other people to do them.
- It’s about the people, not the theory. Know what you don’t know.A reputation for fairness is must
-Do not develop a reputation for sycophancy. Do not allow yourself to be thought of as someone who is afraid to speak his or her mind. It will brand you as mediocre, and you will never rise high.
-The real question is whether or not you are smart enough to use them as well. And what you want to use them for is to develop a reputation as someone who is destined for higher things.
-Early in your career, experience is more valuable than money.
-family is a dangerous and inaccurate metaphor to use to describe that closeness which people develop working together. The right metaphor is military
-When you stop learning from your boss and your experience and stop adding to your reputation, it is probably time to move on. And if the organization is not willing to move you up, it’s time to move yourself out.
Some nuggets are
-You have to view your own actions in the same way that the people judging you will view them.
-Everyone has a natural tendency to make excuses for their behavior. Don’t make excuses for yours. People will decide who you are on the basis of the things you do.
-Don’t flatter yourself. You can’t build a good personal brand if you can’t see yourself as others see you.
-To get noticed, turn whatever particular qualities you offer into something that is of value to the higher-ups.
-When you are young, getting access to powerful people is the name of the game.
-You are also less likely to be fired or laid off if you are a hunter. That’s why there are so many obnoxious salespeople in the world who are retained even if their personality defects are numerous
-To quickly elevate your personal brand, make bold promises and deliver on them.
-You have to develop a reputation for leadership, because at some point your ability to do things yourself becomes meaningless. What counts is whether you can get other people to do them.
- It’s about the people, not the theory. Know what you don’t know.A reputation for fairness is must
-Do not develop a reputation for sycophancy. Do not allow yourself to be thought of as someone who is afraid to speak his or her mind. It will brand you as mediocre, and you will never rise high.
-The real question is whether or not you are smart enough to use them as well. And what you want to use them for is to develop a reputation as someone who is destined for higher things.
-Early in your career, experience is more valuable than money.
-family is a dangerous and inaccurate metaphor to use to describe that closeness which people develop working together. The right metaphor is military
-When you stop learning from your boss and your experience and stop adding to your reputation, it is probably time to move on. And if the organization is not willing to move you up, it’s time to move yourself out.
January 17, 2017
I am not sure what to rate this book. One one hand the author obviously knows what he is talking about since he dealt with all kinds of characters in a corporate world, from supervisors to top executives. On the other hand, seeing how I am pretty low on the food chain of corporate America, perhaps reinventing my image while I am young will help me for when I am older and have better job.
The author gives few examples on things he witnessed while he moved up from company to company on how people see you and how every move is being judged, scrutinized and measured against the standards that the company is trying to uphold. Some of the examples include what and how much you drink at corporate parties, when to move on to another job, when to ask for a promotion, how to act around your boss to show power without undermining theirs, how to talk to wives of executives, what to wear if one gets promoted (and are therefore considered big cheese of the company), how to deal with conflicts, when to stand up and be recognized, and plenty of other such examples.
Very little of these examples relate to me. I am not top dog, I don't talk to them in my company, I don't even see them. They expect my manager to report my work to them but I am not being given any chance to shine. This is one of those deals where I think I am worth more than what they pay me but it is also challenging to confront them on that ground as I am replaceable and don't have years of experience to cover my slip-ups. Little by little I will be recognized but not at this moment. The book somewhat helps me. Perhaps it will be more useful in five years or so.
This book is recommended to all those people who are managers and above in their company as it lays out how to protect your brand and not be a replaceable asset to them. For others, I will suggest this will be a dry read so you can skip it.
The author gives few examples on things he witnessed while he moved up from company to company on how people see you and how every move is being judged, scrutinized and measured against the standards that the company is trying to uphold. Some of the examples include what and how much you drink at corporate parties, when to move on to another job, when to ask for a promotion, how to act around your boss to show power without undermining theirs, how to talk to wives of executives, what to wear if one gets promoted (and are therefore considered big cheese of the company), how to deal with conflicts, when to stand up and be recognized, and plenty of other such examples.
Very little of these examples relate to me. I am not top dog, I don't talk to them in my company, I don't even see them. They expect my manager to report my work to them but I am not being given any chance to shine. This is one of those deals where I think I am worth more than what they pay me but it is also challenging to confront them on that ground as I am replaceable and don't have years of experience to cover my slip-ups. Little by little I will be recognized but not at this moment. The book somewhat helps me. Perhaps it will be more useful in five years or so.
This book is recommended to all those people who are managers and above in their company as it lays out how to protect your brand and not be a replaceable asset to them. For others, I will suggest this will be a dry read so you can skip it.
December 10, 2023
I’ve read my fair share of self-help books but this is my first soirée in career development literature. Being a new reader, it felt invigorating and empowering to get some (seasoned) perspective on how to approach and optimize my career.
Coming into my new job next month, I’m excited to use the tools mentioned in the book to jump into a new company with intention and actionable goals (that don’t simply equate to “how do I best do MY job?”).
Some chapters will resonate more than others depending on where you’re at in your career. For me, the later chapters talking about how to navigate publicity and bad press when you’re up there with the best of ‘em felt practically tone deaf since I’m far from that. But I can appreciate that the author who’s seen metaphoric mountain tops wants to give the reader full coverage of what to be prepared for at any point in their career.
If you’re hungry for it and want to make waves in a corporate setting, this book can be helpful to give you some ideas to think about when crafting your own professional persona.
Coming into my new job next month, I’m excited to use the tools mentioned in the book to jump into a new company with intention and actionable goals (that don’t simply equate to “how do I best do MY job?”).
Some chapters will resonate more than others depending on where you’re at in your career. For me, the later chapters talking about how to navigate publicity and bad press when you’re up there with the best of ‘em felt practically tone deaf since I’m far from that. But I can appreciate that the author who’s seen metaphoric mountain tops wants to give the reader full coverage of what to be prepared for at any point in their career.
If you’re hungry for it and want to make waves in a corporate setting, this book can be helpful to give you some ideas to think about when crafting your own professional persona.
April 24, 2012
Kind of embarrassing that I read this book (and Executive Warfare too), but I had to do something once I realized I was getting too flabby and soft.
I spent the past few years in a remarkably collegial environment and most of the seven years before that at Google, either in a relatively politics-free environment or under a boss that could shield me from nonsense. And I'm at a point in life where work is more sport than survival.
These days I find myself in an environment where there are some good people, but there is also a little bit more of an edge to personal encounters. So after sustaining a few hits I figured I should probably get my head back in the game.
About half of it is the normal keep-your-house-in-order stuff you always get in these kinds of books. That's kind of boring, and I find that the parts that are skimmed while saying "yeah yeah" are usually the parts that need to most careful study.
The thing I really like about this book is that Mr. D'Alessandro not only points out how unfair "organizational life" is, but he positively revels in it. Good stuff, but all that ambition makes me tired.
I spent the past few years in a remarkably collegial environment and most of the seven years before that at Google, either in a relatively politics-free environment or under a boss that could shield me from nonsense. And I'm at a point in life where work is more sport than survival.
These days I find myself in an environment where there are some good people, but there is also a little bit more of an edge to personal encounters. So after sustaining a few hits I figured I should probably get my head back in the game.
About half of it is the normal keep-your-house-in-order stuff you always get in these kinds of books. That's kind of boring, and I find that the parts that are skimmed while saying "yeah yeah" are usually the parts that need to most careful study.
The thing I really like about this book is that Mr. D'Alessandro not only points out how unfair "organizational life" is, but he positively revels in it. Good stuff, but all that ambition makes me tired.
March 29, 2013
A should-read book on office politics which will happen to you and around you whether you participate in politics or not.
February 1, 2019
Great book when you are starting your career. I read it after 10 years on corporate environment and have learnt these by my mistakes.
May 24, 2017
I think this book starts off strong, with a solid definition of personal brand and some worthwhile tips on building and maintaining that brand in a way that is sustainable and doesn't make you feel like a jerk. But as the book progressed, it became more and more problematic. Throwaway misogynistic comments about women, and combative suggestions regarding how and when it is appropriate to destroy someone's career abound. It all comes to a head in the second to last chapter, which is all about how to handle the press. I didn't read much of this chapter, to be honest, as I am not planning to be the CEO of a major organization in my future, and it's unlikely very many people reading this book have a C in their futures either. Dealing with the press is not likely to be a scenario I need 20+ pages of advice about.
Eventually this book descends into name-dropping and self-congratulatory personal stories that almost certainly humiliated the people they were about in the real world. Even his embarrassing stories of personal failure come across like a bitter uncle, slightly drunk, telling you about all the many ways he absolutely learned his lessons for good, the first time, without repeated failures.
David D'Alessandro is clearly a very intelligent man with a wonderfully readable writing style and a TON of experience and wisdom to share. But I would hardly want this book to be the Bible by which young men and women build their careers today. Maybe things are different in the marketing and life insurance world, but all observation of current trends in organizational structure and promotion show that D'Alessandro's corporate vision is on the way out.
Eventually this book descends into name-dropping and self-congratulatory personal stories that almost certainly humiliated the people they were about in the real world. Even his embarrassing stories of personal failure come across like a bitter uncle, slightly drunk, telling you about all the many ways he absolutely learned his lessons for good, the first time, without repeated failures.
David D'Alessandro is clearly a very intelligent man with a wonderfully readable writing style and a TON of experience and wisdom to share. But I would hardly want this book to be the Bible by which young men and women build their careers today. Maybe things are different in the marketing and life insurance world, but all observation of current trends in organizational structure and promotion show that D'Alessandro's corporate vision is on the way out.
January 20, 2022
“Every day of your working life, you are selling yourself through the things you do, the words you choose, the way your treat people, and the way you look. But you are not just making an argument for yourself- you are also engaged in an act of self-creation. You are constructing the person who will someday be thought of and remembered as a supremely successful human being - or not.” P. 207-208
Excellent, straightforward book for those looking to climb the corporate ladder or just build a well-developed personal brand. I love all the ‘don’t do’ lessons from experience- as slightly dated as this book is, it is at least vulnerable in that way. It is the closest we’ll get to getting inside of our boss’s head. Early career and mid- careers can definitely benefit from the candidness. Though many workplaces have different cultures, the points that speak to decorum are universal.
Excellent, straightforward book for those looking to climb the corporate ladder or just build a well-developed personal brand. I love all the ‘don’t do’ lessons from experience- as slightly dated as this book is, it is at least vulnerable in that way. It is the closest we’ll get to getting inside of our boss’s head. Early career and mid- careers can definitely benefit from the candidness. Though many workplaces have different cultures, the points that speak to decorum are universal.
October 2, 2023
this book was suggested to me by my mentor ( who usually doesnt recommend books). It was worth the read. This is one of the most practical books i have read on career management. It goes into details on how things work in corporate world. Dives into the aspect of human psychology to make you understand how some decisions are made. I have committed some mistakes that this book asks not to do and the consequences, not good.
I would recommend new college graduates to definitely read this book before starting their jobs. It is relevant to all the fields of work.
I would recommend new college graduates to definitely read this book before starting their jobs. It is relevant to all the fields of work.
November 28, 2023
I think this book deserves 5 stars. I have read multiple career oriented books but this is the first one that talks about raw realities and politics of office.
You really have to fight for your career, become visible in organization, find ways to create interactive conversations with execs. Although some of his approach may be outdated in iphone age but the objectives still are the same.
I would recommend this book to young professionals that can learn the ropes sooner rather than getting into a mid career crisis and realize why they are stuck.
You really have to fight for your career, become visible in organization, find ways to create interactive conversations with execs. Although some of his approach may be outdated in iphone age but the objectives still are the same.
I would recommend this book to young professionals that can learn the ropes sooner rather than getting into a mid career crisis and realize why they are stuck.
January 2, 2022
Career Warfare is D'Alessandro's spitefully attempt to get even with everyone who ever looked at him the wrong way during his life.
With that said, i'm giving it two stars:
1 Star because it's good to know the sickness and depravity that runs rampant within the upper-leadership ranks of publicly traded companies.
1 Star because it illustrates that if someone with the emotional maturity of a 12-year old boy can rise to CEO of a massive financial company, then you can too.
With that said, i'm giving it two stars:
1 Star because it's good to know the sickness and depravity that runs rampant within the upper-leadership ranks of publicly traded companies.
1 Star because it illustrates that if someone with the emotional maturity of a 12-year old boy can rise to CEO of a massive financial company, then you can too.
March 28, 2020
I found this book extremely useful as it helped me to analyze my current career situation and take a couple of decisions. Of course, it´s not that without any movement this knowledge will help you to get over, but it will safe my and my brand from taking wrong directions from now on. Some advice from this book I wish I had read 5-6 years ago...
August 2, 2020
Не рассматривал свою карьеру, как личный бренд. А это действительно как мне показалось хороший подход.
80% книги мне не совсем подошло, так как она для тех кто работает в компаниях и корпорациях и желательно на более высших ступенях.
Если вы предприниматель или фрилансер, она скорее всего не для вас.
80% книги мне не совсем подошло, так как она для тех кто работает в компаниях и корпорациях и желательно на более высших ступенях.
Если вы предприниматель или фрилансер, она скорее всего не для вас.
January 16, 2022
1. Your every single behavior is building people's perceptions on you.
2. Win trust, that's the most important thing in doing business.
3. Understand who has the power and who can decide. Execute even if you don't agree because only people who have the most power can decide.
4. It's like a military, you have to take the order, execute with no drama, make the boss looks good.
5. Don't waste time in a place your profile is not perceived to be at the top. If they prefer Ph.D./MBA, white male in leadership positions but you are a humble undergrad, female Asian, recognize you will have a hard time fighting for what you deserve
6. People think about themselves a lot more than themselves. To build trust or influence, tell what's in there for them.
7. Your boss is not in the interest of helping you to outpace his career. You have to win trust to have him help you. Threatening his authority or speaking negatively about him is a highly risky move
8. You want to build a reputation among people who has the power to decide who got promoted. As promotion is not decided by what you did, it's all about whether they can trust you to consistently deliver on what they need you to
9. "unfair" is the worst thing probably for a manager.
10. You need to understand how people perceive you in order to build a good brand. You are being judged on every single move.
2. Win trust, that's the most important thing in doing business.
3. Understand who has the power and who can decide. Execute even if you don't agree because only people who have the most power can decide.
4. It's like a military, you have to take the order, execute with no drama, make the boss looks good.
5. Don't waste time in a place your profile is not perceived to be at the top. If they prefer Ph.D./MBA, white male in leadership positions but you are a humble undergrad, female Asian, recognize you will have a hard time fighting for what you deserve
6. People think about themselves a lot more than themselves. To build trust or influence, tell what's in there for them.
7. Your boss is not in the interest of helping you to outpace his career. You have to win trust to have him help you. Threatening his authority or speaking negatively about him is a highly risky move
8. You want to build a reputation among people who has the power to decide who got promoted. As promotion is not decided by what you did, it's all about whether they can trust you to consistently deliver on what they need you to
9. "unfair" is the worst thing probably for a manager.
10. You need to understand how people perceive you in order to build a good brand. You are being judged on every single move.
January 18, 2023
An interesting read on building your brand. I thought there was some sound advice based on the author’s own experience. According to the author, if the book were to be condensed into one line it would be, “Be conscious every day of what you are building.” A great motto in or out of the workplace. This book is a great reference worth revisiting.
November 2, 2025
I read this for work, and I found it somewhat helpful, although a bit dated. Some of the language that D'Alessandro uses and the examples that he chooses aren't really appropriate/acceptable in 2025. Still, there's some really good advice in here and the book is great to discuss in a professional context.
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November 13, 2017
This book is a 100% necessity for anyone looking to get into business. It teaches valuable lessons about how to care for your brand as well as his own personal experience to work from. Read this book if you wish to become successful in the business world. You will not regret it.
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August 8, 2020Loved it! Simple, easy ways to build your brand
October 14, 2020
I rarely give only one star. I found this book so misogynistic that I was disappointed I had to read it for a work class.
October 11, 2023
This was required reading for a book club at work and I was surprised by how practical and useful it was.
May 31, 2025
2.5/5 stars
thx dad 😄👍
thx dad 😄👍
December 27, 2022
Somewhat obvious advice on how to be a careerist. E.g., don't be an asshole, don't drink too much at company functions, don't disrespect people, manage up appropriately, etc. It's not terrible -- a good read for early and mid-career folks. Surprisingly up-to-date with progressive mores (e.g., the author is clear that bigots shouldn't bring their bigotry to work).
March 13, 2017
Provides real insights about the workplace. Though not always pretty, it is better to be aware about situations shared in this book.
February 1, 2016
The book was ok, but not really what I was after. I was looking at a different book about personal brand building, and in the reviews for that book this one was suggested as being better.
The book does contain some useful information, but it is aimed primarily at senior managers, with some parts exclusively for C-level executives (e.g. dealing with bad press). The book also assumes you work for a large multi-national corporation. It isn't really aimed at those seeking to get into management, or junior managers, of a small to mid-sized company. That means that the intended audience of this book is very small; it could have been better written to serve the needs of lower-level aspiring leaders.
The book does contain some useful information, but it is aimed primarily at senior managers, with some parts exclusively for C-level executives (e.g. dealing with bad press). The book also assumes you work for a large multi-national corporation. It isn't really aimed at those seeking to get into management, or junior managers, of a small to mid-sized company. That means that the intended audience of this book is very small; it could have been better written to serve the needs of lower-level aspiring leaders.
May 14, 2015
This was a terrific book. It is told in a straight forward, in your face style without apologies or excuses. Some of it is tough to hear but all of the book is worthwhile. The author explains in very forthcoming manner what to do what not to and why. He covers the mistakes he has made and the comes as they apply to building a personal brand. He covers every type of person one meets during a career and that career may be anywhere. I have meet these people all along my many career paths in all endeavors from work to volunteer activities. This book should be required reading in every business course in the world.
June 30, 2009
This book should be given to all college graduates and MBA's who are entering the world of business. D'Alessandro, former CEO of John Hancock, describes 10 rules that if followed will help to accelerate the careers of business people. Book is filled with advice on how to avoid the many unwritten potholes that can end or sidetrack one's career. Easy read with many examples. Even though I have worked in business for 20 years & received an MBA from one of the top business schools, I learned a tremendous amount from this book.
April 8, 2009
It was interesting to read the thoughts of this CEO on how to build your brand and stand out from the pack. I agree with most of the points that he raises. Many of them seem to be common sense, but aren't so common in the workplace.
I really liked the last chapter where he gave a really good summary of some important points in just a few pages. I also like that he summed up the book for us in just one sentence: "Be conscious every day of what you are building."
I really liked the last chapter where he gave a really good summary of some important points in just a few pages. I also like that he summed up the book for us in just one sentence: "Be conscious every day of what you are building."
July 26, 2012
I never would have picked up this book based on the name but it was recommended to me and I'm glad I did. The author has a ton of great stories from his adventures in the "vertical village" and his advice really boils down to don't do anything you don't want on the TV news and be considerate, i.e. don't be a jerk. Good advice and entertainingly illustrated with anecdotes.
May 30, 2013
I can't say this book is something outstanding. But it covers quite wide number of topics related to corporate life.
I would say "Career Warfare" is a list of good advices from guy who reached the top.
If you don't have a mentor or friends in top management circles, you probably would need to read this book to avoid numerous pitfalls on your career path.
I would say "Career Warfare" is a list of good advices from guy who reached the top.
If you don't have a mentor or friends in top management circles, you probably would need to read this book to avoid numerous pitfalls on your career path.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews