Admired: 21 Ways to Double Your Value

by Mark C. Thompson, Bonita S. Thompson

You deserve to be valued, respected, and admired for what matters to you. Here are twenty-one ways to make it happen.

“Imagine how it would feel to be fully valued for what you do best. What if your boss, your customers, and your family really appreciated what you have to offer? How proud would you be if your organization won the top spot among Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Admired Companies?’ What if Jim Collins rated you a ‘Level 5 leader?’

In this book, you’ll find 21 simple and powerful strategies that will help you become more valued in a crowded and competitive world—not in a superficial way or just for its own sake—but for what matters most to you and to the most valuable people (MVPs) in your life and work.”– From the Foreword by Frances Hesselbein and Marshall Goldsmith

Genres: Business, Leadership, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Psychology

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Mark C. Thompson is CEO and cofounder of Virgin Unite Mentors, Sir Richard Branson's network for executive coaching and entrepreneurial innovation. A leadership coach, bestselling author, venture capitalist and Tony-nominated Broadway producer.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Avoid. The authors strech 20 pages of substance into a 240-page book. The advice is commonsensical and of minimal use to anyone who has worked for longer than 18 months and understands that some expectations are never spelled out in the workplace.

Publishers need to quit selling magazine articles in the guise of books. You can get the same information here from articles in Inc., Fast Company, Entrepreneur, or Forbes - magazines that you can subscribe to for $12/year, or the approximate price of Admired. You can be reasonably certain that such articles are written by people who actually work for a living and don't spend their time name-dropping famous friends in vacuous self-help books, too.

I give Admired two stars because it kept my attention on the train the morning that I skimmed it. The writing is brisk. At least the copy editor had some skills.

General rule - business and work advice is best dispensed by people who make a living in your field, not from perpetually upbeat consultants and self-professed multimillionaires.

Or, you can take my advice for free: Double your value by making yourself indispensable. Learn your job from the bottom up. Don't be the guy who wants to schedule meetings all the time. Be the guy who wants to solve problems on his own unless they are too big to handle. Don't ask for recognition like a punk. Be modest. Respect everyone.

You're welcome.

[Mikal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book that *has* to be better read. Much of the book was a series of lists. 1. do this, 2. do that 3. do this also 4. do that also etc.

It was particularly confusing that the lists picked up after long stretches of text. For example after an extended story and midway through a chapter you might hear something that sounds like "Number seven [idea]". This left me utterly confused about where I was at any point in time.

I've read and listened to other books in this category and this is one of the weaker ones. I instead recommend, what got you here won't get you there. Or "Leadership Therapy"

[Marcella Columbus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better, but I did get some practical tips on how to build more value in my team at work 👍🏼

[Eric Beaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another one of those books I was "caught in the middle of" while reading several books at the same time; definitely not a habit I recommend. I finally finished this book a year after purchasing it at my local library book sale and 2 months after initially starting it. This book is a real gem for ideas on how to look at the way not only your customers/fans/tribe perceive value but the way YOU perceive value as well. After all, if what you're doing isn't valuable to you, how can you expect it to be valuable to others?

Some chapters I highly recommend should you decide to skim over it in bookstores are:

- Chapter 5: The Law of Distraction
- Chapter 6: The Passion Trap
- Chapter 11: Develop, Tool #6: "Invest in Yourself"
- Chapter 11: Develop, Tool #8: "Be Misunderstood"
- Chapter 12: Measure, Tool #9: "Reinvent Your Goals"
- Chapter 13: Innovate, Tool #12: "Help Them Invent It"
- Chapter 14: Recruit, Tool #17: "Get Someone Else Ready"
- Chapter 15: Excite, Tool #21: "What's Your Story?"

And the list could go on. This book reminds me of the new marketing strategies of marketing guru Seth Godin in that it lists many ideas which create that "aha" moment for modern-day, technology-laden audiences that you just can't get from traditional marketing strategies. The last tool listed above has some great ideas along this Seth Godin-esque route that relates to adding value through your own unique story, and it's a great complement to Austin Kleon's "Show Your Work," a book I also highly recommend.

A personal pet peeve in this book is the font/format used. The main text is a very condensed, type-writer style font that doesn't lend to fluid reading in my experience; perhaps one of the reasons it took me so long to finish it. Not to mention the double-spaced formatting that was also annoying. I wasn't inclined to straining my eyes and constantly back tracking in order to read a book so I guess subconsciously I took my time on it.

Bottom line: If you're lost for ideas on how to add not only value but new life to your products, this is definitely a book I would suggest you consider.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be very valuable. The authors provide detailed examples on ways we can all be better colleagues, friends, spouses, and on and on. I appreciated the leadership examples, latest research from Gallup polls, and even tips on improving interview questions to hire the right person for your team. For example, why would you ask someone a hypothetical question in an interview? Instead ask about a time they demonstrated their ability. At its core, the book reintroduces us to the idealistic goals we all had at one point and asks, "Why not?" Why can't we do more good? In addition to the book, I recommend the authors' blog and website. I am adding them to my list of motivational speakers I would most like to meet in person. I'll end with this--I believe this book demonstrates true thought leadership and is a must-read for anyone even thinking about a leadership role.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It's practical, easy-to-digest and relevant for anyone interested in being of more value to others. The chapters are fairly short and chock-full of actionable ideas so you're not left theorizing about insights. I wish I had purchased a print version (and may still go get one) since it's one of those books that you want to dog-ear, takes hand-written notes in and just have at your fingertips when you need some quick guidance.

[Perry Mumme · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for those wanting to increase their personal stature within their organization. It provides various ideas on ways to improve your business and personal skills and thereby gain the respect of those around you (your MVPs.) Each chapter ends with a worksheet of ways to start to put into practice what you have read.

[Sean Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit of a snooze. Authors have some good credentials. I enjoyed the name-dropping. Steve Jobs makes an appearance in a side-bar: he made fun of the author's MP3 player. This became a management lesson. You have been warned.

[Kurt Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good points.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me several tries to get through this book, succeeding finally while on bed rest for injury and lacking anything else to do. Perhaps more helpful for someone in a management position.

[Moroni Montoya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tips to understand your most important players or MVPs. What to focus on to be admired by your MVPs. Easy narrative. Recommended

[Rodion Krivoshein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Threat your real MVPs with care if you want to succeed in life.

[Willy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book, that teaches you how to treat the people that matters to you most better (MVP's).