Working Smart: A Blueprint for Success in the Corporate Workplace

by Addons Wu

How do you become smarter and more successful in the workplace? How do you plan your career and position yourself for a job promotion? In this book, you will find many practical, real-life examples that answer the above questions. It will show you how to work smart, but more importantly, it aims to lead you toward a more satisfying and joyful life. By becoming more effective at work, you also increase your ability to connect with your family and devote energy to what is most important to you. Working smart is about creating favorable situations – essentially setting up the stage so you show up at the right place, at the right time, and with the right people supporting you. You want this to occur more frequently to you than to others. You need to actively cultivate these favorable situations, instead of waiting for luck to come. This is the basis for the Blueprint for Success as depicted in this book for achieving success in the corporate workplace. The Blueprint for Success contains four 1. Developing a professional Nurturing the right professional attitude is the foundation to success in the corporate workplace. The other three components build on top of this. 2. Preparing for Get ready to seize opportunities when they come your way. The right time can happen at any moment, when you least expect it. 3. Adapting to workplace Increase the odds that you are at the right place at the right time. Increase the chances that decision makers think of you when opportunities arise. 4. Building Surround yourself with the right people you can count on, and actively maintain these connections. Connect with your bosses, influence your peers, and lead your subordinates.

220 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2014

Reviews

[Vince Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over a long and accomplished career, my father held leadership positions at major Fortune companies. He set up global teams across continents, working out of many different countries including China. I’m proud of what he achieved, and still a little amazed he found the time and energy to publish something on top of everything else he was doing as he neared retirement.

If someone asked me for advice on how to succeed in a corporate work environment, I'd probably start by saying that it's useful to distinguish between two buckets: (A) things shaped by forces bigger than you, and (B) things you can influence directly...

A: The bigger forces
(1) The industry / market / company you choose. Being in a fast-growing space likely has an outsized effect on your path. Momentum does a lot of heavy lifting. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has a famous saying “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.”
(2) Your manager / team. When you’re surrounded by supportive people, everything compounds faster. You learn more quickly and your impact scales because almost everything meaningful requires a team.
(3) Learn the “rules of the game” of your company and industry, and have a clear-eyed view of how you truly fit in to the bigger picture. That is, the public narrative inside any company can be warm and inspiring, but that isn’t the same thing as understanding where you actually stand.

You can attempt to steer some of this, but a good amount of this is what people call "luck"!

B: The things you can more directly shape
(1) Being genuinely good at what you do and focusing on delivering real impact. It helps if you enjoy the work so the effort feels natural rather than forced.
(2) Communicating your impact. Being visible, especially to leaders, matters. Clear writing and effective presentation skills open a lot of doors.
(3) Knowing yourself. Everyone has gaps, especially leaders, but the key is understanding your strengths and finding a role that leans into them. The right fit can make you seem like a genius (and vice versa).

That said, I wonder if any of my advice will stand the test of time. What specific recommendations will still be useful to my kids 15-20 years from now when they enter the workforce, considering the rapid pace of change? Will they find much of the above outdated? What about attitudes I'd consider "basics" like a strong work ethic and hustle?

Re-reading this book that my father wrote 10 years ago is an interesting way of reflecting on these questions. It's condensed wisdom from another generation, and a snapshop of corporate culture from the 80s / 90s / 2000s. It gave me much to ponder over re what makes certain advice enduring.