Winning Conditions: How to Achieve the Professional Success You Deserve by Managing the Details That Matter

by Christine Hofbeck, Karissa Vacker (Narrator)

Let's face it--professional success isn't built only on the work itself. Instead, it's often largely influenced by the manner in which you share or present your work. Small improvements in delivery can result in substantial improvements in outcome. People succeed not simply because they deliver a winning work product or idea, but also because they deliver their work or idea in a winning way. Winning Conditions is a joyful, insightful, and empowering book about delivering your work and ideas so that they (and you!) are more likely to be recognized, accepted, and celebrated. By consciously implementing these ideas, you'll see your colleagues and customers respond more positively to you and your great work. Your strong reputation and overall success will grow. You will begin to win. With Winning Conditions, you can show the world what you're capable of--it's probably more than you ever thought possible.

7 pages, Audio CD

Published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fellow actuary I followed the author on Survivor and of course I had to buy her book. I’m close to her age with similar experience but I still picked up some things that will be useful in my career.

This is not a typical business book and that’s one of the things I like about it. It’s a lot about connecting with people and it took me about 30 years to realize my job is as much about people as it is about numbers. I honestly believed that if I got the numbers right, the rest would come, but that only took me so far.

But enough about me. Here are a few things that stood out to me:

1. The elevator speech is something I learned about a few years ago but I am making an effort now to keep my headphones put away when I’m on the elevator. As the author says, you never know when this will lead to an opportunity.

2. The part about just being nice? Is it really that simple, and then I look around my office at the actuaries who have influence and, yep! It really is.

3. Maximize your opportunities. This is just something I never really thought about.

This book is full of things I learned the hard way and also full of things that made me stop and realize it was a new way of looking at an old problem. And that’s what actuaries do—we try to look at things from all the angles and figure out the probabilities of those things occurring.

If you read this book with an open mind I believe the probability that you will find some useful tidbit is close to 100%.

[Jorge Enrique Alzate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure, it's common sense to make your attitude towards your work positive and engaging, and to cultivate relationships and a network of people that will advocate for you, as well as to believe in yourself and be your strongest advocate. I love the examples and stories so expertly woven into the framework of winning conditions. Truly empowering to start the book by reading how excellent I am now and that I am starting from a position of strength and not of fault. The author shares profound thoughts and beliefs from her experiences and is quite open about her fears and mistakes. I started rereading as soon as I finished to highlight and mark the passages I will be applying to my way of operating.

[Andrew Rupprecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought this was a great book. Not just because I am a huge Survivor Fan, and live in the same township as the author, but because the book was really well written and thought out. I would recommend this for anybody who wants to get an edge as it gives great advice and ideas that everybody should use. This is the type of book that should be read in college, especially in this day and age when listening, observing, and presenting are becoming a lost art. Read this book and you will instantly gain the confidence to achieve the success you deserve.

[Christine O’Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by an FSA named Christine who finished final 3 on survivor. That already earned my 5 stars. Enjoyed reading the book and proud to have a Christine actuary to see as inspirational!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Christine if my idol! It is well written and she makes it easy to apply to your life. It is geared towards the business world, but could easily be applied to any part of life.

[Eli E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone ready to re-learn how they can shine in the professional world. A great book for every actuary!