Hard Work Is Not Enough: The Surprising Truth about Being Believable at Work

by Jeff Shannon

More technical skills aren't what you need.

If you're like most people, your formula for career success is to be an expert and work hard. It's a great strategy when starting your career, but are you as influential as you would like to be? If the answer is no, then it might be time to change your strategy.

Hard Work Is Not Enough reveals the essential soft skills required to be more believable at work. It's the skills your manager wishes you had but doesn't have the guts to tell you to your face.

Inside this book, you will Hard Work Is Not Enough is a straight-talk career conversation about the skills that will make you believable, strategic, and influential. It isn't for everyone, but it is for those who aspire to make a meaningful impact on people, teams, and organizations.

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2021

About the author

A master facilitator, Jeff Shannon brings over 20 years of experience facilitating corporate strategy workshops and offsite retreats where the stakes are high. He is an expert in designing and leading highly engaging meetings that enhance participation, generate better ideas, and deliver the desired outcome. That’s why leadership teams rely on him as an experienced, trustworthy guide for their most important meetings.

Jeff leads 60 to 70 strategy, business planning, and leadership development workshops a year in a wide variety of industries for corporations, such as Cargill, Deloitte, Farm Credit Services of America, FNBO, Genentech, Kiewit Corporation, Lutz, Macy’s, and Union Pacific.

A keynote speaker and author of practical reference guides for business professionals, Jeff’s books include *Lead Engaging Meetings: A Practical Guide to Maximize Participation and Effectiveness* and *Hard Work Is Not Enough: The Surprising Truth about Being Believable at Work*.

He lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with his wife, Jen, and kids, Brady and Mallory.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first book from Mr. Shannon. Jeff's experience in both Corporate America and as an Entrepreneur give him a unique view on how to think about your career.

Tons of great stories and wisdom. Jeff brings the career building concepts to life with a combination of personal experience, lessons from leaders, and insights culled from his research.

This book is imminently practical and will give you immediate ideas to put into your day to day right away. I purchased extra copies to give to my team at work and am excited to work through it together.

One of the things I really appreciated was a lot of the good stuff is in the later chapters! So many books I read you can tell the author had to stretch to fill up their word count. The end of the book is just as good as the beginning.

Be careful reading this book - no doubt your influence at work will increase exponentially - make sure you are prepared for a bright future!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While doing good work is important, seeing the big picture and helping others to learn are additional attributes managers need. Resist the urge to jump in and do the work just because subordinates or colleagues aren't doing it fast enough or might make a mistake -- instead, guide them to understand the process and come to the solution themselves.

[Miran · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is ideal in size, not too long, not too short and it is on point.

In the book you can read many really practical advice, which you can start to implement immediately.

Highly recommended for everyone wanting not to step up their game, but to change the game altogether.

[Ross Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

some good advice, lots of filler. I might be overly critical, but the loose metaphors were not doing it for me. But on the plus side, there are nuggets of wisdom worth pondering and there’s nothing objectionable.

It’s fine.

[Dustan Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's great to get high quality coaching in a relatively short book. It was full of practical applications of the principles shared by the author.

[David Fredh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the description of the term Believability