Malcolm Gladwell, of TIPPING POINT and BLINK fame, writes an interesting book (Outliers: The Storry of Success) on what separates the ‘highly successful’ from everyone else.
Here are his five steps to SUCCESS:
- Find MEANING and INSPIRATION in your work. (That’s easy if you’re working at a For Impact Organization!)
- Work hard. (That seems to be a given in the 3rd Sector.)
- Discover the relationship between EFFORT and REWARD. (This is where we need some work. 97% of funding comes from 3% of our people. Lions, Mice & Antelopes. The Triple Ask.)
- Seek out complex work to avoid boredom and repetition. (I’m all about avoiding boredom and repetition. I’m not sure about the “complex” work. Think Big. Build Simple. Act Now. You won’t be bored.)
- Be autonomous and control your own destiny as much as possible. (For Impact Leaders, Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs in General, Intrapreneurs, etc.)
Special Note: This may be the major reason I enjoyed this book. Gladwell writes that talent and IQ don’t matter as much as we think they do (vis-à-vis success). That means I’ve still got a chance.
Pick up this book. Gladwell’s style is easy to read, and full of insights.
