How to Be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Whenever people hear about my star performer work-whether sitting next to me on an airplane or at a professional conference-they invariably want the thirty-second sound-bite..." (more)
Key Phrases: brainpowered workers, nine work strategies, average coworkers, Bell Labs, Wall Street, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For over a dozen years, Carnegie Mellon University instructor and corporate consultant Robert Kelley has studied the difference between superior workplace performers and their average peers. After determining that such stars are made, not born, he identified the game plan many use to secure better jobs, higher pay, and top career opportunities. How to Be a Star at Work: Nine Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed describes these tactics--which he dubs initiative, networking, self-management, perspective, followership, leadership, teamwork, organizational savvy, and show-and-tell--and explains how to incorporate them into real-life work situations. --Howard Rothman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Contrary to popular belief, Kelley believes that star employees are made, not born. His nine new breakthrough strategies are "initiative, networking, self-management, perspective, followership, leadership, teamwork, organizational savvy and show-tell."
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Later Printing edition (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812931696
• ISBN-13: 978-0812931693
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,535 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Role Model for Those Without Role Models, April 15, 2000

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This book is excellent for attacking misconception stalls (bad thinking habits based on a misunderstanding of the circumstances) that retard almost all careers. Everyone I know who had a fast rising career used the principles in this book: But they had to figure out some of the principles for themselves.

As a young person, many lack the experience and judgment to derive these principles. For example, many will see conforming to the views of co-workers (many of whose careers are going nowhere) as the way to get ahead. Not!

As your first step toward becoming a star at work, read this book and apply its principles. If you want to go further and be a Superstar at work, read on for more instructions you will need.

Careers are also plagued by other flawed thinking habits not explored in this book including poor communications (assuming the message is received and understood without checking), disbelief in promising new ideas and technologies (check these new perspectives out carefully before you dismiss them), tradition (habits that have outlived their usefulness), bureaucracy (having people involved unnecessarily), harmful procrastination (delaying when the situation is deteriorating), and avoiding ugliness (everyone else avoids it also, so the best opportunities are often in the most unattractive aspects of your operations).

To be most successful, you need to be able to create better solutions.

The way to do this is to (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves that is not measured) (2) measure everything you can about important processes in your key activities (each measurement will teach you something you need to know) (3) identify the best practices anyone has ever done in these areas (especially by looking outside your industry), and anticipate where these best practices will be in 5 years (4) assemble best practices together in new ways that no one has ever done before to exceed the future best practice (5) identify the ideal best practice (the best people will ever be able to do -- for communications this will be having everyone get the message in one second, like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater where smoke and flames are evident) (6) find ways to approach the ideal best practice by applying the analogy of where humans do it almost perfectly now to your situation (7) assemble the right people, resources and incentives to get the job done and (8) repeat the process (you will get better at it and find better ideas, each you time you do this again).

Further, a lot of people are oblivious to the powerful trends around them. The most effective people will find ways to turn these trends to their advantage, regardless of how the trend shifts.

If you teach someone else these ideas, you will learn them even better, and proven yourself as a leader.

NOW YOU CAN REALLY BE A SUPERSTAR AT WORK! Good luck!

Don't forget to be a superstar in your personal life, as well.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It boils down to this- take initiative, network and broaden your perspective, February 15, 2006

By	Louise McCauley (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

Robert E. Kelley has outlined several strategies for turning yourself into a recognized asset for your company, improving your productivity and building a stellar career.

· Exercise your initiative. Go beyond your job description. Look for solutions to problems at work. Help out your co-workers.
· Develop effective work habits. Prioritize your job-related activities by how crucial they are to the overall goals of your organization. Review your productivity on a regular basis.
· Put together an expert network. It's not enough to become an expert at something, unless you are able to work with other experts to innovate and add value.
· Learn to see issues as others see them. Seek out learning experiences that will help you to see the big picture from the perspective of a customer, colleague, competitor, manager and from a creative point of view.
· Use teams to your best advantage. Check to see if the company supports teamwork. Is teamwork more often cooperative or competitive? Once you commit to a team, be proactive.
· Be the kind of follower leaders want. Don't follow as a sheep or a yes-man. Be dependable, competent, conscientious, and cooperative.
· Earn your status as a leader through expertise, people skills or an ability to create momentum.
· Learn the unwritten rules of the game. Know where to go, who to talk to, and what to do in order to get things done.
· Communicate effectively. Tailor your message to your audience.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars very good, July 28, 2000

By	Pamela Stone (Wichita Falls, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

Robert E. Kelly, spent ten years researching the personal and professional characteristics of star performers.

If you want to do more than just succeed at work, this is the book for you! It's full of vitally information on how to reach beyond your skills at work. About ten to fifteen percent of all people will out perform their peers by a wide margin and rise above to the star ranks. How to be a Star at Work tells us how to be our own star and to be able to outshine everyone else, no matter who you are. This book has nine strategies to getting ahead, but don't think you can muddle through with a few pointers; you need to read the entire book to be able to realize how everything works and fits together. It's worth the time and effort! Remember stars are made not born.

I found this to be a helpful, informative, simplistic read. It's very well written and the fact that the author spent so much time 'in the trenches' is apparent, he knows what he is talking about. I recommend it.