Organization Smarts: Portable Skills for Professionals Who Want to Get Ahead

The expression "street smarts" describes the "feel," the savvyness, the sensitivity, and the skills to survive in the fast-moving, rough-and-tumble world of the streets. Business, personal-it doesn't matter. You have it or you don't. And if you have it, your chances of being on top are consistently better than if you fall haplessly into the category of the clueless.An amazing number of people show up for work each day, go through the motions, do what they think is right, and go home. They simply "attend" work. Then there are those who mysteriously "get it" and move through the bureaucratic maze like a knife through butter. They seem to have something special, something that sets them apart. Out in the real world, we'd call it "street smarts." In the closed world of the workplace, it's "organization smarts." Got it? If not, read this book.David Brown has been there, done that, and probably still wears the tee shirt-but it won't show where you can see it. He's moved from job to job in the fast moving worlds of corporations, politics, government (Deputy Mayor of New York), and higher education. If you wanted to find a mentor, a coach, to draw from, here he is. So, curl up at his feet and learn the secrets to success in the organizational environment.Five chapters. Organized, tight, together. Not complicated. Chapter 1 takes us right into Understanding the "Real" Organization. Moving from sources of information (official and unofficial), Brown dives right into the culture, the customs, and the power. Now that we know the territory, Brown shifts to us: Establishing a Credible Reputation. Learn about things you should know-like first impressions, who you're seen with, and living your reputation so you're real. Chapter Three delves into Understanding What Others Want, a powerful concept in organizational success. Meetings, negotiations, commitment from others. Chapter 4 addresses an interesting aspect of organizational maneuvering: working with experts. Brown emphasizes the importance of learning from experts, gaining and building on knowledge and skills from all sources. Chapter 5 explores the most difficult application of organizational smarts: changing the status quo. Changes often have to be made to move an organization ahead. Identifying needs for change and engaging in the conversations and tasks to accomplish those changes in ways that everyone is happy can put you in an influential position in an organization.This book is recommended for college graduates entering the real world of work, for people who have been "floating" in organizations without realizing their potential, and for up and coming leaders who want to "up-and-come" faster and more effectively.