I Learned 21st Century Career Management From My Dad
3 Career Lessons In a Social Media Age
by Tony Faustinowww.socialmediareinvention.com
Dad,
You are my greatest inspiration.
You are my hero.
Photo Credit: Cooey2ph
You are the most successful
entrepreneur I know ...
Photo Credit: European Patent Office - European Inventor Award
You grew up as a poor, farm boy in the Philippines ...
Photo Credit: BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives
... to become Chief of Anesthesiology at a small-town Indiana hospital.
Photo Credit: Marion General Hospital About Us
I was twelve when I asked:
“Dad, you had your pick of larger cities like St. Louis, Kansas City, Wichita, Houston, Dallas, ...”
Photo Credit: happysteve
... why here ?
Photo Credit: Marion General Hospital About Us
You explained how small,
midwestern towns lacked U.S. board-certified anesthesiologists.
Photo Credit: t_buchtele
Moving to a larger city was
“the safe play.”
But, those cities had lots of board-certified docs.
You said ...
Photo Credit: LeoLondon
“Out here, I’m different.”
Photo Credit: Mario Inoportuno
So I asked:
“How did you know being different meant you’d succeed?”
You said:
“I didn’t ...”
“... I JUST KNEW.”
You ran the numbers on the hospital’s monthly and annual surgery volumes.
This was way before spreadsheets ...
Photo Credit: Degilbo on flickr
You believed in your street smarts and enjoyed
“hustling and figuring it out.”
Photo Credit: Víctor Roblas
That’s why I love your old
pool hustling stories to pay your medical school tuition.
... A LEAP OF FAITH.
But ultimately, you took ...
Photo Credit: Stephen Dyrgas
These successful entrepreneurs also took leaps of faith.
Steve Jobs Bill GatesReid Hoffman
Jeff Bezos Larry Page Sergey Brin
Photo Credit: Christy Fu Photo Credit: Joi Ito Photo Credit: orcmid
Photo Credit: etech Photo Credit: Herkko Hietanen Photo Credit: Freedom to Marry
That’s some pretty, cool company.
For the past 5 years, I’ve talked your ear off (and Mom’s)
about possibly losing my
corporate job.
I’m always one bad financial quarter from being layed off.
That’s reality ...
... but, I’m not afraid anymore.
Photo Credit: Damon Green
Because, you’ve taught me a lot.
Photo Credit: rebekah burgess abramovich
So if this happens ...
Photo Credit: Christopher S. Penn
... my family will be okay.
Photo Credit: notmargaret
“I JUST KNOW.”
Because everything I do on
The Internet ...
Photo Credit: Rico-san
... is inspired by YOU.
Dad’s Career Management Lessons
I. Learn from The Best
II. Get Published
III. Get Back Up -- Fast!
You studied anesthesia and critical care from
the best teachers.
Photo Credit: Clio1789
David Meerman Scott
Ann Handley Mitch JoelSeth Godin Tom Peters
I’m learning marketing strategy from the world’s best teachers.
Seth Godin Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman Tom Peters Photo Credit: Allison ShirreffsPhoto Credit: Mitch Joel Press KitPhoto Credit: Ann Handley Press Photo Credit:David Meerman Scott About
Every day they share how they think via The Internet and their books.
I wish I read faster and comprehended more ...
Photo Credit: Rico-san
Seth Godin
Seth Godin’s 17 books span marketing strategy, leadership, and “having the courage to make and ship art.”
Be Remarkable. Pick Yourself. Make Art. Ship Art.
Seth Godin Photo Credit: C.C. Chapman
He inspires me to make art (and share it).
Photo Credit: Seth Godin BooksPhoto Credit: Seth Godin Pick Yourself
Ann Handley
Ann Handley wrote the definitive book on content marketing strategy. She teaches marketers to “think like publishers.”
Think Like a Publisher. Tell Amazing Stories. Write Like a Pro.
Photo Credit: 500CPMPhoto Credit: Sergey Sus
No one writes words or tells stories better.
Photo Credit: Ann Handley Books
Mitch Joel
Mitch Joel publishes a blog called Six Pixels of Separation. His writing and podcasts are grad school courses in 21st century marketing strategy.
Give Before You Take. Show You’re a Critical Thinker. Build/Manage Your Reputation.
I envy his visionary thinking.
Photo Credit: Mitch Joel Books Photo Credit: Mitch Joel Books Photo Credit: Mitch Joel Press
Tom Peters
Mr. Peters wrote the classic book, In Search of Excellence (and many more). He’s even more famous for this 1997 Fast Company article: The Brand Called YOU.
He was ahead of his time. Tom Peters Photo Credit: Allison Shirreffs
David Meerman Scott
David Meerman Scott’s New Rules of Marketing and PR is a marketing strategy classic in its 4th edition and translated in 25 languages.
You Are What You Publish. Capitalize on Real-Time Opportunity.
Piggyback Your Ideas to Real-Time News Surges.
He challenges tradition (with a rebel’s heart).Photo Credit: David Meerman Scott About Photo Credit: David Meerman Scott Books
I’m one of their many students (but without an admissions process and university campus.)
I can “raise my hand” on Twitter and my
smartphone becomes a classroom.
I value and honor these relationships ...
... the way you did with your Johns Hopkins mentors.
Photo Credit: anitakhart
Dad’s Career Management Lessons
I. Learn from The Best
II. Get Published
III. Get Back Up -- Fast!
I remember you submitted articles to medical journals
because getting published is important in the medical profession.
Photo Credit: wenzday01
I loved how you described the process: “If the article get’s
accepted, it’s a fun way to put a medal on my chest. ”
(and you’d literally laugh out loud)
Photo Credit: i_luv_erky
Guess what! I can get published too!
Plus, I don’t need a committee’s approval ...
Photo Credit: International Monetary Fund
... once I write the article, I “press a button.”
This tiny button gives me the power to publish, build, and share my critical thinking ...
... with the world!
“And, that makes me different.”
Photo Credit: Mario Inoportuno
Dad’s Career Management Lessons
I. Learn from The Best
II. Get Published
III. Get Back Up -- Fast!
You said it’s okay to fall down and make mistakes ...
Photo Credit: kharied
... just get up fast!Photo Credit:San Diego Shooter
Dad, meet Sallie Krawcheck.
Photo Credit: Fortune Live Media
I started following her career ever since this March 21, 2005 Fortune Magazine article: The Best Advice I Ever Got
Her Mom’s advice sounded very familiar. Photo Credit: protoflux
Here’s what Sallie said in the Fortune article:
Don't listen to the naysayers.
"When I was a kid I was 'that kid' -- freckles, braces, and very unfortunate glasses. If I wasn't the last chosen for the team, I was the second to last. There are so many heartbreaking stories I remember, like the time I finally managed to kick the ball in kickball. I was running for first base all excited, and then my glasses fell off and I had to go back and get them. The teasing was really tough. I wasn't just crying in class; I was falling apart at school. My grades went from A's to C's.
"One day when I was really down, my mom sat me on the sofa. She spoke to me as though she was speaking to another adult, telling me to stop paying attention to the girls who were teasing me. She told me that they were naysayers who would sit on the sidelines and criticize those who were out there trying. She said that the reason they were doing it was because they were jealous. Looking back, I know they weren't really
jealous, but at the time, I believed my mom. My grades went back up, and I never let the naysayers bother me again."
What I admire and respect about Sallie is how she got back up fast, whenever she fell down ...
... because she’s taken public shots during her career.
Photo Credit: Zakarie Dulieu
So what does she do?
She writes about these public setbacks
and shares what she learned with 259+ million LinkedIn members.
That’s guts!
She’s badass tough!
Photo Credit: EadaoinFlynn
If Sallie Krawcheck can overcome losing huge jobs while under heavy public scrutiny, I think I can recover in relative obscurity.
I won’t listen to the naysayers. I’ll get back up fast.
Photo Credit: Max Mayorov Photo Credit: Manny Hernandez
Dad, before I go, please let me tell one more story ...
Remember 30 years ago when we we were in the Philippines, you had me sit on a bamboo bench in a remote area of your family’s farm ...
Photo Credit: melolou
That bench was hard, bumpy, and uncomfortable.
Photo Credit: lergik
That’s when you said:
“Tony, you’re sitting on my bed.”
Photo Credit: massdistraction
Because of what you taught me (and Cecilia) ...
Your Grandchildren sleep on these beds.
I love you.Thank You, Dad.
Copyright InfoThe copyright of this work belongs to the author who is solely responsible for the content.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit Creative Commons or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.
If enjoyed this e-book, please write a blog post about it, or email it to your friends, co-workers, relatives, tweet it to your followers, update your status with it, and share on other social networks if you think other people may benefit from it.
Thank You.
About the AuthorTony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist. I write about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in my marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention.
Follow my tweets @tonyfaustino or circle me on Google+.
If you would like to connect, I can be found here:
(e) tony[dot]faustino[at]gmail[dot]com
* Personal Blog: Social Media ReInvention
* LinkedIn Profile
* About.Me Page
* Google+
* Slideshare