The secrets to success in business aren't secrets at all. They're obvious, so obvious that they've mostly been taken for granted or ignored—until now.
We've all read the business allegories, the "how I did it" success stories, and yes, there's good advice to be found in their pages. But nowhere is the advice as pure, as simple, as elegant, as it is in The Obvious. Former CEO James Dale has compiled ingenious words to live by, lucid truths as likely to be found in a fortune cookie as an MBA textbook. And the beauty of it is, regardless of the job—from sales rep to department head to CEO—the same principles yield the same results, and they're always effective. While all of Dale's advice is, well, obvious, it's implementation isn't. In The Obvious, Dale shares ways in which any businessperson can carry out these simple lessons and achieve success.
—Show up.
—Don't be a jerk.
—Simple is better than complicated.
—Tell the truth. (It's so rarely used, it's like a secret weapon.)
—Bosses are not all idiots.
—Don't look backward. There's nothing there.
—Forgive and forget (or at least one out of two).
—Trust someone besides yourself.
—Start over tomorrow, but don't do it the same way.
Entertaining, compelling, and commonsensical, The Obvious is all you need to know. Period.
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"Not earth shattering but a good review of what it really takes to be successful from a CEO who actually does the right things. Worthwhile and a quick read. Not too deep."
— Bill (5 out of 5 stars)
Alan Sklar's vocal wit and flawless cadences imbue power and majesty to this little work.... This is a book for everyone.
— AudioFile" Great, short read...if your like business books! "
— Lora, 3/11/2013" Straightforward, commonsense advice about succeeding in the business world. "
— Sheri, 5/27/2012" straight-forward, good advise. It's the kind of stuff your grandma told you, but backed up with examples from the business world. "
— Glen, 11/9/2011" A must-read book on business life. "
— Lori, 8/13/2011" straight-forward, good advise. It's the kind of stuff your grandma told you, but backed up with examples from the business world. "
— Glen, 8/14/2010" Great, short read...if your like business books! "
— Lora, 2/26/2008James Dale is former president and CEO of advertising agency W. B. Doner & Co., whose clients included British Petroleum, Chiquita, Arby’s Restaurants, Klondike Ice Cream, CBS Sports, Johns Hopkins University, and Verizon Wireless. Coauthor of Bullies, Tyrants, and Impossible People, among other books, Dale is cofounder of the business consulting firm Richlin/Dale LLC. He lives in Baltimore.
Alan Sklar, a graduate of Dartmouth, has excelled in his career as a freelance voice actor. Named a Best Voice of 2009 by AudioFile magazine, his work has earned him several Earphones Awards, a Booklist Editors’ Choice Award (twice), a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award, and Audiobook of the Year by ForeWord magazine. He has also narrated thousands of corporate videos for clients such as NASA, Sikorsky Aircraft, IBM, Dannon, Pfizer, AT&T, and SONY.