In a sentence: if you act like any other normal human being that your manager surrounds himself with, you’ll be treated like any other normal human being that your manager surrounds himself with. And, statistically speaking, that’s probably not as good as it could be.
A lot of the suggestions in these chapters focus on tips from the micro to the macro levels on how to be different from, and better than, those around you, not in the work itself but in how you go about the work.
But stepping back, on the meta-level, what all the tips taken together as an oeuvre, have in common is to control, manage, and even if needed restrain the worst half of the human experience in the work environment. If you’re able to pull that off then, by eliminating the worst half of the human experience, you’ll be something approaching superhuman in the eyes of the company.
Most in the company will complain and bicker.
Most in the company will find excuses.
Most in the company will sit around and gossip.
Most in the company just repeat generic clichés.
Most in the company will get angry from time to time because they feel hurt, wronged, or just need to let it out.
Most in the company will just say things all the time that they think sound smart but make no sense.
Most in the company will make assumption on top of assumption on top of assumption so that it sometimes just topples.
Most in the company will just utter words, like asking for things, and then magically assume they will happen.
Most in the company will strategize with a plan that is thinking forward about 29 minutes into the future.
And so forth, and so forth.
None of these are necessarily bad per se, or at least any worse than the worst half of the human experience.
One of my favorite definitions of “success” is “not failing.” If you don’t lose, then you win by definition, right? (Okay, once per blue moon there is a tie, but even in that case, you’re not the one who lost.) Therefore, if you’re able to look at the worst, most base, darkest aspects of human nature (even deep into yourself, of your own nature) merely controlling the dark side will give you a lead over everyone else, even if you don’t manage to proactively be the best.
