Dr. Ralph Shrader, Chairman & CEO of Booz Allen Hamilton, shares with us some words of wisdom about what is means to be successful in your job.  It is refreshing to see someone at the very top of one of the most respected consulting firms in the world talk about success at all levels, in all jobs.  Dr. Shrader talks about three key concepts that all of us in the workplace should take to heart:

All Jobs are Honorable

It does not matter what your rank is or how mundane your job might be.  All jobs are honorable.  We all make a difference in our workplaces no matter what our titles are.  So take whatever work you have today and do the very best job you can do – exceed all expectations; do more than is asked of you; work harder than anyone else around you.  Who knows, someday when you are in a much higher position you might be able to talk about how your experiences when you were just starting helped you grow and set an example for others just like Collin Powell did in his book My American Journey.

Wisdom Knows no Rank

People that are familiar with Japanese management techniques, and with the concept of quality circles that is often referred to in process improvement literature, understand this very well.  The people that know the best opportunities to improve processes are the people that are closest to those processes, that is, the people that work those processes every day.  No matter what your rank is, everyone has something to contribute to an organization.

Time should be Precious, Not Anxious

Don’t be too anxious to get to the next job or the next project.  Enjoy what you are working on today.  Make the best of every situation and learn from every opportunity that you have, especially the inevitable mistakes that you will make.

Watch Dr. Shrader himself describe the concepts above:

Work hard and be successful in whatever you do.  Remember, no excuses, no regrets.