Product Description

A no-nonsense guide for minorities in business who want to make it to senior management

In recent decades, corporate America has gotten better at recruiting minority talent. But despite their education and hard work, too many African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans still find unique obstacles on the path to senior management. And there are too few minority mentors available to help them understand and overcome these challenges.

Keith R. Wyche, a division president at a Fortune 500 company, is the perfect mentor for ambitious minority businesspeople at all levels. His book is filled with thought-provoking insights and practical advice based on his own experiences and those of the many people he has counseled. He discusses the importance of:

• Understanding corporate culture—and the impact it has on your career
• Being visible—because you can’t get ahead if nobody knows who you are
• Staying current—why minorities must be continuous learners

Good Is Not Enough also includes anecdotes from prominent CEOs such as Ken Chenault of American Express, Richard Parsons of Time Warner, and Alwyn Lewis of Kmart.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #426495 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781591842101
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
After being passed over twice for advancement, Wyche—now president of U.S. operations for Pitney Bowes Management Services—took a hard look at himself and began to consciously develop his approach, performance and image to better position himself for success. Aimed primarily at helping minorities advance their careers, his book highlights the 12 key lessons he learned—including the importance of personal branding, visibility and staying current as well as identifying potential career killers. Each chapter elaborates on a different skill while relating how Wyche and others managed to overcame specific obstacles. The author also includes useful coaching tips, suggesting employees try to meet with their boss's boss at least once a year, become active in an industry organization and always have an intelligent, thoughtful question to ask. Particularly helpful are the sections on business writing, the five top skills required for senior leadership and the qualities of a good presentation. While Wyche directs his lessons at minorities, who frequently lack mentors in the workplace, his sound advice will prove valuable to anyone looking to take ownership of their career advancement. (July) ""
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."

About the Author
Keith R. Wyche is the president of U.S. operations for Pitney Bowes Management Services (a division of Pitney Bowes Inc.) and a twenty-fiveyear veteran of Ameritech, AT&T, IBM, and other companies. He is a popular speaker with minority business groups and has been recognized for his achievements by Black Enterprise, Ebony, Crain’s Business, and Diversity Inc. magazines.

Customer Reviews

Great career advice for young business professionals
This is a book that provides great career advice for young business professionals given as an experienced and supportive mentor might provide. Keith Wyche (and Sonia Alleyne) have written this for minorities, but I think almost all of it is fabulous advice for anyone trying to build some steam in a business career. As a middle-aged white guy, I obviously have never been a gender or racial minority, so I cannot really address those issues from their perspective.

The book has twelve chapters besides its brief introduction. I think the first chapter on the importance of corporate culture is a great place to start. There are many companies you where you, as a person, will fit in and others where you won't. We all experience this. You also need to know if your goals can be met at a given company. For example, if it is a small family firm with family members in the leadership positions, don't expect that you are going to displace blood. Is it seniority based company or do they actually reward merit? You will want to know this before you invest a couple of years bringing in record sales and are told that you will have to wait your turn because there are people ahead of you in the line. If you want to be rewarded for excellent performance match yourself to a company that rewards based on actual performance. And always keep a your résumé shiny and developing possible next steps outside the company.

The other chapters advise you on the importance of managing how others see you. While you can't control it, how you present yourself and what you do have a big impact on it. You are also advised on how to properly make yourself visible, when to take a lateral promotion or not, when to leave your company for a new job or not, and warned about several career killers. Wyche points out that minorities don't often get second chances once a career gets derailed. So, this chapter can be critical advice.

The author also advises you to develop certain leadership skills so you can be seen as a leader. They are strategic visioning, execution, authentic leadership, flexibility and adaptability, awareness and political judgment, and personal accountability. I have seen many people of every background lack these qualities and misunderstand why they weren't given leadership positions. They blamed it on a lot of other factors other than their own lack of leadership qualities. Don't make that mistake.

Wyche also talks about the vital importance of being completely prepared, how to overcome gender bias, and the critical need to keep you skills fresh and up to date. The chapter on mentors and sponsors applies to everyone, but especially to minorities. This includes the importance of giving back and becoming a mentor and sponsor once you achieve success as a business professional. The last chapter advises you to never give up. The old saying is true; many battles are lost because one side gives up just before they might have won if they had pressed themselves a bit more. Tenacity is a wonderful quality in every part of life.

I like this book a great deal and can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to read it, but I understand why he focused it for minorities and think it is a terrific resource for them. In my view, though, most of it (nearly all of it) is simply fabulous advice for the up and comer.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Corporate Middle Management Career Development
I purchased Good Is Not Enough upon reading of its release. Inquisitive to read what the author had to say, I voraciously devoured the book within two days. Later, I read it again after Wyche accepted a guest invitation to my online talk radio show. Wyche expressly notes that the book is written for middle management minority professionals in corporate America and the coaching, guidance and counsel in the book is apropos...if your zeal to reach executive level status so compels you to jump through all the hoops. Wyche provides practical information for anyone in middle management (Sr. Mgr, Director and VP levels) yet drops golden nuggets that most minority professionals never build into their worklife planning. The material on perception, personal branding, networking, interpersonal relations, having a mentoring and minorities not getting a second chance is education you cannot buy in a classroom. Invaluable to professionals whether you desire to climb the corporate ranks or not. It's direction for merely knowing how to play in the corporate arena and thrive. Kudos!

Wonderful book and blueprint for minority professionals
I'd planned on attending a speaking engagement that Keith Wyche was the keynote speaker, so I decided to read the book prior to the event. Needless to say I was unable to put the book down and finished it in about 3 days. This book provides excellent and practical guidance for maneuvering thru corp America with grace and success. I highly recommend it and plan on using many of the tips and points provided to help me as I move up thru my corporate career. Also, if given the opportunity to hear Keith speak I recommend that anyone attend at whatever the cost may be, you will not be disappointed.