Book: Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge

I bought the book 'Getting things done when you are not in charge: how to succeed from a support position' by Geoffrey M. Bellman when I was working at TTU. I read it this afternoon and I learned what I can do to bring positive changes.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for ideas on how to empower oneself while increasing one's work contribution and personal satisfaction. Here are some main points in book that I find enlightening.

(Page 78)
Integrating Politics and Principles

1. Know what your principles are.
2. Acknowledge the reality of politics.
3. Know that you are a part of the political process.
4. When you want to get something important done, know that it will be considered politically as well as objectively.
5. Be clear about what you will and will not do in the politics of your organization.
   

(Page 79)
Creating a Positive Political Climate

1. Deal with people face to face. - Politics are based on established relationships of loyalty and trust.
   
2. Find shared goals.
3. Take the larger, longer view.
4. Take an open, receptive stance.
5. Use openness to undermine secretive, back-room politics.
6. Increase your tolerance of ambiguity.
7. Remember that understanding does not mean agreement.

(Page 81)
Outcome and Options (5 steps process to get you through politically loaded encounters:

1. Remind yourself of the outcomes you want to achieve through dealing with other people.
2. Survey all of your options: What could you do or say that would make it more possible for you to realize the outcomes you want?
3. Ask yourself: From all of these options, which do you want to do? Which do you not want to do? Which are you open or not open to doing? (Consider your principles.)
4. Choose; decide on the path to take that will be most likely to lead you and others to the results you want.
5. Act.
   

(Page 171)
Simple Rules for Establishing Patterns of Success

1. Grow through small success.
2. Risk being converted - Be at least as willing to listen to others as you are to have them listen to you.
3. Give your customers an "out." - Provide alternatives.
4. Expect not to be appreciated.
5. Accept their lack of knowledge.
6. Focus on what they know. - If you want people to talk with you and tell you what is going on, then ask them to tell you about their work.
   
7. Don't give your expertise away. - Help people to recognize the special expertise you bring, by suggesting how you might help them.
   
8. Reinvent the wheel.
9. Ready, fire, aim.
   
10. Model what you want. - Do for yourself whatever it is that you would have others do for themselves.
    

(Page 269)
Leading Change

• You have the opportunity to lead your life.
• Leading required going places you have never been before.
• Leading requires that you separate yourself from others.
• Leading involves expressing your uniqueness in a way that allows others to embrace it and you.
• Leading helps others realize what they want and take responsibility for getting it.
• If you choose not to lead your life, others will.
• The rewards of leading come primarily from yourself.