About the Book
"Warning: Your career might be in danger of going off the rails. You probably have blind spots that are leaving you closer to the edge than you realize. Fortunately, Carter Cast has the solution. In this smart, engaging book he shows you how to avoid career derailment by becoming more self-aware, more agile, and more effective. This is the book you wish you had twenty years ago, which is why you should read it now." -- Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive and To Sell Is HumanThe Right -- and Wrong -- Stuff is a candid, unvarnished guide to the bumpy road to success. The shocking truth is that 98 percent of us have at least one career-derailment risk factor, and half to two-thirds actually go off the rails. And the reason why people get fired, demoted, or plateau is because they let the wrong stuff act out, not because they lack talent, energy, experience, or credentials. Carter Cast himself had all the right stuff for a brilliant career, when he was called into his boss's office and berated for being obstinate, resistant, and insubordinate. That defining moment led to a years-long effort to understand why he came so close to getting fired, and what it takes to build a successful career. His wide range of experiences as a rising, falling, and then rising star again at PepsiCo, an entrepreneur, the CEO of Walmart.com, and now a professor and venture capitalist enables him to identify the five archetypes found in every workplace. You'll recognize people you work with (maybe even yourself) in Captain Fantastic, the Solo Flyer, Version 1.0, the One-Trick Pony, and the Whirling Dervish, and, thanks to Cast's insights, they won't be able to trip up your future.
About the Author :
Carter Cast, a professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, was selected by his students three years running to receive the Faculty Impact Award. When not teaching, Cast is a venture partner at Pritzker Group Venture Capital, where he invests in early stage technology companies such as the Dollar Shave Club and Honest Company. He is a lead mentor for TechStars Chicago, one of the country's leading technology start-up accelerators, and has been featured in "The Accelerators," a Wall Street Journal forum in which start-up mentors discuss strategies for and challenges of creating a new business. Carter Cast, a professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, was selected by his students three years running to receive the Faculty Impact Award. When not teaching, Cast is a venture partner at Pritzker Group Venture Capital, where he invests in early stage technology companies such as the Dollar Shave Club and Honest Company. He is a lead mentor for TechStars Chicago, one of the country's leading technology start-up accelerators, and has been featured in "The Accelerators," a Wall Street Journal forum in which start-up mentors discuss strategies for and challenges of creating a new business.
Review :
"Warning: Your career might be in danger of going off the rails. You probably have blind spots that are leaving you closer to the edge than you realize. Fortunately, Carter Cast has the solution. In this smart, engaging book he shows you how avoid career derailment by becoming more self-aware, more agile, and more effective. This is the book you wish you had 20 years ago, which is why you should read it now."--Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human
In The Right (and Wrong) Stuff, Carter Cast has managed to combine a wealth of personal leadership experience in some of America's best-performing companies with some serious research into what makes for a successful career. Add a big dose of humility and humanity, and the result is a field guide to building your skills and leading your career that you need to have at arms-reach. It will become a dog-eared companion on your journey to career growth and well-being.-- "Brock Leach, former CEO of Tropicana and Frito Lay North America"
--John Fleming, CEO, Global eCommerce, Uniqlo
Carter Cast breaks the mold for professor/practitioners with The Right and Wrong Stuff. The book reveals a unique set of 5 career detailed archetypes which ring true, clear tips for accelerating your career, and page-turning stories of career success and failure.-- "Dr. Geoff Smart, Chairman & Founder of ghSMART and New York Times bestselling author of Who"
Carter's ability to demystify and shine a light on why talented people stumble is a gift to anyone trying to progress in their career. Carter's blend of no-nonsense, practical advice delivered with a good dose of humor makes The Right and Wrong Stuff a leadership book you'll actually enjoy reading while you are learning something.-- "Laila Tarraf, former Chief People Officer, Peet's Coffee"
In The Right (and Wrong) Stuff, Carter Cast offers an insightful exploration of the primary ways high potential professionals can get off track in their careers and then provides a road map to success for those who are willing to put in the work. I highly recommend it anyone who is serious about making the most of their career.-- "Mike Gamson, Senior Vice President, Global Solutions, LinkedIn"
In The Right and Wrong Stuff, Carter provides valuable insights for both individual career development and organizational effectiveness. His broad range of professional experiences, situational awareness and interest in people and their development, gives him a perceptive and unique perspective."
What about you could hurt your career? A blind spot? A skill gap? Carter Cast helps you to answer this in The Right and Wrong Stuff. He's a refreshingly original voice on a tough topic. His book will make you think differently about managing your career.-- "Marshall Goldsmith, The Thinkers 50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World"
