Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO summary

When Jones began working at her first law firm, it became clear that the successful lawyers were the ones who cultivated their own clients, behaving in effect like entrepreneurs within the larger firm. She learned to do likewise, which also meant marketing herself, doing plenty of billable work and keeping an eye on the bottom line by making sure that she brought in enough money to cover what it cost the firm to employ her.

Over time, she realized that every large organization is a collection of small outfits. And those small outfits thrive when individual employees cultivate an entrepreneurial mind-set.

Rejection is a rite of passage for people who strive for greatness, and yet most of us still struggle with it.

Take Paul, one of the author's clients. He was turned down for his dream job despite being a highly qualified, high-achieving professional. He knew that he compared favorably to his main competition for the job, and he felt confident about his chances of being selected.

It’s hard to build something in the middle of change. But like it or not, change happens – transitions, mergers, acquisitions and liquidations are all part of the landscape in the professional world.

One of the author’s mentees, Andrea, is an expert at surviving and thriving in uncertain times.

Let’s face it – taking a compliment can be tough. The author used to believe that modesty was the polite response to praise. As a young professional, she even downplayed her work if someone praised it, saying that it was nothing, or that credit belonged elsewhere.

But brushing aside a compliment can devalue your accomplishments. The complimenter might believe you when you say “no big deal,” leading them to reassess the value of what you’ve done.

As a teenager, the author had a serious tea-drinking habit, and she always added lots of sugar. She knew it was unhealthy, but drinking tea without that added sweetness seemed impossible.

One day, inspiration struck, and she removed a few grains of sugar from a heaping spoonful. In the days that followed, she removed a few more. Over the course of a year, she gradually reduced the amount of sugar on her spoon until she could drink sugarless tea.

One of the author’s consulting clients, “Bill,” was let go from his law firm with little notice and a small severance payment. A group he was part of had quit the firm and taken their clients with them. In the resulting turmoil, Bill was fired.

Bill was shocked and angry, but he also took the time to look at things objectively. He didn’t know colleagues outside of his former group well, so most would probably only remember him for having been laid off.