$24.95 USA / $26.95 CAN (continued from front flap) Praise for Halford people’s jobs easier, creating a better experience for BE A SHORTCUT colleagues and clients, and helping colleagues increase BE A A SHORTCUT SHORTCUT profi ts or cut costs. On the road to professional “It’s an extraordinary combination in a business book. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll think, but, motional intelligence expert Scott Halford success, there are no shortcuts to excellence. But most of all, you’ll learn about the success and infl uence you get when you become a Shortcut.” makes it easy for all professionals to think, when you become a Shortcut in the workplace, you —-Andy Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift Eact, and work in a way that makes them carve out the straightest path between you and your indispensable to their employers. During tough ultimate goal. “The author’s leading-edge ideas on professional Shortcuts (without sacrifi cing your integrity or economic times, you must distinguish yourself to quality results) will fast-forward your rise through the ranks and expedite your professional success. secure your job; you must be remarkable. More than Read it and reap.” just another guide to career success, Be a Shortcut —-Sam Horn, author of POP!: Stand Out in Any Crowd demonstrates how you can gain infl uence, earn respect Photo: John Johnston John Photo: from coworkers, accrue value, develop particular “Scott Halford shares sound insights that every professional services fi rm could use to ensure excellent client service. His guidance on emotional intelligence and navigating business relationships professional strengths, and fulfi ll professional goals. is worthwhile for executives and emerging leaders alike. This book is well worth the investment of time to read and learn practical principles for professionals looking to advance their careers and Shortcuts are individuals and companies that function their businesses.” like lifelines to the people and organizations that most SCOTT G. HALFORD is a speaker, consultant, —-Thomas D. Furman Jr., PE, BCEE, Chairman and CEO, CDM depend on them. They are available when needed, and expert in emotional intelligence and BE A SHORTCUT they humbly perform tasks without complaint, they professional mastery. He is the owner of Complete “Finally a book that candidly and simply explains how to rapidly advance in business, no matter The Secret Fast Track to Business Success are masters of their own specifi c skill, and they always Intelligence™, LLC, a consultancy with clients what level in the company. It’s fi lled with how-to’s for those who choose to step up to the plate.” present a positive attitude. Halford demonstrates how such as Molson Coors, Medtronic, Microsoft, and —-Robert Wechsler, Chairman, Century Ventures Shortcuts can command immeasurable infl uence Ingersoll Rand. by consistently and happily performing above and “It’s rare that a book comes along that can have a profound impact on your life. This book is your to Business Success Track The Secret Fast beyond the standards in their chosen fi eld or task. For more information, please visit personal life shortcut—fi lled with extensive research, real-life success examples, and how-to shortcut www.BeAShortcut.com lessons. Scott Halford is your ideal mentor, holding the mirror up until you really see yourself and, In Be a Shortcut, you can evaluate your current at the same time, asking the insightful, challenging questions about who you will choose to become abilities and potential for becoming a Shortcut with Jacket Design: Michael J. Freeland personally and professionally. Now with the mirror and shortcut lessons in mind, you have the Halford’s practical Shortcut Quotient Inventory, an Jacket Image: © Jupiterimages chance to begin a passionate journey to a more delightful and meaningful life.” —-Kim Patmore, Executive Vice President, First Data Corporation assessment that will show you how to best apply the powerful strategies and tools in this book. By utilizing “Halford’s insights into leadership and effectiveness through Shortcuts are brilliant—his stories Halford’s case studies, personal anecdotes, exercises, capture the essence of what success looks like in today’s fast-paced work environment. After and lessons, you can excel in your fi eld and be the reading this book, you won’t stop assessing your own and your employees’ capacity to be a Shortcut.” —-Dr. Lynn M. Gangone, Dean, The Women’s College of the University of Denver go-to person for your colleagues. Great Shortcuts are able to make time for things about which they are passionate. They use that same effi ciency and passion in the workplace, making other Scott G. Halford (continued on back flap) ffirs.indd ii 10/11/08 12:53:31 PM ffirs.indd i 10/11/08 12:53:30 PM ffirs.indd ii 10/11/08 12:53:31 PM The Secret Fast Track to Business Success SCOTT G. HALFORD John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs.indd iii 10/11/08 12:53:31 PM Copyright © 2009 by Scott G. Halford. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifi cally disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profi t or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Halford, Scott G., 1960- Be a shortcut : the secret fast-track to business success / Scott G. Halford. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-470-27036-3 (cloth) 1. Success in business. I. Title. HF5386.H223 2009 650.1—dc22 2008022838 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ffirs.indd iv 10/11/08 12:53:31 PM To all who make the journey easier and sweeter. ffirs.indd v 10/11/08 12:53:31 PM ffirs.indd vi 10/11/08 12:53:32 PM Contents Acknowledgments xi Preface xv Introduction xxi Shortcut Quiz xxiii Part One The Know-Why 1 Back-Road Basics 7 If You’re Not a Shortcut You’re Taking Up Too Much Space 11 Are You a Shortcut or Bottleneck? 16 Determining Your Value 18 Anatomy of a Bottleneck 27 Shortcuts Save Time 29 Part Two The Know-What 35 Make It Easier, Make It Better, Make More Money 37 The Shortcut of Effi ciency (Easier) 41 Organize Your Info 44 Unload the Overload 47 Scoop It Up 51 The Washed-Up Shortcut 53 Raise Your Hand 55 Get Some Screen Time 58 Rule the Rules 61 vii ftoc.indd vii 10/11/08 12:52:48 PM viii CONTENTS Become the Master 65 Find the Flow 74 Train Your Brain 81 Incite Your Insights 89 Throw Some Spice on the Grill 96 Use the White Space 98 Excel as a White Belt First 101 Get Framed 104 Be the Infl uencer 107 Part Three The Know-How 115 Image 123 The Care and Feeding of Your Shanti 131 Attitude 139 Emotional Intelligence 144 Focus 153 Meaning 157 Humor: The Secret Weapon of Shortcuts Everywhere 161 “Yes”: Why It’s Usually the Right Answer 163 Choices 167 Stickiness 170 Responsibility 173 Feelings 176 Context 179 Part Four The Shortcut as a Company 185 Shortcuts Transform 197 Shortcut Paradise 200 Shortcuts Here, There, and Everywhere 202 Shortcuts Remember When . 205 Part Five The Long and Shortcut of It 207 The Lessons of the Shortcut Have Always Been There 211 ftoc.indd viii 10/11/08 12:52:48 PM Contents ix Epilogue 215 Appendix: Shortcut Quiz Answers 217 References 223 Bibliography 227 About the Author 229 Index 231 ftoc.indd ix 10/11/08 12:52:49 PM ftoc.indd x 10/11/08 12:52:49 PM Acknowledgments riting a book is an amazing process, and many who do it liken W it to the birthing of a child.