Just received a terrific list of lessons learned in the corporate environment from an executive I truly respect, Tony Streeter. Tony is the SVP of Sales & Marketing for Y&L Consulting in San Antonio, Texas.

Wish I had Tony’s knowledge when I was in my twenties and thirties when I was attempting to work up the ladder of success.

Enjoy and pass on to someone special…….

  1. Don’t sacrifice good enough for perfect.
  2. Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.
  3. Don’t say anything about anyone you don’t expect to get back to them one way or another.
  4. Being a loose cannon sounds glamorous but you are not Bruce Willis and it doesn’t work out that well for the rest of us.
  5. Never say “can’t” or “no”.
  6. Don’t be seen as a roadblock.
  7. The devil is in the details.
  8. Never sell a big idea to a group.
  9. Be proactive.
  10. Don’t pat yourself on the back.
  11. Be flexible.
  12. Let them think they came up with the solution.
  13. Get to know people on a personal level and understand what makes them tick.
  14. Celebrate the small successes.
  15. Don’t lie, about anything, ever.
  16. Don’t make other people feel inferior.
  17. Understand the political climate around you.
  18. At the end of the day, you don’t own the company.  So, don’t get an ulcer or heart problems worrying about everything.
  19. If you push too hard and a VP says in anger “Fine, go ahead” you really should reconsider.
  20. Don’t fight an open battle at a conference room table.