A Surprising Lesson from the Top

By Marty Nemko

In Lessons From The Top, Thomas Neff and James Citron interviewed 50 top executives, from Bill Gates to the Red Cross's Elizabeth Dole. Most of these leaders' shared attributes weren't surprising: great intelligence, energy, and communication ability. But one attribute did surprise me: they were calm. They exuded an inner tranquility, committed to making maximum effort but not unduly upset by a bad result. Many of us, to appear committed to our jobs, get overly invested. That's not necessary; indeed it may harm your work and your health.

What can you do today?
Make a good effort, but after that, when the outcome is beyond your control--for example, when someone doesn't take your advice--let it go.