How Can I reach the Corner Office?

Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts that will get you There

Pattye Moore and Scott Aylward

229 pages

John Wiley & Sons

$24.95

  

“When I was a little girl I used to line up my Barbie’s and do presentations for them.” Pattye Moore knew from a young age what she wanted to do with her life. She has been passionate about every job she’s ever had, she’s had a love affair with her job so it’s never been work to her.

When Scott Aylward graduated college he worked for a jewelry company, he hated it. He immediately quit, slept on the floor of a friend’s apartment and worked at a diner until he found an advertising job that he truly loved. He wanted to have a love with his job so it never seemed like work.

This is just one of the 15 instincts that co-authors Pattye Moore and Scott Aylward wrote in their book “Confessions from the Corner office: 15 Instincts that will Help you get There.” This book collaborated on the ideas of two people who have successfully climbed up the corporate ladder and have stayed at the top.

 About Scott and Pattye

Pattye Moore graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in public relations. She served as the president of Sonic Corp. from 2002 to 2004. She currently serves as the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.

Scott Aylward graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in advertising. He is the former president and CEO of one of the largest advertising agencies in the nation, Barkley Advertising. Aylward and Moore are the co-founders of INSTINCTS LLC, a company that specializes in brand development.  

In 1994 Moore was the vice president of Sonic while Aylward was working with the advertising agency Barkley Evergreen and Partners. Sonic hired Barkley Evergreen and Partners and Aylward was put in charge of the Sonic account. Over the next years Moore and Aylward worked closely on Sonic. As they grew closer together they learned that they shared very similar leadership characteristics.

Big Idea

Each chapter of this book highlights a specific skill that is important to reach the top, and shares the experiences of the two professionals.  From finding a corporate soul mate to sharing the spotlight each chapter dives into the characteristics that can shape a great leader.

After Moore and Aylward have both given their personal experiences on each characteristic in the chapters, they end the chapter with questions for the reader to ask themselves. This provides a way for the reader to challenge themselves, looking inwardly and finding out if they possess these characteristics.

Thoughts

There is no doubt that Moore and Aylward have been successful in their careers. Their use of personal experiences makes it even more believable that the two of them have used all of these instincts themselves to reach the top. The times I enjoyed reading the books the most was when each of them told stories from their different careers, it gave them more credibility.  

As I read through the book I realized how much integrity these two individuals had. So many times in corporate America we hear of the apathetic, unapproachable CEO who pays no attention to workers below him. Pattye and Scott break this stereotype by discussing times when they worked for Sonic and got some of their best ideas from employees and managers of the fast food restaurant.  

I appreciated the way they wrote so relaxed throughout the entire text, how they started each chapter with dialogue between the two of them. It gave me a better understanding of how the two of them work together as corporate soul mates. With that being said, there came a point when the dialogue came across as corny. There were times when I felt as if Aylward was trying to entertain the reader so much that his jokes fell flat and ended up not very funny.

There were also some chapters that made me question my future as a public relations practitioner. In Chapter 7 Moore and Aylward discussed that in order to reach the corner office you have to be willing to put in work outside of the typical nine to five schedule. However, in chapter 15, they discuss how both of their biggest regret in life was that they didn’t balance their work lives and they personal lives very well. Reading both of these chapters left me confused, they urge the reader to balance a personal life with work, but they also tell the reader that the road to the corner office is full of long work days with little time to ourselves.

Conclusion

            Anybody who wants to have any type of success in the corporate world should read this book. It not only teaches about how to reach the coveted corner office, but it also teaches important life lessons. Throughout the book the passion for their careers is seen clearly by the reader. When finishing I  became inspired to want to work hard in my own life and be the Pattye Moore or Scott Aylward of the corporate world.

Information Links

http://www.li-reviews.com/2007/07/21/book-review-confessions-corner-office/

http://people.equilar.com/bio/pattye-moore-oneok/salary/656506

http://www.kaspublicity.com/pr/confessions/AylwardandMooreBios.pdf

http://business.highbeam.com/136996/article-1G1-171834260/confessions-corner-office

http://thepersimmongroup.com/speakers/tpg-speakers/scott-aylward/

 

How Do You Plan to Make it to the Corner Office?

Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There

By Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore

224 pages

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

$24.95

Photo Credit: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

How Do You Plan to Make it to the Corner Office?

By Mikala Ewald

“How you build and maintain relationships, motivate those around you, instill confidence in all who work with you, and maintain an impressive level of self-awareness can make or break your career.” This is just one valuable piece of advice from Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore in their book, “Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There”.

 “Confessions from the Corner Office” is an informative guide that provides readers with 15 business and leadership instincts essential to climbing the corporate ladder (click here to read an excerpt from the book). The authors, Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore, injected this guide with their charming personalities, including back-and-forth banter between the two, making this book an easy read rather than a boring business book. The authors offer a wealth of business sense they learned throughout their successful careers.

Scott Aylward is the former President and CEO of Barkley Evergreen and Partners, which is the largest employee-owned advertising agency in the United States. Aylward met his co-author, Pattye Moore, when his company was hired to do the advertising for the Sonic Corporation of which Moore was the president. During the time Aylward and Moore represented Sonic, the business grew from less than $900 million to just over $3 billion in system-wide sales. Aylward and Moore went on to open their own consulting business, Instincts, LLC, which specializes in brand development.

Source: YouTube

The book centers on the idea that you should have a passion for your career and must be willing to work hard to become successful. The book is divided into two parts: attitude instincts and performance instincts. While some of the ideas in the book are somewhat generic pieces of business advice (such as learning to listen, remembering to take time for yourself and the importance of networking), the authors also offer a unique perspective not often found in business books.

For instance, chapter one is titled “Get Married Again—Your Spouse Won’t Mind: Corner Office Instinct 1: Find a Corporate Soul Mate”. This chapter focuses on the idea that having someone with similar goals and business sense to discuss problems and ideas with will help you rise to the top. Aylward and Moore support their ideas with their own personal experiences, both successes and failures.

The honesty and straightforward conversation about the fifteen instincts allows the reader to really connect with the authors. Both Aylward and Moore share very personal details of their lives in order to help the reader understand the importance of the fifteen instincts, and to encourage young professionals to preserve while working toward their career goals. I think their transparency is key to the success of the book.

While at times charming, the back-and-forth conversation between the two authors at the beginning of each chapter often falls flat and seems forced, it does help you understand the personality differences of the two. The personal anecdotes about their experiences in the office provide illustration to the fifteen instincts.

Overall, the authors provide great business instincts that are attainable. The honesty and transparency provided by the authors makes them relatable, unlike many bigwigs from the business world. I believe, if put into action, these instincts will allow you to move forward in your career. 

Confessions from the corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There

BOOK TITLE: Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There

AUTHOR: Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore

LENGTH: 224 Pages

PUBLISHER: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PRICE: $24.95

Do You Have What It Takes To Get To The Corner Office?

Will You Make It To The Corner Office?

By Brooke DeMiranda

Introduction to Book

Sitting down writing this blog at my house I look around at my roommates and all of us are on our phones, computers or even both.  We are having a conversation about our weekends but is anyone truly listening to what is being said? And by listening I mean understanding and giving the speaker their full attention and understanding? It seems as though technology is taking over our lives, and for some it is has.  WebMD has researched and defined what it means to have a technology addiction.  In their book Aylward and Moore stress the importance of listening in a professional and personal environment. This professional listening is tied to active listening which entails understanding the other person’s message, not just hearing words. For more information on active listening click here!

This is what the world has come to: Technology Addiction

Author credibility

  Scott Alywardwent to Michigan State University in 1979 graduating with a bachelor’s degree in advertising.  Pattye Moore graduated in 1979 from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/public relations.  Alyward and Moore met working for Sonic Industries beginning their partnership.  Scott and Pattye’s instincts also helped fuel impressive growth in their own careers. At the young age of 38, Scott was named president of the ad agency, CEO a few years later, and then chairman, by the age of 45. By 2001, Pattye, was executive vice president and a member of the board of directors for Sonic and was named president of Sonic Corporation in 2002. Soon after hey both left these positions to start a new company to help executives to develop leadership instincts.  After their multiple successes friends suggested Moore and Alyward write a book to help others.  After many copies and hours on end spent together the duo finished their book; Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There.. This book, helps others offering the instincts used by both authors to get to the corner office, which sometimes included the obvious instincts that we may look over. For more information about the authors visit KAS Publicity.

Scott Alyward

Pattye Moore

             











                                                                                                      

Summary of Big Ideas

 This book covers basic gut instincts rather than typical business leadership skills that propelled the authors to success in the industry.  Moore and Alyward have narrowed down these leadership instincts to the top 15 that when applied correctly will lead to nothing less than success. My favorite instincts from the from book are: Have the confidence to admit your mistakes and to ask others for help and Make your personal life a priority.  I think these two instincts showcase great qualities that every individual should possess in and out of the workplace.  Admitting you are wrong and have flaws is a big step and shows you are comfortable with not always having the right answer.  In order to be happy and successful with your work life it is important to deal with personal and family issues.  In a question and answer secession with Pattye Moore her one regret was the amount of time spent away from her family.

Book Evaluation

 I think that Aylward and Moore very adequately covered the intended topic.  I really enjoyed how this book was written as a memoir.  First of all because the writing is natural and conversational.  Secondly because the advice that the authors are giving is supported by facts and their careers.  I have applied the ideas in the book to my current internship.  I am more cautious of my actions and how I portray myself. This book was an easy read and kept me entertained through the conversational aspect and personal stories given by the authors.

Summary and Conclusion
I think this book is a useful tool offering advice that has been used and proven.  It describes how to effectively use these tools that we may not realize are vitally important in the business world. I highly recommend this book, not only because it is an entertaining good read but also because it gives advice that has been used by two very successful professionals.

THE GOAL: The Corner Office

TAGS: Pattye Moore, Scott Aylward, active listening, Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There.

How To Use Social Media To Your Advantage

How To Use Social Media To Your Advantage

Title: Likeable Social Media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook (and other social networks)

Author: Dave Kerpen

Length: 249 pages

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Price: $15 USD used on Amazon, $30 USD in stores            

(Photo source: www.webgnomes.org)

Social Media Gurus Needed

By: Hayley St. John

Today has been the worst day. Nothing has gone right and now you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on your way home from work. What do you do? Get on social media and rant. Everyone in this generation does it, no matter his or her age. At first, we worried this social media craze was a bad thing. But companies have since discovered it can be used for many advantages. In this book, author Dave Kerpen takes readers through a number of tips and strategies that companies can use to take the shifting world of marketing and communicating to benefit both brands and consumers.

Dave Kerpen is the CEO of Likeable Local, a social media software startup for small businesses, and chairman of Likeable Media, a social media firm that was named one of the 500 fastest growing private companies in the United States in 2011 and 2012.

The theme of the book is how to take the social media craze and use it as a tool for companies. It contains good tips for companies and brands wanting to expand their reach and listen to consumers. It is important for anyone interested in social media or marketing to read because the world of marketing has completely changed due to social media, and this book talks about how to take this change and use it positively. Readers will realize that too much social media use can be bad negative, but there are certain things you can do to ensure your company is “libeable.”

The author covers the topic very well. He talks about several different forms of social media, some I didn’t even know existed, and the pros and cons as well as how to use them. Kerpen also gives real life anecdotes from companies and social media sites to back up the points he makes. This book is great for anyone learning how to use social media to promote their company. It also gives great tips on how to take both positive and negative public feedback from consumers and use it to the company’s advantage.

One example that Kerpen writes about is Domino’s Pizza. Domino’s took consumer critiques and used them to create a whole new brand. Check out the video discussed in the book here called “Domino’s Pizza Turnaround.”

I highly recommend that anyone, no matter what age, with any interest in current social media or marketing should read this book. It has interesting anecdotes and statistics, as well as great tips on how to use social media to your advantage. The book offers insights both as a company/brand, and also as a consumer. It was interesting and easy to read.

After reading the book, I was interested in seeing how Kerpen himself uses social media to boost his company. Needless to say, he takes his own advice. Likeable Media has over 31 thousand likes on Facebook, nearly 30 thousand followers on Twitter and a Klout score (influence) of 72. Their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages provide excellent examples of how to carry out the tips in this book.

How To Be Happy And Successful In Corporate America

How To Be Happy And Successful In Corporate America

Title: Confessions from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There

Authors: Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore

Length: 224 pages

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Price: $10 USD used on Amazon, $20 USD in stores            

(Photo source: www.barnesandnoble.com)

Corporate Romance

By: Hayley St. John

It’s 3 a.m. You wake up and shoot out of bed with a brilliant idea. What do you immediately do? According to authors Aylward and Moore, you call your corporate soul mate to discuss the idea. Having a corporate soul mate to bounce ideas off is one of the important tips to success in the corporate world discussed in the book. At first this tip sounded odd to me, but as I read on I began to understand. Aylward and Moore give riveting personal anecdotes throughout the book that left me smiling, feeling emotional, and understanding exactly why each tip they give is so necessary for success and happiness in the corporate world.

Scott Aylward was hired by Barkley Evergreen and Partners, an advertising agency, to work on an account for Sonic Industries. Pattye Moore, an Oklahoma native and graduate of the University of Oklahoma, was the vice president of marketing for Sonic Industries. Both were extremely successful in their jobs working with Sonic. Aylward later served as CEO of Barkley Evergreen and Partners. Moore is currently working was the Chair of the board of directors for  Gourmet Burgers, Inc. Moore and Aylward both have careers that give them the perfect expertise to write this book.

(Photo source: thepersimmongroup.com)

The theme of the book, as reflected in my headline, is how to be happy and successful in Corporate America. It contains good tips for young people preparing to go into the corporate world as well as useful reminders for adults currently working in the corporate world. Each chapter is based on a different corporate instinct. It is important for people wanting to be successful in business to read this book, because the book talks about how to rise to the top, how to treat others, how to take advantage of all opportunities, and how to fall in love with your career to ensure personal happiness. Readers need to realize that everyone’s corporate journey will be different, but applying these tips in areas of your life will beneficial no matter what your journey is like.

The authors cover the topic very well. They both back up their advice with personal anecdotes that prove exactly why the tips they give are good. I believe this book not only applies to corporate America, but that it can also be applied to how to be successful in any aspect of life. I would love to read a sequel on how to be a parent. Based on the content of this book, I think the authors would have great tips and some hilarious stories for the sequel.

I highly recommend that anyone, no matter what age, with any interest in Corporate America should read this book. In fact, even people with no interest in the corporate world should read it. It has great tips on how to ensure success no matter what you do, as well as tips on how to treat others and keep yourself happy. The book was practical and personal, and it was an easy, enjoyable read.

If I have not yet convinced you of the brilliance of these two authors, check out a talk they did for a group of college students before you decide to read the book!