Career advice ’08

An overview of the important lessons

found in Dan Pink’s latest book.
A presentation (of sorts) by Garr Reynolds.
Concerned about your
professional future?
Need some guidance?
 n h e l p !
b oo k ca
Thi s
 Six
Career
Garr Reynolds presents an
overview of Dan Pink’s latest
book (with some expanded

Lessons material thrown in).

From Dan Pink

presentation by
Garr Reynolds
Introduction
こんにちは、ガーです!
...um...
Hi! I’m Garr!
I live here.
I live here. です、
ね !
そう

A N!
J A P
In
Let me tell you about
a very cool book by
Daniel H. Pink.
Let me tell you about
a very cool book by
Daniel H. Pink.

D a n!
a l l h im
C
Here it is
Not actual size.
Actual size.
Have you read Dan’s
other books?
Have you read Dan’s
other books?

Not actual size.

Have you read Dan’s
other books?

Actual size.
Have you read Dan’s
other books?

om e !
r e a wes
hey ’
T

Actual size.
I spent the day with
Dan once in Japan.
Here’s a map of Japan
(just in case...).
Dan’s a smart guy. And
a generous guy too.

k
Dan Pin
y w h o looks
u
Some g D a n Pink
r t of like
s o
Dan’s a smart guy. And m e...
’s
that
a generous guy too. wait—

k
Dan Pin
y w h o looks
u
Some g D a n Pink
r t of like
s o
Dan gave a great prezo
to my biz students!
Dan gave a great prezo
to my biz students!

Dan’s a kick-
ass presenter
!
Dan’s new book is
fantastic! Buy one
for yourself and every
student you know who
graduates this year.
Dan’s new book is
fantastic! Buy one
for yourself and every
student you know who
graduates this year.

sl y —
e r i ou
S o w!
it n
get
I read the book over
lunch in Osaka...see?
YUM!
(You gonna eat that?)
Anyway...
As you can see, it’s
presented in Manga
style. Very cool and
effective!
This is Johnny Bunko,
the main character.

ny
John
This is Diana,the
“career advisor.”

Diana
Here’s my summary
of the key lessons
from Johnny Bunko
by Dan Pink.
Here’s my summary d d ed a l i t t l e of
Ia p i n to
of the key lessons my ow
n
o
s
f th e t i p s...
som e
from Johnny Bunko
by Dan Pink.
The context
Question:
Is this you?
Basically a
good person.
 Lis
t
you nede
rp t o
are
nts
.
Took all
the advice...
Followed
conventional
wisdom...
Studied
hard.
Did what you
were supposed
to do...
You got a
decent job!
 You got a
decent job!
, J a c k!
e sho es
Nic


 k i n g
or
y o u’re

w
...and

h a r d !
BUT!
BUT!
 BUT...
BUT... BUT...
BUT...
BUT...
BUT... BUT...
BUT...

BUT!
You’re not
satisfied...
 In fact...

You’re beginning
to wonder:
Was
e
wron veryo
g? ne
 Time to rethink
“conventional wisdom”
Six
Career
Lessons
From Dan Pink
 Time to rethink
“conventional wisdom”
Six
Career
Wish
I kne
20 ye w thi
ars a s
go!

Lessons
From Dan Pink
 Time to rethink
“conventional wisdom”
Six
Career
Wish
’s never 20 ye
I kne
w thi
, i t s
Man e!
ars a
go!

Lessons
l a t
too

From Dan Pink

Lesson 1
There is no plan.
1
?
 Does this
sound familiar?
Pay y
our d
ues

b u s y
Ge t
Suck
it up
Up you
go!
 t h e
g o t n!
v e t a
I ’ , S
l a n
p
Problem is...
You can’t map
it all out.

Your career path.

 You can’t map
it all out.
t i t us ually
c a n t r y, bu
u
Well, yo t he w a y you
n ’t w or k out
does
it.
planned

Your career path.

 You can’t map
it all out.
s
r e mind
p a th
ar e er . .
t c hi n g.
Tha m e t
o f so
me

Your career path.

Your career path
may look like this
Think of it this way...
A plan is like a path.
 sme...
that’

A plan is like a path.

wait—

p a t h!
me th e
s o sh ow
Great,
 sme...
that’

A plan is like a path.

wait—

p a t h!
me th e
s o sh ow
G reat,

y n ot
o u ma
u t y . ..
, b e r
OK a n sw
e the
lik
The path is..
 The path is..
there is no path
 ’ o h! that’
sme...

D
wait—
 h o u ld
y o u s
y
Funn “ d o h.”
n t i o n
me
The way (doh)
 There is no set path...
but there is a way.
The key to the way?
Make smart choices
stuff
st l e t
’ t j u
t . D on . ..
R i g h p e n
m ly hap
rando
 Two types of reasons
for your career choices:
 Two types of reasons
for your career choices

Instrumental Fundamental
reasons reasons
 Two types of reasons
for your career choices

Instrumental Fundamental
reasons reasons

i f f erence?
t h e d
What’s
Instrumental reasons
Because you think (hope?) it will
lead to something else whether
you enjoy it or not.
Fundamental reasons
Because you think it is inherently
valuable (regardless of what it
may lead to).
 Most successful people make decisions for

Fundamental reasons.
o f t he
n o t all
a n s ays e t i me.
.D th
Right t mos t o f
b u
time,
Sounds foolish?
 Think:

Enlightened
Pragmatists
Example:
Steve Jobs
Huh?
 Huh?
o n d ...
me a sec
t h
Be ar wi
 Huh?
o n d ...
me a sec
t h
Be ar wi Goog
le St
at St eve J
anfor obs’ s
d ‘05 peech
“None of this had even a hope of
any practical application in my life.
But ten years later, when we were
designing the first Macintosh
computer, it all came back to me. ”
Steve Jobs on studying calligraphy and learning
about typography as a college student.
Steve Jobs on the path:
(connecting the dots)
“You can’t connect the
dots looking forward...
—Steve Jobs
”
“...you can only connect them looking
backwards. So you have to trust that
the dots will somehow connect in
your future. You have to trust in
something — your gut, destiny, life,
karma, whatever...it has made all the
”
difference in my life.
—Steve Jobs
There is no plan.
1
Discussion
Lesson 2
Think strengths
not weaknesses.

2
Conventional wisdom:
Focus where you are
to make sure your weaknesses
weak
don’t hold you back.
BUT!
Successful people do not work so much
on what they are bad at, they focus on
capitalizing on what
they are good at.
Based on research by
Martin Seligman and Marcus Buckingham
Identify what you are
good at and make *that*
insanely great.
Who wants to be mediocre?

Your Passion Your Strengths

Your “remarkable”
(Your “insanely great”)
 Find your
remarkable.
 g u r u
e t i n g a y. . .
m a rk u ld s
As din w o
th G o
Se

Seth Godin action figure

 Find your

purple cow.
moooo
よろしく、ね！
よろしく、ね！ e se
J a p a n
p ea k s
c o w s k a b l e!
, th a t Re m ar
Hey u r p l e.
* i t ’sp
*and
Bottom line is...
You are not “average”
So just remember...
 fo c u s on
r s t r eng t h s !
You
Think strengths
not weaknesses.

2
Discussion
Lesson 3
It’s not about you.
3
 It’s about
adding value.
 It’s about
helping the client.
 It’s about
using your strengths
and talents in the
service of others.
e.g., helping your customer totally kick-ass!
Improving your own life
by improving the lives
of others.
e.g., helping your team in ways they
didn’t even know possible.
 Your Your
Passion Strengths

What the
world needs
Your mission?
Use your strengths,
do what you love...
And do work worth
paying for that solves a
problem or helps others.
Use your strengths,
do what you love...
And do work worth
paying for that solves a
problem or helps others.
m arkable!
? Re
at tery
Solar b
It’s not about you.
3
Discussion
Lesson 4
Persistence
trumps talent.
4
Yes, talent is important 
...
 
(which is why you must identify your strengths).

But talent alone

will not get it done.
 d p e o p l e
i th t a l e nte
i s f i l le d w
T he w o r l d a v e u p ...
i s t , w h o g
i dn ’ t pe r s
wh o d
 d p e o p l e
i th t a l e nte
i s f i l le d w
T he w o r l d a v e u p ...
i s t , w h o g
i dn ’ t pe r s
wh o d

...and were
passed by pe
talent but w ople with les
ith more grit s
and persiste
nce.

t
ent.pp
pres
 Think:

Continuous
improvement .
改善
Continuous improvement (Kaizen)
 Even small
improvements
matter...
Step by step...
 Keep
moving
forward
How are you
motivated?
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic

Motivation
The more intrinsic
motivation you have,
the more you are likely
to persist.
The more you
persist, the more
likely you are to
succeed.
Kaizen
Persistence
trumps talent.
4
Discussion
Lesson 5
 Make excellent

Mistakes.
5
 i s t a k e s ,
o m o u r m
l e a r n f r e f r om
If w e e v e n m o r
w e le a rn
e n c a n ’ t a k e s ?
th e n t ) m i s t
( e x c el l
our big
 i s t a k e s ,
o m o u r m
l e a r n f r e f r om
If w e e v e n m o r
w e le a rn
e n c a n ’ t a k e s ?
th e n t ) m i s t
( e x c el l
our big

i ng c a re less
e ’ r e no t talk a kes”
...w e “ m i s t
re , b ut th
blunders
h e
o u g h t b i g and
w h e n y ou th
you made
o k a c h a nce.
to
t
ent.pp
pres
 i s t a k e s ,
o m o u r m
l e a r n f r e f r om
If w e e v e n m o r
w e le a rn
e n c a n ’ t a k e s ?
th e n t ) m i s t
( e x c el l
our big

i ng c a re less
e ’ r e no t talk a kes”
...w e “ m i s t
re , b ut th
blunders
h e
o u g h t b i g and
w h e n y ou th
you made
o k a c h a nce.
to
t
ent.pp
pres

No pain, n
o gain!
So, why not...
Think
“ The greater danger for most of
us lies not in setting our aim
too high and falling short; but
in setting our aim too low, and
achieving our mark.
”
—Michelangelo
 a r e d t o b e
r e n o t p r e p
If yo u ’ c o m e
o u ’ l l n e v e r
w r o n g , y na l .
t h i n g o r ig i
w i th a n y
up —Sir Ken R
binson
o
Take a chance
 Make excellent

Mistakes.
5
Discussion
Lesson 6
 Leave an

imprint.
6
When you get older, you may
have some questions...
Questions you’ll be asking
Did I make a difference?
Did I contribute?
Did I matter?
Problem is...
Most people get toward the
end of their lives and they
don’t like their answers.
“
Regret for the things we
did can be tempered by
time; it is regret for the
things we did not do
that is inconsolable.
”
— Sydney J. Harris
 t f o r a
pl a n e
o n th i s
We ’r e e .. .
or t t im
s h
very
 re nc e ?
a diff e
t ma k e
h y no
W
Why not make a contribution?
 t i on ,
t r i b u
t c o n ”
a b o u i s …
a r e r j ob
“W e a t o u
’s w h
t h at n d er
Z a
min
a
B enj
—
 d o c to r,
l a w y er,
fi g h t e r , ,
r, fi r e e rs o n
Teache r, b u s i n e s s p
m e r,
w o r k e r o g ra m
social r, s c ie n ti st , p
n . . . .
e p r e n e u n , a n d o
ent r , a n d o
, a n d o n
i g n er
des
We all want to make a contribution.
(Otherwise, why get out of bed?)
No matter what your
career path looks like...
 n i v e rs e.
i n the u
e a de n t
M a k
 Leave an

imprint.
6
Discussion
Review
There you have it.
That’s some of the key
points in Dan Pink’s
latest book.
There you have it.
That’s some of the key
points in Dan Pink’s
latest book.

e w . ..
revi
Let’s
 n o p l a n .
h e r e i s e s s e s .
•T o t w e a k n
n g t h s , n
i n k s t r e
• T h
u t y o u .
o t a b o
• It’s n s t a l e n t.
e t r u m p
t e n c
• Pe rs is i s t a k e s .
c e l l e n t m
e x
• Ma ke
i m p r i n t .
v e a n
• Le a
One more thought...
You spent so much on your
education...
You spent so much on your
education...

bu t are yo u
pr ep are d?
For the price
of a few of
these...
 ...you can
this creat g et
ive and
important
book
by Dan Pi
nk
 $15

$100,000
d y s p e nt
o u ’ v e alrea f ew
Y t ’ s a
m u c h , wha
this
e d o l l a rs?
mor
 Six
Career
This was an overview by
Garr Reynolds of Dan Pink’s
latest book (with some extra

Lessons stuff thrown in).

From Dan Pink

presentation by
Garr Reynolds
?
Got any more?
Got any
to add
more tip
to the l
s you’d
ist of s
ix?
like

presentation by
Garr Reynolds
 Links
www.danpink.com
www.johnnybunko.com
 Links
www.danpink.com
www.johnnybunko.com
b s i t e t oo:
We
e cko u t m y
z en .c om
tation
A nd ch
presen
www.