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How to Excel at Work:

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Proven strategies for achieving superior work performance By Bili Odum ,  narrated by russell newton.

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Bili Odum’S Little Book Is Like The Mustard Seed.

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Its impact will spread well beyond the wildest dream of the author.|  In simple

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and straightforward narrative,

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Bili has joined the motley crowd of Nigerians who seek to reintroduce morals

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into our value system.

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A few generations of Nigerians have grown up not knowing the real difference

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between good and bad.

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For them the end justifies the means.

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Hard work,

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Perseverance,

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Dedication,

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Integrity and Loyalty come to them by fits and starts and in convenient

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measures only.

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Here is someone – of their generation – telling them in a believable

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manner,

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that there is another side to life.

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The reader will need some patience to reconcile some apparent conflicts in the

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book.

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Two examples .- In Part Iv,

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the author admonishes,

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“Never argue with your boss."

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In Part Vi,

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he strongly suggests,

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“Stand up for your subordinates."

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How do you stand up for your subordinates in the face of a difficult boss?

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Argue?

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Dispute?

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Persuade?

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Surrender?

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Acquiesce?

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Give up?

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Reduce your point of view to writing when all else has failed?

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Then you have exposed him to ridicule!

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The path is strewn with thorns.

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The young person must pick his way carefully.

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In Part Iv,

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under Get Personal,

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the author suggests that the employee develops a database of his employer

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because “the effective use of the database can make you ride your way into

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his heart."

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This can mean many things to many persons.

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In our environment,

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it can lead to all sorts of consequences.

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It will help employees and employers as well.

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Such a pity that my role is limited to writing this Foreword which 1 am so very

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pleased to do.

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Mr. I. S. Moemeke Chairman,

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Board of Directors Lintas Limited    Acknowledgments.

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This book would not have been possible without the undeniable assistance of

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Edwin Balogun,

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Chiedu Charles Odum,

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Rotimi Soboyejo and Yinka Aiyetigbo.

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1 also want to thank Mr. I. S. Moemeke for the inspirational support and many

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invaluable comments and contacts that he provided.

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My sincere thanks also goes to my precious mum,

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Mrs. Lucy Uche Odum;

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my dear brothers,

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Martin,

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Mike,

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Onyema and Chiedu;

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and my sweetheart,

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Alice Emem Odum.

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Finally,

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1 would like to say thank you to my superiors,

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colleagues,

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subordinates,

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and friends who continue to excel at the workplace and are by no small means

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contributing to the institution of the culture of excellence.

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Introduction.

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“The proper function of man is to live,

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not to exist."

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Are You Tired Of Remaining On The Same Spot?

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Do you wish to be at a higher and respectable position in your organisation?

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Are you anxious to make that indelible mark in your field and be regarded as an

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achiever?

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Do you wish to advance upwards with the achievers,

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rather than be left behind with those who have embraced mediocrity?

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Do you want to gain that competitive edge and stand out amongst your

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contemporaries?

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Have you always lost out in getting that promotion you so desperately desire,

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and now feel that it is about time you mastered the art of winning in the

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workplace?

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Do you strongly desire to be appreciated in the workplace as an indispensable

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worker?

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Do you want total job satisfaction and accomplishment?

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Do you wish to be an inspiration to your colleagues and subordinates?

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If you answered Yes to any of the questions,

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then this is the ideal book for you.

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How To Excel At Work — Proven Strategies For Achieving Superior Work

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Performance is a store of extensively researched,

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time-tested and proven strategies and techniques that you can gain mastery of

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and apply in any workplace to put yourself on the path of career success.

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You may ask,

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“Why do 1 need to acquire the strategies and techniques when I have a

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repertoire of academic honours?"

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Unlike what used to be the situation,

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say,

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20 years ago,

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academic qualifications alone do not guarantee that you would be a worker of

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distinction.

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Look around you.

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It is clear that a significant number of the top achievers in any profession,

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workplace,

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etc. are more often than not the individuals with average qualifications.

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So,

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educational qualification,

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though necessary,

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is obviously not a sufficient requirement for career success.

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Academic qualifications and honours can enhance your chances of getting a good

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job and,

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for a certain period of time,

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keep you on that job.

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They do not guarantee career distinction.

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“Today you cannot accomplish your goals by simply working longer and harder.

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You must also work smarter.

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You must increase the quality of what you do at the same time you increase the

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quantity of your work."

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The mastery and application of proven skills for career success is a certified

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route to distinction in the workplace.

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They assure your movement towards the pinnacle of your career without hurting

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others in the process.

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In fact these skills when effectively applied end up being beneficial to

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everyone - yourself,

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the organisation,

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your bosses,

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colleagues and subordinates.

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The possession of these skills with a good measure of diligence,

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consistency and patience would make you a better worker and an indispensable

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asset to your bosses and colleagues as well as an inspiring leader to your

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subordinates.

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These benefits,

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in turn,

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over time would make you the most qualified candidate for a promotion,

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increased remuneration and any other kind of benefit you desire from your

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career.

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The skills,

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strategies and techniques that will guarantee your success in the workplace are

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articulately presented and thoroughly explained in this book,

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which is divided into 8 parts.

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Part 1,

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How To Recognise And Eliminate Obstructive Career Misconceptions,

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identifies those negative misconceptions which most people have about work,

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and has,

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more than anything else,

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placed them where they are (which is not so good),

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instead of moving them up to the top of the Corporate Tower.

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You would learn how to avoid these misconceptions and therefore eliminate the

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consequences.

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Part Ii,

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How To Empower Yourself For Career Distinction,

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presents skills that would enable you experience an easy “take- off” on

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your journey to the top of your career.

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The techniques and strategies in this section are based on the premise that the

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quest for success starts with the individual,

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and until he/she is prepared to improve personally,

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the desire to excel at work and achieve career distinction would be a mere

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dream.

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Part IiI,

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How To Become An Indispensable Worker,

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exhaustively treats skills that are required by you to create a strong impact

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in the workplace and make you indispensable.

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In this Part,

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you will realise that those who make themselves indispensable have an excellent

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chance of attaining career success.

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Part Iv,

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How To Effectively Manage Your Boss,

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instructs you on how you can apply the strategies and techniques presented to

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genuinely impress your boss(es).

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Undoubtedly,

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your boss plays a crucial role in your journey to the top of your career.

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Winning the support and commendation of your superiors would not be a problem

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for the possessor of the skills presented in Part Iv  Part 5,

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How To Manage And Successfully Relate With Your Colleagues,

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teaches you numerous ways in which you can get your colleagues in the workplace

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on your supportive side as you proceed to the top.

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Like bosses,

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your colleagues can either enhance or frustrate your chances of achieving

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career success.

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Therefore,

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the mastery of the skills presented in this Part would be of immense advantage

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to you.

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Part Vi,

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How To Be A Workplace Leader,

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presents potent leadership skills you should apply in the workplace to enable

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you effectively motivate and win the undivided support of your subordinates.

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Many workers,

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have made the fatal mistake of perceiving subordinates as being insignificant.

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Little do they realise that their ability to manage their subordinates

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advertise their suitability to take on the responsibilities of higher positions.

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Part Vii,

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Your Career And Your Future,

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would enable you realise that there are really no limits to career success,

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that success is not a destination,

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but a journey.

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One level of accomplishment is just a stepping stone to another higher level.

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This part presents further strategies and techniques that would expand your

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perception and inspire you to achieve Total Career Success.

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Finally,

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Part ViiI,

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Success Notes from Top Executives,

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furnishes you with insights that only top achievers can provide.

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From Dr. Kolade to Mr. Ohiwerei,

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from Mr. Onosode to Mr. Nwosu,

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the pathway to career success is clearly explained by a few Nigerians who have

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distinguished themselves and earned the right to show us the way.

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By the time you get to the end of this book,

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you would realise that it is possible to be an outstanding success in your

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chosen career.

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You would see that opportunities for excelling at work are legion.

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You would learn that such opportunities for success are veiled and need to be

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unlocked through effort.

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Career success requires,

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more than anything else,

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focused and consistent effort.

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Once again,

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1 would like to remind you that this book is aimed at presenting techniques and

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strategies,

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the proper understanding and application of which should propel you to the top

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of the Corporate Tower.

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Achieving career success means many different things to different people.

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It could be any or all of the following .- Being promoted from your present

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level to the next.

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Receiving a rich monthly salary with other benefits.

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Lots of subordinates to supervise.

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Power.

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Security.

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Fame.

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Comfort.

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When you possess and apply proven career success techniques and strategies,

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you increase by many times your chances of succeeding in the workplace.

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This book has been designed to be your guide and coach.

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We know that you would find it useful and instructive.

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It will expose you to those things you never knew could enhance your chances of

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success in the workplace.

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In some cases,

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you would discover that you are familiar with some techniques but you may have

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taken its efficacy for granted.

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It is not intended that you only know these strategies.

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We expect that you would gradually adopt the techniques and strategies as part

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of your Career Enhancement Strategy.

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You must apply the principles consistently and be on the lookout for

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opportunities that you can take advantage of.

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Do not be discouraged at any point.

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Success at work and in your career is a progressive affair that requires

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patience,

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faith and continuous effort.

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And,

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in a short while,

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distinction and all its rewards would be yours.

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“The two most important qualities of success are focus and concentration.

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Focus means knowing what exactly it is you want and concentration means having

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the discipline to concentrate single-mindedly on one thing,

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the most important thing,

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until it is complete."

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This has been

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How to Excel at Work:

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Proven strategies for achieving superior work performance By Bili Odum ,  narrated by russell newton.