The WiseWorking Handbook is just that—a handbook on how to be a wiser worker in the form of a collection of instructive and insightful bite-sized readings. It is about how people can bring more meaning, purpose, equanimity, and peace to their work, in particular, and their lives in general, particularly when that work/life is fast-paced, stressful, and even personally and relationally toxic. Organized around the WiseWorker’s EcoSystem of personal branding, networks and communities, change and conflict, practice, communications and results, these readings examine strategies and approaches for how one can thrive in each of these areas. This book helps us to raise our game in wise ways that allow us to maintain our health, improve our relationships, and increase our value. Meant to be consumed as an “end to end” or a “dive in wherever it’s relevant” read, The WiseWorking Handbook will be a handy aid in helping you to truly be a wise worker. The WiseWorking Handbook Wise Ways to Increase Your Value at Work By Craig A. DeLarge Balboa Press Copyright © 2014 Craig A. DeLarge All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4525-6135-6 Contents Introduction, xi, Perspective: The WiseWorker's Worldview, 1, 1 Practice Improves Everything, So Watch What You Practice, 5, 2 On a Horse Looking for a Horse, 7, 3 Opportunity: Who's Pursuing Whom? It or You?, 9, 4 If I Am Humble, I Cannot Be Overcome, 11, 5 Everything Comes to Pass, 13, 6 The Power of "Yet", 15, 7 The Progressive Power of "Will Continue", 16, 8 It's Not "Either/Or" But "Both/And", 18, 9 What Else Will You Do with This Life?, 21, 10 Work as Worship? Work Is Where I Worship, 23, 11 Work as Spiritual Retreat?, 25, 12 Work: Service or Slavery?, 26, Personal Branding: The WiseWorker's Persona, 29, 13 You Can't Sell What You Don't Have. Sell What You Have, Not What You Don't!, 33, 14 Befriending the Impostor (in Ourselves), 35, 15 Maintaining Your Sweet Spot in the Midst of Restructuring, 38, 16 Resume Check, 1, 2, 3 ..., 41, 17 Interviews as Value Conversations, 44, 18 Knowing and Telling Your Value Story, 47, 19 Deliverables: An Alternative View of Value Presentation, 49, 20 Enthusiasm: The Dance That Attracts Investment, 51, 21 Which Is the Better Question: What to Do? or How to Contribute?, 53, 22 Evil as a Key to Career Satisfaction, 55, Networks and Communities: The WiseWorker's Village, 59, 23 I Love (Organizational) Politics! And You Should Too!, 63, 24 We Can Make It, But Not Alone!, 65, 25 Cultivating Customers versus Employers, 67, 26 Taking the Networking Out of Net Working, 69, 27 Assuming Innocence: My Relationship Salve and Blood Pressure Reducer?, 71, 28 The Benefits of Giving the Benefit of the Doubt, 73, 29 Valuing the Givers More Than the Gifts, 75, 30 Dealing with the Enemies that Priorities Breed, 76, 31 Finding (Making) Time for Online Communities, 78, Change and Conflict: The WiseWorker's Weather, 81, 32 Where There Is a Flood, Build a Levee!, 85, 33 Take It Educationally, Not Personally, 87, 34 Win the Game You're Playing, Even If You Lose the Games Others Play, 88, 35 No Problem; Just Change, 90, 36 Beware of Doing What Makes You Successful, 91, 37 The Nature of Communication Is Miscommunication, 93, 38 Patience and Persistence: Two Practices Worth More Than the Effort to Develop Them, 95, 39 Telling Response-able Stories, 98, 40 Getting Good at Being in a Bad Mood, 99, Practice: The WiseWorker's Playground, 101, 41 No: The New Yes, 105, 42 Live by Chapters: As for Good Books, So for Good Lives, 108, 43 Delaying Gratification: Key to Success and Antidote for Procrastination, 111, 44 Volunteering as a Path to a Better or Different Career, 113, 45 Eggs, Baskets, and Careers: A Spring Post, 115, 46 Giving Ourselves (and Others) a Break, 117, 47 Giving Ourselves (and Others) Credit, 119, 48 Self-Comparison Better Than Other-Comparison (Most of the Time), 121, 49 What Exhausts: The Work or the Reaction to the Work?, 123, 50 Watching Our Work 125, Communications Technology: The WiseWorker's Instrument and Amplifier, 127, 51 Facebook: Community Center and Graduate School?, 131, 52 On Using Delicious Social Bookmarks, 134, 53 iPhones/iTunes: A Training and Development Tool?, 136, 54 On Using LinkedIn, 138, 55 On Using Twitter, 141, 56 My Unintended Social Media Education Strategy, 143, Results: The WiseWorker's Legacy, 145, 57 Failing To(ward) Success, 149, 58 Failure Needs No Plan, 151, 59 The Pain (and Satisfaction) of Labor, 153, 60 Wisely Investing Our Own Profit (Margin), 154, 61 Time: What Are You Making with Yours?, 157, 62 Don't Call the Game Before It's Over, 159, 63 How You Use Your Reasons Determines Whether You Get Results, 162, Epilogue, 165, About WiseWorking Leadership and Career Coaching, 167, Bibliography, 169, CHAPTER 1 Practice Improves Everything, So Watch What You Practice One of my favorite proverbs is "Everything Improves with Pra