Book Summaries

Summary of "Rise"

Introduction: Working versus Succeeding

"Rise" by Patty Azzarello presents a practical three-part approach to career advancement that goes beyond simply working hard. The author, who became the youngest general manager at Hewlett-Packard at age 33 and a CEO by 38, shares her framework for standing out and achieving remarkable career success without sacrificing personal well-being.

Azzarello's core insight is that successful people don't just excel at their job descriptions - they break through limitations by conceiving and doing extra things above and around their formal responsibilities. They focus on creating significant business impact rather than just completing tasks.

Her three-part framework consists of:

DO Better - Have more impact
LOOK Better - Be visible, but not annoying
CONNECT Better - Get support

The author emphasizes that all three elements work together. For example, she shares her personal experience of delivering excellent results (DO Better) in a job turnaround, but receiving no raise because "nobody knew her" - highlighting the importance of visibility (LOOK Better) and connections (CONNECT Better).

Part 1: DO Better - Have More Impact

Be Less Busy

Success requires creating time for higher-value work by rising above daily tasks. Azzarello emphasizes that no one but YOU will make you less busy. Key insights include:

Delivering work is not the same as adding value
Embrace productive laziness and selfishness
Just because you can work tirelessly doesn't mean you should
Your psychological energy traps can keep you unnecessarily busy
Schedule time to think and hide - this investment pays dividends

Example: An executive at a Silicon Valley company discovered that their team's nonstop work wasn't valued when half the team was laid off. This illustrated how working frantically without strategic focus doesn't build value.

Ruthless Priorities

Highly successful people don't do everything. They focus intensely on the few things that have the biggest business impact. Azzarello advises:

Identify what matters most to the business
Choose your Ruthless Priorities (no more than 3-5)
Focus on what you ARE doing, not what you're NOT doing
Ratify priorities with your boss
Assign less than 100% of your time
Resist pressures that put priorities at risk
Overcommunicate using the 21-Times Rule
Create a new social norm
Get them done
Recognize and celebrate

Example: A COO at a retail company intentionally delayed many tactical infrastructure projects to focus on a nationwide point-of-sale system rollout that would enable new loyalty-based promotions. Although people were annoyed about delays on other projects, the new system created substantial new revenue, demonstrating the value of ruthless prioritization.

Make More Time

The book offers several strategies to create more time:

Make the container smaller (limit time for activities like email)
Seek and destroy chaos (fix poor communication, bad meetings)
Be selectively responsive (not everything needs a detailed response)
Leave some things unresolved (focus only on what matters)
Create a "Don't Do" list
Deal with feeling overwhelmed using the three-column technique:
1. Things you're getting done
2. Things you've committed to but aren't getting done
3. Important things you have no chance of doing

Example: An overwhelmed manager created a visual "three-columns" chart to clarify what was causing stress and enable realistic reprioritization. This helped negotiate with stakeholders about what could and couldn't be done.

The Agony and the Paycheck

Success comes from aligning your work with your natural strengths and values - not from "doing what you love."

Key insights:

"Do what you love" is bad advice for most people
Instead: do what you love for free; work for money
Identify your natural strengths (don't take them for granted)
Tune your job to leverage your strengths
Don't just accept your job description as written

Example: Azzarello, who worked in technology despite disliking technology itself, turned her dislike into a strength. She focused on where technology met humans, making products more user-friendly, which became her unique contribution.

They Shoot Workhorses, Don't They?

Being known only as a hard worker who delivers will keep you stuck. Leaders emerge by:

Getting above the work to find better ways of working
Creating systems and processes instead of heroically solving problems personally
Growing the capability of their team
Taking time to think strategically about business impact

Example: During an inventory crisis, a manager initially personally handled all the complaints. Within weeks, he created a priority request system with clear business rules, resulting in much less personal time required while adding tremendous organizational value. This demonstrated true leadership beyond just working hard.

Part 2: LOOK Better - Be Visible, But Not Annoying

Credibility and Relevance

Good work doesn't stand on its own. You must actively build credibility with decision-makers:

Credibility is inversely proportional to obstacles
Speak the language of business outcomes, not functional expertise
Be a translator - use your "outside voice" for stakeholders
Do your job AND do more - be known for exceeding expectations

Example: When preparing budget discussions, don't present in functional jargon. Instead, organize around business initiatives using stakeholders' own words, connecting your work to outcomes they care about.

Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand is defined by others based on their experience with you. To develop an effective brand:

Understand your current brand through feedback
Define your "brand attributes" based on your strengths and values
Create "brandable behaviors" that showcase these attributes
Avoid behaviors that degrade your brand
Maintain consistency - being inconsistently good is worse than consistently mediocre

Example: A brand attribute of being "worth listening to" requires specific behaviors like studying before meetings, citing research to support points, and avoiding interrupting others.

Look Better!

While competence is fundamental, appearance matters:

Your appearance conveys two things: "I Care" and "I Get It"
Invest in clothes that fit well and are current
Keep your appearance up to date (haircuts, accessories, etc.)
Your appearance should align with your personal brand
Partner with professionals (personal shoppers, stylists) if needed

Example: A librarian realized building a professional appearance was critical for inspiring donors and local politicians to maintain library funding - appearance directly impacted her ability to perform her role effectively.

Be Visible, But Not Annoying

Create positive visibility for yourself and your team:

Identify key stakeholders and influencers
Create a communication strategy for each audience
Determine your desired outcome with each person
Develop communication plans with appropriate frequency and format
Be brief and relevant
If you work remotely, make extra effort to maintain presence

Example: After not receiving a raise because "nobody knew her," Azzarello developed a communication plan including regular reports to approximately 30 executives across the company. Although not everyone read her reports, they recognized her name, which created valuable visibility.

Selling Your Ideas

Having brilliant ideas isn't enough - you must sell them effectively:

Focus on outcomes, not just communicating information
Consider what will motivate or excite your audience
Be clear, succinct and compelling
If you're not naturally good at communicating, partner with someone who is
Avoid burying the lead - start with what's most important
Avoid using unnecessarily complex language

Example: A sales manager partnered with a natural communicator when pitching to venture capitalists. The inventor shared his brilliant concept while his partner explained its market relevance, creating a winning combination that leveraged both people's strengths.

Part 3: CONNECT Better - Get Support

Get Help

Successful people actively seek help and support:

When you're growing your career, you'll sometimes feel underqualified - that's normal
Mentors accelerate learning and open doors
Work to build an "extra team" of people who will help you
Getting help builds credibility rather than damaging it

Example: Azzarello shares how she closed an important business deal as a new general manager by asking the corporate development team for help rather than pretending to know everything. She became known as one of the best deal-makers because she leveraged expert help.

Authentic Networking, Not Politics

Effective networking is about giving, not taking:

Keep in touch with people you already know
Don't let discomfort with meeting new people prevent networking
Understand the power of weak connections
Schedule regular time for networking
When using your network, be personal, specific, and avoid dead ends

Example: One professional maintained connections by sending a quick "ping" email annually, sharing a brief update and expressing interest in the other person's activities. This minimal effort maintained valuable relationships that could be activated when needed.

Imagine That!

Successful careers require imagination and fearlessness:

You need others to fuel your imagination about what's possible
Be fearless first, then learn - leap, then learn
Cultivate a pipeline of good ideas from diverse sources
Do the job that needs to be done, not just the one given to you

Example: Azzarello nearly didn't interview for a major promotion because she didn't consider herself ready. A mentor challenged her perception, saying, "Why aren't you going for that job?" This external perspective changed her thinking and put her on a new career path.

The Experience Paradox

To overcome the experience barrier:

You can't get the job without the experience, but you can get the experience before you get the job
Avoid getting too much of the wrong experience
Focus on experience at the right level, not just in different functions
Learn from people already in your target job
Practice making decisions as if you were in the higher-level role
Look for opportunities to get actual experience in aspects of your target job

Example: A woman repeatedly denied management promotion due to lack of "second-level management experience" volunteered to lead a nonprofit organization with two management levels below her. After six months, she could demonstrate this exact experience in interviews and secured her desired promotion.

Going Big

To win executive-level positions:

Develop executive presence (comfort, confidence, appearance, behavior)
Focus on how you would lead at the next level, not on your past accomplishments
Prepare stories about why you are good at what you do, not just what you've done
Actually start doing aspects of the job before interviewing
Bring external feedback and perspective
Show external influence and recognition

Example: When interviewing for executive roles, Azzarello would prepare by doing the first month's work ahead of time - analyzing the company, identifying challenges and opportunities, and developing strategic priorities. This demonstrated her understanding of the role and added immediate value.

Getting on "the List"

For any desirable job, decision-makers maintain a mental list of candidates:

Identify who influences the decision-maker
Develop relationships with people in the inner circle
Make your career aspirations known clearly
Get experience that makes you a credible candidate

Example: Azzarello secured her opportunity to interview for a major role only because a mentor specifically told the hiring manager, "You need to interview Patty too." Without this connection, her resume wouldn't have been considered due to her non-traditional background.

Part 4: GO! - Make Your Work, and Your Life, Work

Work and Life: Be Better at Both

Career success shouldn't come at the expense of personal fulfillment:

Define your true desired outcome for both work and life
Make trade-offs on purpose rather than by default
Focus on purpose rather than "balance"
Remember there's a bigger difference between doing nothing and something small than between something small and something big
It's up to you to be OK

Example: Azzarello left a job she loved for a difficult turnaround situation that initially made her miserable. However, this strategic choice provided vital experience needed to become a CEO, advancing her toward her desired outcome despite short-term discomfort.

Executive Confessions

The book concludes with candid insights about executive life:

Big executive jobs are hard but can be rewarding
It's normal to feel terrified and underqualified at times
Everyone is "bluffing" to some degree
You can be an effective leader without being a jerk
Growing people grows your business

Example: As a new executive, Azzarello initiated a business planning process to buy time while learning the business. Six weeks into reviews, she confided to a mentor that she felt overwhelmed and unqualified. The mentor reassured her this was normal, and two weeks later, everything snapped into focus, allowing her to lead a successful business transformation.

Core Takeaway

Career advancement requires a holistic approach that goes beyond hard work. By strategically focusing on the highest-impact activities (DO Better), building visibility and credibility (LOOK Better), and developing supportive relationships (CONNECT Better), professionals can accelerate their careers while maintaining personal well-being. Success isn't about working harder - it's about working differently.

Summary of "Rise"

Introduction: Working versus Succeeding