Rise: Essential Soft-Skills for Career Management by Rajeev Nanda Book Review
BOOK REVIEW
Rise by Rajeev Nanda is a powerful book for readers seeking genuine career management advice.
I am a firm believer that books can help change lives and this book proves it. If you ask me to review this book in a one-liner, I would say - It's an eye-opener.
After reading this book, I realized why I am successful and it taught me how to continue thriving no matter what. It also highlighted a lot of areas where I might be losing and how to turn it around in my favor.
In general, the target reader of this book is someone working in the corporate world, but being an independent entrepreneur, I found this book quite helpful.
Career Management is brand new for me. In 2017 when I dropped off college to raise my newborn daughter, my only focus was to work-work-work so that I can afford to pay the bills.
There was no planning, no strategy, I was just taking 100 shots no matter which one hits. But for the last 5 years, I am stuck in the same loop. Why? Because there was no Career Plan.
Now that I have read this book, my goal is to start from scratch and try out the tips and strategies mentioned in the book.
I found these strategies extremely mind-blowing:
A robust career plan includes an escape route
In the last 5 years, I have experienced multiple highs and lows. There was a time when my bank account was almost empty and I just took whatever opportunity came my way.
But now, I will be planning an escape route so that when everything goes wrong, I can take the escape route and survive.
Time Management Framework
A few months back, I found out that my daughter has ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Her focus on any single activity ranges between 15 minutes to an hour max. So, Time Management for me as a parent feels almost impossible.
But, the Time Management Framework in this book is something new. The overall goal of this framework is to create your recipe for success. To find, what works only for you. You don't have to copy someone else.
Influencing is never about winning. It is about making a difference and impact
To be true, I always wanted to be an Influencer. I have experienced life and death situations in my life and I always get an urge to share my story. But, I always hold myself back. What if no one reads it? I might end up wasting a good chuck of my time.
But on the flip side, this quote changed my thought process. Now I am thinking: What if my story helps someone? It will be an amazing feeling.
I have mentioned the top 3 points that I found helpful for me. There are plenty more eye-opening strategies and options in this book that I believe will help you in your career and life in general.
So, go ahead and buy this book from Amazon now!
BUY NOW: Rise: Essential Soft-Skills for Career Management
ABOUT THE BOOK
When your peers and competitors are as qualified and as competent as you are, then how do you create a differentiator for yourself in the workplace?
Some would go get an MBA or another higher degree, do additional certification courses, join professional institutes, and similar other activities; but rarely does one think of focusing on the soft skills that help create an insurmountable differentiator.
This book is a primer on the most essential soft skills that you can, or rather should learn to help you in your career progression and professional growth.
As more and more jobs get standardized, automated, or disrupted by the onslaught of technologies, these skills will give you a consistent and constant advantage over your peers.
The added benefit is that this competitive advantage continues to grow as you put them into daily practice and master the skills over time.
Although the book is targeted toward working professionals; every reader – student, individual, or business owner – will also benefit from it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rajeev is a hi-tech industry veteran with over thirty years of experience in multifarious leadership roles. He started his career as a developer and later moved into management and leadership roles.
He has managed cross-functional and cross-geo teams and has worked with CxO level staff on strategic programs.
In his free time, he takes long walks, goes for a bike ride, reads a book, clicks some pictures, or troubles his spouse by unnecessarily poking his nose in her affairs.
When he is shooed away, he tends to write books, blogs, or articles on whatever topic interests him at that time.
Lately, it seems, he's turning more philosophical... he claims it is because of his spiritual growth but his loved ones say that it's the *cough* age creeping up on him.
He currently lives in California, USA.