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Start Right...Stay Right: Every Employee's Straight-Talk Guide to Job Success
FINALLY...one handbook that contains ALL The Important Messages Your People Need To Hear ...and USE! Start Right... Stay Right is a powerful guidebook for ALL employees, regardless of their level, function, or time on the job. Using a straight-talk, real-world approach, it pinpoints the critical behaviors necessary for individual and organizational success. Make this handbook a key component • New-hire orientation programs • Ongoing employee training • Leadership development initiatives. This is the handbook you'll want everyone reading and using...TODAY!
- GenresBusinessLeadership
Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
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May 13, 2011Start Right … Stay Right … Lead Right by Steve Ventura (62 pages)
“Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility” Peter Drucker
Having a leadership position and being a leader are not the same thing.
To be a leader you must do what leaders do
This book highlights 26 things that leaders do.
9 Lost Luxuries Page 12
-Thinking mostly about yourself or putting your own needs first
-Acting on feelings rather than facts or jumping to conclusions and reacting in “knee-jerk” fashion
-Whining to others or commiserating with their discontent
-Forming op inions and making judgments knowing only “one side of the story”
-Continually blaming “them” or “they” and expecting someone else to fix what is broken
-Not listening to others’ ideas, concerns and opinions
-Taking sides, overtly favoring some people, and excluding others
-Wearing your emotions “on your sleeve”
-Closing your eyes or walking away when things happen that are just not right
YOU and your MINDSET
Accept that your “results” now come through others
As a leader your job is not to do the work but to direct, encourage, support and develop others to do the work. Their successes are your successes and their failures are your failures.
Be a Leader - not a “boss” nor a “pal”
Bosses rely almost always on authority and control
Pals trade on friendship
Leaders motivate, inspire, and model top notch performance and conduct
Page 15 in the box
The boss drives people, the leader coaches them,
The boss depends on authority; the leader upon good will.
The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm.
The boss says “I”; the leader says “We.”
The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown.
The boss says “Go”; the leader says “Let’s Go!”
~H. Gordon Selfridge~
YOU and your PEOPLE
Clarify your expectations … and theirs
Sit down with each of your team members and describe – in specific, behavior terms – what they need to do to be successful in your eyes. It is unfair – not to mention stupid – to expect people to know what you want them to do if you haven’t told them. … And don’t forget to ask people what they need and want from you.
Let them know how they are doing
Proving specific, detailed feedback needs to be an ongoing process rather than a once-a-year event during an evaluation.
Do right by those who do right
“Catching people doing things right” – and recognizing them for it - needs to be a top priority for leaders. Reinforced behavior is repeated behavior.
Give them a voice … and a say
If you want employees to act like partners in the business treat them like partners. Start with 4 simple words: “What do you think?” And then foster a workplace in which team members ideas and concerns are welcomed, considered, and appreciated.
Explain “why’s” as well as “what’s”
“Because I said so” is a big turn off for adults. Knowing why increases employee commitment to doing what needs to be done. It is how you lead adults.
Ask them how you’re doing
Ask an open ended question such as: What one or two things can I do, or stop doing, that would make me a better leader in your eyes?” Then thank each team member for their input and then act on what you hear.
Deal with performance problems early
Real problems don’t go away, they grow. A leader’s job is to help, guide and motivate employees to be a successful as they can possibly be. Free Performance Problem Discussion Checklist: go to www.walkthetalk.com
11 Safe Assumptions Page 30
Most people realize that making assumptions is bad and can get your into serious trouble. As the saying goes “when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U & ME.” Nevertheless, as humans we all tend to make them. So here are some safe ones …. Things you can feel OK in assuming as a leader:
- the emails you send will be seen by more people than those they’re addressed to.
-things said “just between you and me” won’t stay that way.
-in all of your dealings with people, what does around WILL come around – back at you.
-your employees cannot read your mind.
-problems you choose to avoid will usually get worse.
-“as long as you don’t hear from me, you’ll know you’re doing OK” is just not true.
-treat one team member poorly and ten people will hear about it – including your boss, and employee relations.
-your ability to get another leadership position will be directly related to how well you do on the job you have now.
-whenever you think “no one will know,” someone will.
-whenever you think “no one cares,” someone will.
-whenever you think you are as good as you need to be, YOU AREN’T!
Make sure they have the ”tools” they need
Ask “what do my people need to meet or exceed my expectations?” Or better yet ask them what they need? And then get it for them whenever possible.
Respect their time
Make sure meetings are necessary and well managed. Approach employees with your needs at appropriate and convenient times for both of you.
Help them deal with change
Continual change is a reality of today’s business life. How to help employees deal with change:
1. Explain why the change is required or necessary
2. Describe the expected benefits to be gained (what’s in it for us)
3. Provide training and resources necessary to implement the change
4. Solicit or address any employee questions or concerns
5. Be patient – expect mistakes as new habits are formed
6. Demonstrate support and commitment to the change yourself
Nip conflicts in the bud
Where there are people working together, there will be tension. Conflicts that are left alone rarely improve with age. When two employees are at odds with each other the tension and stress of their conflicts will spill over on to other members of the team. Confirm that there is a conflict and then work with involved team members to develop actions plans to address the problem. Free Conflict Warning Signs: go to www.walkthetalk.com
Be flexible and “zero tolerant”
Be flexible whenever you can, be firm whenever you must.
Staying In Shape – here are some exercises to avoid – 18 examples Page 38
Looking to build or strengthen your “leadership” muscles? Here are some exercises … TO AVOID:
-Jumping to conclusions
-Passing the buck
-Grabbing the credit
-Throwing your weight around
-Stretching the truth
-Bending the rules
-Breaking your promises
-Playing favorites
-Stepping on others
-Dodging your duty
-Running your mouth off
-Plugging your ears
-Side-stepping problems
-Shooting down the organization
-Pulling others into your funk
-Holding others back
-Pressing “my way or the highway”
-Just skating by
Help them learn and grow
The more your people know and are able to do, the more successful they will be.
Be “choosey” about who you hire and promote
Nothing is more important than staffing. The more effort you put into hiring and promoting the less effort you will have to devote to managing the performance and behaviors of the people you bring on. Hiring people who are smarter than you are is a good start.
YOU and your BEHAVIOR
Set the example … and the tone
From conduct to commitment … attendance to attitude … respect to responsibility … work ethic to ethics at work … show your people what you want them to do. They follow the leader. Free … Success Killing Phrases (and thoughts) to avoid: go to www.walkthetalk.com
Stay connected and accessible
1. Maintain regular contact with every member on your team
2. Make sure there is a way for your people to contact you whenever they need to do so
3. Return all calls and messages from team members [and your supervisor] the same day you receive them
A Crash Course on Leadership – 10 Tips Page 45
10 most important words
“What can I do to make you more successful?”
9 most important words
“I need you to do this, and here’s why…”
8 most important words
“That’s my mistake and I will fix it.”
7 most important words
“My door is always open to you.”
6 most important words
“Let’s focus on solving the problem.”
5 most important words
“You did a great job!”
4 most important words
“What do YOU think?”
3 most important words
“Follow my lead”
2 most important lead
“Thank you”
The MOST important word
“You”
Keep your Commitments
All successful leaders keep their promises and commitments. As a leader your word is only as good as your last promise kept … or broken.
Don’t pass the buck … or the blame
1. You must own your organizations mission, plans and initiatives
2. You must own all the duties and responsibilities that come with your job
3. You must own the performance and results of your team
4. You must own your personal mistakes and shortcomings
Don’t shoot the messenger
Don’t punish people who bring you bad news … instead thank them … they are doing you a huge favor.
Embrace diversity
Appreciate individuals who are different – especially those of other races, cultures, creeds and national origins. It’s the legal thing to do … it’s the moral thing to do … it’s the smart thing to do.
7 Quotes from Leaders - Words to lead by Page 52
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
~Dwight D Eisenhower~
“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.
~Marian Anderson~
“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less that his share of the credit.”
~Arnold H. Glasgow~
“Leaders don’t force people to follow – they invite them on a journey.”
~Charles S. Lauer~
“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”
~Sam Walton~
“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.”
~Ken Blanchard~
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t .”
~Margaret Thatcher~
Model the best, remember the worst
Have you worked for leaders? Model your behavior on their best practices. Have you worked for jerks? Remember what they did and what not to do.
Keep learning and growing yourself
When do you reach the point where you know everything you need to know as a leader? Never.
Perform with ethics and integrity
Think before you act. Then “do the right thing.”
8 item ethical action test on Page 56.
A. Is it legal?
B. Does it comply with our rules and guidelines?
C. Is it in sync with our organizational values?
D. Will I be comfortable and guilt-free if I do it?
E. Does it match our stated commitments and guarantees?
F. Would I do it to my family or friends?
G. Would I be perfectly OK with someone doing it to me?
H. Would the most ethical person I know do it?
From “Ethics4Everyone” www.walkthetalk.com
Free … Ethics Self-Assessment: go to www.walkthetalk.com
“Integrity is not a 90 percent thing, not a 95 percent thing; either you have it or you don’t!”
~Peter Scotese~
How Successful Am I Self-Assessment – 26 questions Pages 58-59
“Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility” Peter Drucker
Having a leadership position and being a leader are not the same thing.
To be a leader you must do what leaders do
This book highlights 26 things that leaders do.
9 Lost Luxuries Page 12
-Thinking mostly about yourself or putting your own needs first
-Acting on feelings rather than facts or jumping to conclusions and reacting in “knee-jerk” fashion
-Whining to others or commiserating with their discontent
-Forming op inions and making judgments knowing only “one side of the story”
-Continually blaming “them” or “they” and expecting someone else to fix what is broken
-Not listening to others’ ideas, concerns and opinions
-Taking sides, overtly favoring some people, and excluding others
-Wearing your emotions “on your sleeve”
-Closing your eyes or walking away when things happen that are just not right
YOU and your MINDSET
Accept that your “results” now come through others
As a leader your job is not to do the work but to direct, encourage, support and develop others to do the work. Their successes are your successes and their failures are your failures.
Be a Leader - not a “boss” nor a “pal”
Bosses rely almost always on authority and control
Pals trade on friendship
Leaders motivate, inspire, and model top notch performance and conduct
Page 15 in the box
The boss drives people, the leader coaches them,
The boss depends on authority; the leader upon good will.
The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm.
The boss says “I”; the leader says “We.”
The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown.
The boss says “Go”; the leader says “Let’s Go!”
~H. Gordon Selfridge~
YOU and your PEOPLE
Clarify your expectations … and theirs
Sit down with each of your team members and describe – in specific, behavior terms – what they need to do to be successful in your eyes. It is unfair – not to mention stupid – to expect people to know what you want them to do if you haven’t told them. … And don’t forget to ask people what they need and want from you.
Let them know how they are doing
Proving specific, detailed feedback needs to be an ongoing process rather than a once-a-year event during an evaluation.
Do right by those who do right
“Catching people doing things right” – and recognizing them for it - needs to be a top priority for leaders. Reinforced behavior is repeated behavior.
Give them a voice … and a say
If you want employees to act like partners in the business treat them like partners. Start with 4 simple words: “What do you think?” And then foster a workplace in which team members ideas and concerns are welcomed, considered, and appreciated.
Explain “why’s” as well as “what’s”
“Because I said so” is a big turn off for adults. Knowing why increases employee commitment to doing what needs to be done. It is how you lead adults.
Ask them how you’re doing
Ask an open ended question such as: What one or two things can I do, or stop doing, that would make me a better leader in your eyes?” Then thank each team member for their input and then act on what you hear.
Deal with performance problems early
Real problems don’t go away, they grow. A leader’s job is to help, guide and motivate employees to be a successful as they can possibly be. Free Performance Problem Discussion Checklist: go to www.walkthetalk.com
11 Safe Assumptions Page 30
Most people realize that making assumptions is bad and can get your into serious trouble. As the saying goes “when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U & ME.” Nevertheless, as humans we all tend to make them. So here are some safe ones …. Things you can feel OK in assuming as a leader:
- the emails you send will be seen by more people than those they’re addressed to.
-things said “just between you and me” won’t stay that way.
-in all of your dealings with people, what does around WILL come around – back at you.
-your employees cannot read your mind.
-problems you choose to avoid will usually get worse.
-“as long as you don’t hear from me, you’ll know you’re doing OK” is just not true.
-treat one team member poorly and ten people will hear about it – including your boss, and employee relations.
-your ability to get another leadership position will be directly related to how well you do on the job you have now.
-whenever you think “no one will know,” someone will.
-whenever you think “no one cares,” someone will.
-whenever you think you are as good as you need to be, YOU AREN’T!
Make sure they have the ”tools” they need
Ask “what do my people need to meet or exceed my expectations?” Or better yet ask them what they need? And then get it for them whenever possible.
Respect their time
Make sure meetings are necessary and well managed. Approach employees with your needs at appropriate and convenient times for both of you.
Help them deal with change
Continual change is a reality of today’s business life. How to help employees deal with change:
1. Explain why the change is required or necessary
2. Describe the expected benefits to be gained (what’s in it for us)
3. Provide training and resources necessary to implement the change
4. Solicit or address any employee questions or concerns
5. Be patient – expect mistakes as new habits are formed
6. Demonstrate support and commitment to the change yourself
Nip conflicts in the bud
Where there are people working together, there will be tension. Conflicts that are left alone rarely improve with age. When two employees are at odds with each other the tension and stress of their conflicts will spill over on to other members of the team. Confirm that there is a conflict and then work with involved team members to develop actions plans to address the problem. Free Conflict Warning Signs: go to www.walkthetalk.com
Be flexible and “zero tolerant”
Be flexible whenever you can, be firm whenever you must.
Staying In Shape – here are some exercises to avoid – 18 examples Page 38
Looking to build or strengthen your “leadership” muscles? Here are some exercises … TO AVOID:
-Jumping to conclusions
-Passing the buck
-Grabbing the credit
-Throwing your weight around
-Stretching the truth
-Bending the rules
-Breaking your promises
-Playing favorites
-Stepping on others
-Dodging your duty
-Running your mouth off
-Plugging your ears
-Side-stepping problems
-Shooting down the organization
-Pulling others into your funk
-Holding others back
-Pressing “my way or the highway”
-Just skating by
Help them learn and grow
The more your people know and are able to do, the more successful they will be.
Be “choosey” about who you hire and promote
Nothing is more important than staffing. The more effort you put into hiring and promoting the less effort you will have to devote to managing the performance and behaviors of the people you bring on. Hiring people who are smarter than you are is a good start.
YOU and your BEHAVIOR
Set the example … and the tone
From conduct to commitment … attendance to attitude … respect to responsibility … work ethic to ethics at work … show your people what you want them to do. They follow the leader. Free … Success Killing Phrases (and thoughts) to avoid: go to www.walkthetalk.com
Stay connected and accessible
1. Maintain regular contact with every member on your team
2. Make sure there is a way for your people to contact you whenever they need to do so
3. Return all calls and messages from team members [and your supervisor] the same day you receive them
A Crash Course on Leadership – 10 Tips Page 45
10 most important words
“What can I do to make you more successful?”
9 most important words
“I need you to do this, and here’s why…”
8 most important words
“That’s my mistake and I will fix it.”
7 most important words
“My door is always open to you.”
6 most important words
“Let’s focus on solving the problem.”
5 most important words
“You did a great job!”
4 most important words
“What do YOU think?”
3 most important words
“Follow my lead”
2 most important lead
“Thank you”
The MOST important word
“You”
Keep your Commitments
All successful leaders keep their promises and commitments. As a leader your word is only as good as your last promise kept … or broken.
Don’t pass the buck … or the blame
1. You must own your organizations mission, plans and initiatives
2. You must own all the duties and responsibilities that come with your job
3. You must own the performance and results of your team
4. You must own your personal mistakes and shortcomings
Don’t shoot the messenger
Don’t punish people who bring you bad news … instead thank them … they are doing you a huge favor.
Embrace diversity
Appreciate individuals who are different – especially those of other races, cultures, creeds and national origins. It’s the legal thing to do … it’s the moral thing to do … it’s the smart thing to do.
7 Quotes from Leaders - Words to lead by Page 52
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
~Dwight D Eisenhower~
“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.
~Marian Anderson~
“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less that his share of the credit.”
~Arnold H. Glasgow~
“Leaders don’t force people to follow – they invite them on a journey.”
~Charles S. Lauer~
“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”
~Sam Walton~
“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.”
~Ken Blanchard~
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t .”
~Margaret Thatcher~
Model the best, remember the worst
Have you worked for leaders? Model your behavior on their best practices. Have you worked for jerks? Remember what they did and what not to do.
Keep learning and growing yourself
When do you reach the point where you know everything you need to know as a leader? Never.
Perform with ethics and integrity
Think before you act. Then “do the right thing.”
8 item ethical action test on Page 56.
A. Is it legal?
B. Does it comply with our rules and guidelines?
C. Is it in sync with our organizational values?
D. Will I be comfortable and guilt-free if I do it?
E. Does it match our stated commitments and guarantees?
F. Would I do it to my family or friends?
G. Would I be perfectly OK with someone doing it to me?
H. Would the most ethical person I know do it?
From “Ethics4Everyone” www.walkthetalk.com
Free … Ethics Self-Assessment: go to www.walkthetalk.com
“Integrity is not a 90 percent thing, not a 95 percent thing; either you have it or you don’t!”
~Peter Scotese~
How Successful Am I Self-Assessment – 26 questions Pages 58-59
Read
September 12, 2025if i read it it goes into my reading challenge. no comment on the content or the context
September 4, 2014
It has some good points but I gave it one star because the language is rather abrasive to a new employee (or a current employee) and I feel that the tone may keep the employee from absorbing the content.
May 29, 2025
A good book for someone brand new to working. A rather insulting book if your boss gives it to you. Short sweet and to the point
July 3, 2013
Had to read for work. It is a lot of common sense business knowledge, but presented in a readable style.
This is a pretty short book. More of a pamphlet than a book. However, it is worth reading if for no other reason than to remind yourself.
This is a pretty short book. More of a pamphlet than a book. However, it is worth reading if for no other reason than to remind yourself.
Read
August 16, 2015It was a quick read. I finished in two sittings. There were some good suggestions for use in working with directs reports. That would be easy to implement.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews