Greatness Code

Unlock the qualities of success and reach your full potential using this effective guide from leadership and career development expert Alan C. Guarino. Your personal greatness objective is self-defined. For each of us, the definition of success and the journey to achieve it is different. Yet, no matter how talented or driven you are, your ability to achieve greatness is significantly influenced by many factors outside of your control. Leadership sets the tone—defining not just what they think success looks like, but also how you are expected to show up, collaborate, and grow. Greatness Code: The Formula Behind Unstoppable Success shows how to achieve your personal and career related goals. As Vice Chairman of Korn Ferry and the founder of Cornell International, Inc., Guarino devised a formula for success from thousands of data points over decades, helping people achieve their goals. Anyone who achieves their own greatness gets there by applying their social capital and building on five critical qualities: Persistence Stamina Courage Resilience Passion Your personally defined goal of greatness is achievable for almost anyone using this formula. In addition, Greatness Code provides scientific research and real-life examples that show how to advance at every career stage. It's time for you to gain the edge that these tools can give you. It's time to crack the Greatness Code.

Acknowledgments ix Preface: A Note About Leadership xi About the Author xvii Introduction xix Part I Early Stage: Laying the Foundations 1 Chapter 1 Early Challenges Will Build the Right Muscles 3 Chapter 2 The 5 Qualities (5Qs) in the Face of Early-Career Challenges 37 Chapter 3 Establishing Social Capital Early 45 Chapter 4 Early-Stage Exercise: Build Your Foundation and Launch Your Career 59 Part II Mid-Career: Maximizing Momentum 65 Chapter 5 Leveraging Social Capital for Advancement 67 Chapter 6 Cultivate Lasting Grit 81 Chapter 7 Mid-Career Exercise: Reassess, Stay the Course, or Realign Your Path 91 Part III Career Peak: Sustain Success and Leave a Legacy 97 Chapter 8 Navigating Leadership with Grit and Social Capital 99 Chapter 9 After the Summit: Building a Legacy through Social Capital 113 Chapter 10 Sustaining Success through Continuous Growth and Adaptability 121 Chapter 11 The Power of a Legacy Defined by Grit and Social Capital 139 Chapter 12 The Balance of Grit and Well-Being 151 Chapter 13 Peak-Career Exercise: Hone Your Final Approach and Envision Your Future 159 Part IV Post-career: Coming Down the Mountain After the Peak 165 Chapter 14 Deciding If, When, and How to Retire 167 Chapter 15 Public Company Board Service: A Step-by-Step Guide 179 Chapter 16 Engage with Private Equity and Venture Capital: A Post-Career Opportunity 183 Leadership Postscript 191 Epilogue: The Brain’s Evolution: From Striving to Thriving as You Come Down the Mountain 197 Bibliography 203 Index 215