Challenging The Status Quo


Karen Thompson-Yancey, senior director of enterprise portfolio management for HCA, says Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win (William Morrow; $26.95) spotlights a new way to compete, lead, and succeed in business. Authors William C. Taylor and Polly G. LaBarre contend that the future of business requires executives to renounce “business as usual” and employ practices that foster originality, creativity, and innovation.

“The ability to think outside the box to solve problems and improve service will drive business success in the 21st century,” says Thompson-Yancey. She states that the book has motivated her to challenge the status quo at work and use unconventional methods to achieve remarkable results.

Thompson-Yancey highlights the following book excerpts:
Rethink competition. Being competitive is more than being less expensive or faster than your rival. Mavericks think of competition in much broader terms that include increasing value, improving customer satisfaction, and inspiring employee excellence.

Reinvent innovation. Mavericks don’t approach innovation by simply tweaking products and adjusting services; they break the mold. Mavericks embrace the unknown and experiment with uncertainty by redefining industry standards, targeting emerging customer bases, and forging promising collaborations.

Redesign work. A business is only as good as its employees. Mavericks inspire employee imagination, creativity, and excitement. They give their employees opportunities to grow professionally, learn from others, and engage in stimulating work.

Taking Money Off The Table
According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com, 58% of hiring managers say they leave some negotiating room when extending initial job offers. The survey also found that many of the hiring managers will agree to a candidate’s request for a higher salary.

“Salary negotiation has become a growing opportunity in the job acquisition process,” says Bill Hawkins, president and CEO of The Hawkins Co., a full-service executive search firm with offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta. “Candidates who fail to make a counteroffer could forfeit significant income.” Hawkins provides these tips for negotiating a bigger paycheck:

Do your homework. Know what the job market pays someone in a similar position with similar experience, residing in the same geographical area.

Toot your horn. Highlight accomplishments that show how you’ve saved money, generated revenues, or increased market share for former employers.

Leverage the situation. Reiterate how eager you are to fill the position and end their costly search for an employee.

Medical Prescription
Felecia Williams, M.D., says constantly changing regulations, faltering fee structures, and a disappearing workforce have posed challenges to the healthcare industry. “It’s vital that the business of healthcare exist to support quality healthcare and patient safety,” she says. Williams, vice president of medical affairs at Children’s Hospital in Austin, Texas, adds that in the absence of such support, there can be life-threatening consequences. So after more than 20 years in healthcare, 12 of them in management, Williams found that she could no longer ignore the challenges to the industry.
In 2000, Williams enrolled in the Duke University Health Sector Executive M.B.A. Program. She says her studies allowed her to explore the issues facing healthcare professionals and to contemplate solutions. Williams reports using on the


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