Never Say Whatever: How Small Decisions Make a Big Difference

CHAPTER 4

THE WORK WHATEVERS

Accountability as a Cure

Greatness is not a function of circumstance.Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matterof conscious choice, and discipline.

—JAMES COLLINS

Like dry-ice smoke at rock concert, “whatever” can seep into your organization and your attitude toward work. Your career will suffer. Some people blow things off, while others tend to matters at hand. When some people wake up too late, the response is “whatever.” Pay attention. Catch yourself before you succumb to the easy way by not making decisions; even the small ones matter.

The key components of the work journey are choosing a career, interviewing and finding a job, doing well on a performance review, getting paid, dealing with bosses, and leaving ...