How to Be a Star at Work audiobook cover - 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed

How to Be a Star at Work

9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed

Robert E. Kelley

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Management & LeadershipPersonal DevelopmentCareer & SuccessProductivity

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Mind Map

How to Be a Star at Work
Core Premise+
1. Taking Initiative+
2. Creating a Knowledge Network+
3. Managing Yourself+
4. Seeing Beyond Your Perspective+
5. Rethinking Followership+
6. Making Leadership Small+
7. Getting Teamwork Right+
8. Understanding Your Organization+
9. Presenting Your Work+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
What did researchers discover when comparing star performers to average employees?
  • A. Star performers possess significantly higher IQs and innate creativity.
  • B. Star performers work much longer hours to outperform their peers.
  • C. There are zero meaningful differences in innate traits like IQ, creativity, or ambition.
  • D. Star performers are naturally extroverted and command more attention.
Question 2 of 10
According to the book, what is the core definition of taking true initiative at work?
  • A. Completing your assigned tasks faster than anyone else in your department.
  • B. Identifying and taking ownership of important work that falls through organizational cracks.
  • C. Replacing your mundane core duties with exciting, high-profile side projects.
  • D. Consistently asking your manager for more responsibilities during performance reviews.
Question 3 of 10
How do star performers overcome the 'knowledge deficit' in today's economy?
  • A. By memorizing up to 50 percent of the technical information required for their roles.
  • B. By delegating all research tasks to junior employees or assistants.
  • C. By exclusively relying on official company databases and training manuals.
  • D. By building high-quality networks based on a barter system of mutual value.
Question 4 of 10
What is a crucial aspect of practical self-management for top performers?
  • A. Understanding their natural productivity rhythms and protecting their 'flow' state.
  • B. Waiting for clear directions from their boss before starting a new project.
  • C. Focusing 100 percent of their time on urgent tasks to clear their inbox quickly.
  • D. Forcing themselves to work during standard corporate hours to maintain high visibility.
Question 5 of 10
To see beyond their own perspective, star performers actively seek out viewpoints from five critical angles. Which of the following is one of those angles?
  • A. Former employees who have left the company.
  • B. Competitors who show alternative approaches.
  • C. Academic theorists with no practical business experience.
  • D. Family members who provide emotional support.
Question 6 of 10
What distinguishes a 'star follower' from a 'sheep follower'?
  • A. Star followers constantly challenge leadership publicly to prove their intelligence.
  • B. Star followers view followership merely as a stepping stone to a leadership title.
  • C. Star followers passively wait for direction but execute tasks perfectly.
  • D. Star followers combine independent critical thinking with active, cooperative engagement.
Question 7 of 10
Which of the following best describes 'small-l leadership'?
  • A. Relying on formal authority and a charismatic personality to command a room.
  • B. Earning respect through relevant expertise, genuine care for colleagues, and handling unglamorous work.
  • C. Delegating all administrative and scheduling tasks to subordinates.
  • D. Ensuring that you are always the loudest voice in team meetings to maintain control.
Question 8 of 10
How do star performers approach invitations to join workplace teams?
  • A. They accept every invitation to maximize their networking visibility across the company.
  • B. They decline all team invitations to focus exclusively on their individual excellence.
  • C. They treat invitations as optional and evaluate if the team addresses a critical path goal.
  • D. They only join teams led by senior executives to secure future promotions.
Question 9 of 10
When trying to understand organizational dynamics, what key insight do star performers recognize?
  • A. The official organizational chart is the only structure that matters for career advancement.
  • B. Promotions are almost entirely based on raw talent and technical skills.
  • C. Building relationships outside of their own department is a distraction from real work.
  • D. Every workplace has both an official org chart and an actual influence network that must be navigated.
Question 10 of 10
What is the key difference between how average employees and star performers present their work?
  • A. Star performers use identical, highly polished approaches for every group they address.
  • B. Star performers emphasize engaging narratives tailored to their audience rather than just data dumps.
  • C. Star performers rely exclusively on complex charts and raw data to prove their technical expertise.
  • D. Star performers avoid collaborating on presentations to ensure they take sole credit.

How to Be a Star at Work — Full Chapter Overview

How to Be a Star at Work Summary & Overview

How to Be a Star at Work (1999) reveals nine research-backed strategies that transform ordinary employees into exceptional performers. These techniques enable you to raise your workplace productivity, visibility and value to a new level and become the top choice for premium opportunities. The secrets of workplace excellence aren’t about natural talent – they’re learnable skills that anyone can master to join the elite ranks of star performers.

Who Should Listen to How to Be a Star at Work?

  • Mid-level professionals who want to stand out among their peers
  • Managers and team leaders looking to understand what makes top performers excel
  • Ambitious employees seeking actionable methods to increase their visibility and value

About the Author: Robert E. Kelley

Dr. Robert E. Kelley is a professor of management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business and an authority on workplace performance and leadership dynamics. He’s authored several other influential business books, including Gold-Collar Worker and The Power of Followership. As President of CEO Consulting LLC, he advises major corporations like AT&T and Bosch while his research and insights are regularly featured in prominent media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and NBC’s Today Show.

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