A Good Idea …

Dick Charles, a boss of mine years gone by, used to say, “A good idea doesn’t care who has it.” It’s been one of those little life lessons that’s stuck with me for at least twenty years. No, it’s not a license to steal anyone’s ideas (although if you’re in higher-ed fundraising, you know that CASE stands for “copy and steal everything”), but it does suggest that there are millions of good ideas out there and that you don’t need to “re-invent the wheel” to be successful.

How is this a career move? Read, talk, listen — pick up ideas for your career wherever you can … and use them! Too many times we think it’s important to be “unique” when we haven’t even done the basics that could be the foundations of success — at work for sure, but even in a job hunt. You’d be surprised how “unique” you’ll look when you do what you should.