Book Review: Good is Not Enough

By Elizabeth Macanufo 

This article first appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of IN magazine.

Keith R. Wyche aimed to attend a private high school in Cleveland, but the principal twice refused him, suggesting his mother save her money and buy a new refrigerator. She ignored the advice and continued investing in her son. In turn, Wyche defied expectations, pursuing a career which eventually led to his current position as president of U.S. operations for Pitney Bowes Management Services. The 25-year veteran of Ameritech, AT&T, IBM and other major corporations shares how he rose to the top, and how you can do the same.

Throughout the book, Wyche draws on examples from his own life and presents case studies based on his peers to best illustrate his points. Summarizing each chapter, Wyche gives practical coaching tips for readers to integrate into their career plans. Although his advice is relevant to anyone seeking advancement, he specifically targets a minority audience. Wyche communicates the realities of working in corporate America and how to navigate the tricky terrain.

His first recommendation to readers is to familiarize themselves with their professional setting. Wyche suggests assessing your needs to determine your optimum corporate culture. He also believes job seekers should evaluate potential places of employment on their diversity initiatives.

Once you have investigated possible places to work, Wyche believes corporate climbers should then evaluate themselves. Emphasizing the importance of professionalism, Wyche believes that “Everyone has a personal brand...The most successful professionals, however, are intimately involved in creating and managing their brands.” Borrowing David Samuel’s four phases to professional branding, Wyche encourages his readers to plan by assessing strengths, developing areas of weakness, promoting personal value propositions and connecting by building professional relationships.

Maintaining visibility within a company, Wyche feels, is a strategy to get ahead. Each employee, he argues, is under constant scrutiny by upper management. Although it may seem obvious, Wyche reminds his readers that a promotion is dependent on colleagues recognizing your work. Although getting ahead is the ultimate goal, Wyche recognizes that a lateral job change or finding a position within another company may yield the best long-term results.

Wyche stresses that “there are no second chances” for minorities and encourages ethical behavior at all times. He also emphasizes having a well-rounded business skill set, including excellent communication abilities and solid financial acumen.

Most importantly, Wyche believes that individuals need to be mentally and emotionally ready to fill C-suite seats. He acknowledges that women face a “double whammy” and need to overcome a gender, as well as a minority, bias. Even when reaching the upper echelons of corporate life, one needs to remain relevant by becoming a “continuous learner.”