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From The Archive

61. Don't be afraid to do the job your way.
The first rule about having a job is not to do anything to lose it. That's why we follow rules, do the work we are assigned, and do it the way we're told. Well, that's the conventional wisdom, anyway. But the world inches along mainly thanks to those who go beyond convention.

General George Patton said, "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."

It behooves both employers and workers to consider Patton's words; but especially workers. When you accept a job and allow your employer to tell you how to do it, you're not doing the job. He is.

When you do a job your way, you risk getting fired. And that's as it should be. Because if your way isn't good enough to keep you employed, it isn't good enough, period. If you can do the job and do it better than anyone else, including the employer, then you're worth a lot. You deserve to keep the job. You may even be worth a promotion and a raise.

Doing the job your way raises two risks. First, you risk learning that you're not as good as you thought -- and you need to learn something new. Second, if you're really that good, you may have to go find an employer who counts on the ingenuity of his employees. At various points in a person's career, both risks are necessary and worth taking. Either way, don't be afraid to do the job your way.

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