It has been a long time since Wiley was 22 (that was back in 1829!) but 22 of our authors & leaders had a lot to say in response to SlideShare's question: What do you wish you had known at 22? See advice from leadership experts Barry Posner & Frances Hesselbein, content marketing pro Ann Handley, the Dummies Man, and many more! See more from these authors: bit.ly/IfWileyWere22

1. #IfIWere22
22If I Were
ADVICE FROM WILEY

2. What do you wish
someone had told you
when you were 22 and
starting your career?

3. - Jason Womack, Your Best Just Got Better
People remember. And, people
like to talk about themselves.
Be the person that gets them
to talk about themselves* and...
they’ll remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you something
that’s challenging to them. THEN, follow up with some
information they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
@JasonWomack

4. Most of what you need to know you
still have to learn. Be a voracious learner.
Be willing to do whatever is asked. Show
up early. Volunteer. Stay connected to
friends, family, and mentors. Life is mostly
about showing up and working hard.
- José Bowen, Teaching Naked
@josebowen

5. People remember. And, people like to talk
about themselves. Be the person that gets
them to talk about themself* and... they’ll
remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you
something that’s challenging to them.
THEN, follow up with some information
they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
Your success will come down to two things: the skill and the slog.
Skill comes from getting good at what you do by commitment
(to getting better) and practicing (to get there).
I thought at some point both would end —
I’d somehow be deemed ”competent” and I
could just set myself to career cruise. Turns
out you never stop honing your skill, and the
hard work never ends.
Which, I’ve realized, is awesome.
- Ann Handley, Everybody Writes
@annhandley

6. Don’t worry so much.
You’re going to have so much fun!
There’s a fabulous life ahead of you, full of adventure and love and
laughter. Enjoy this time and know that everything is happening just as
it should be. You’re going to get your heart broken and you will make
a few bad mistakes, but you’ll look back and smile and only wish you
could do it all again. Because it was, and is, all absolutely wonderful.
That’s what I would tell my 22 year old self.
- Robbin Phillips, The Passion Conversation
@robbinphillips

7. Follow your passion. It so often
leads you to your purpose. You
may not know what your passion is
right now. That’s ok. The important
thing is to make it your life mission
to find it, live it, and share it. To help find your passion,
seek out jobs and experiences that allow you to use your
strengths and gifts. Do what energizes you.
- Jon Gordon, The Energy Bus
@JonGordon11

8. I wish I knew I could fail fast
and learn fasterer.
- Chris Brogan, The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth
@chrisbrogan

9. People remember. And, people like to talk
about themselves. Be the person that gets
them to talk about themself* and... they’ll
remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you
something that’s challenging to them.
THEN, follow up with some information
they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
Have no fear. Try new things.
Take that international gig or other
challenging role. You never want
to look back on your career when
you’re older and have regrets about
not doing something.
- David Meerman Scott, The New Rules
of Marketing & PR
@dmscott

10. If you have an idea, a passion, a dream;
don’t wait to be ”invited to do it.”
In the words of the Goddess Nike (or was it the shoe?)
– JUST DO IT.
- Scott Rogers, Level Up! The Guide to
Great Video Game Design
@mightybedbug

11. Break the rules.
Change the rules.
Change the game.
Not all the time, of course,
but more often than you realize.
- Bruce Schneier, Secrets and Lies

12. Go to graduate school only if you
need the credential for your career
or you can’t bear not to study the
subject. Don’t go because you can’t
think of anything else to do.
- Arthur Levine, Generation on a Tightrope
@ArthurELevine

13. People remember. And, people like to talk
about themselves. Be the person that gets
them to talk about themself* and... they’ll
remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you
something that’s challenging to them.
THEN, follow up with some information
they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
1. Establish a wingman or a personal board
of directors and find a mentor or two.
The road to success in life is a bumpy one.
Wingmen help to avoid a devastating crash.
2. Take time first thing every morning to get
quiet. Carve out small windows of time to
contemplate and reflect on where you’ve
been and where you want to be.
3. Establish a system of solid rituals and
habits. Your habits are great predictors of
what your life will become because what you
do and how you act speak volumes.
- Joe Sweeney, Moving the Needle
@NetworkingJoe

14. When I was 22 years old, I never would have suspected that
telling people exactly what you think in a very respectful
way—giving them your honest opinion—would turn out to
be an enormous competitive advantage. It turns out that many
senior leaders are looking for people to tell them what they
really think and what makes sense, instead of just having
people only say what they think the leader wants to hear.
- Harry Kraemer, Becoming the Best
@HarryKraemerJr

15. Use yourself to make other
people successful. Indeed, any
success I’ve enjoyed has always
been the product of my interactions
with others, their energy, talents, and
wisdom. There is truth in the adage:
What goes around, comes around.
- Barry Posner, The Leadership Challenge &
The Student Leadership Challenge

16. I wish someone had helped me see
that life is significantly richer and more
fulfilling if we focus less on our status,
our income, or entertaining ourselves
and more on being contented, loving
well, and doing what we can to serve
the greater good.
- Matt Tenney, Serve to Be Great
@MattTenney1

17. People remember. And, people like to talk
about themselves. Be the person that gets
them to talk about themself* and... they’ll
remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you
something that’s challenging to them.
THEN, follow up with some information
they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
I wished someone had told me that I was capable of way
more than I thought and to be far more ambitious than
I was. I wished they’d told me to expect setbacks and
be patient when my efforts didn’t lead to instant
success. And most of all, I wished someone
had looked me in the eye and told me
never to compare my weaknesses to others
strengths but to focus on what I did really
well and truly enjoyed doing. Because I’ve
learned that we can never fail when we
pursue a path we are passionate about.
- Margie Warrell, Brave
@margiewarrell

18. Don’t let your fear and self-doubt
hold you back from reaching your
full potential.
- Bonnie Marcus, The Politics of Promotion
@selfpromote

19. Make an effort to develop strong relationships
that are both personal and professional. As you
embark on this new post-college adventure,
keep in mind that you will appreciate guidance
and mentorship along the way. So be on the
lookout for new diverse connections that can
open up your world and mind to new ideas.
First impressions are really important, so try to be
conscientious of the personal brand you project to
the world even during outside the office hours.
Be open to feedback even when it isn’t delivered in the most appealing or
encouraging way. Try to sort through the words and use it as an opportunity
to grow your impact. Make time for your passions and don’t lose sight of your
long term goals as you build experiences and develop new skills. Enjoy every
minute and try not to be so hard on yourself!
- Joan Snyder Kuhl, Peter Drucker’s Five Most Important Questions
@joankuhl

20. Think first, speak last.
Ask, don’t tell.
- Frances Hesselbein, My Life in Leadership &
editor of Leader to Leader
@ToServeIsToLive

21. People remember. And, people like to talk
about themselves. Be the person that gets
them to talk about themself* and... they’ll
remember you.
*Ok, here’s the deal: Get them to tell you
something that’s challenging to them.
THEN, follow up with some information
they can use to handle that challenge.
Talk about a way to be remembered!
Value yourself and skills more
than feels natural so that you
don’t let others take advantage
of your kindness.
- C.C. Chapman, Amazing Things Will Happen
@cc_chapman

22. I had a poster in my college freshman residence hall room of a
Japanese proverb that said, “None of us is as smart as all of us!”
This was a critical message to be inclusive, seek diverse ideas
from diverse people, and collaboratively build meaning from
the wisdom of the whole group. It became foundational to
our relational leadership model.
- Susan R. Komives, Exploring Leadership
@SusanKomives
Life is not about BALANCING family,
work, and other commitments. It is about
engaging in all aspects of one’s life with
joy and energy.

23. At 22, I wish I had known that staying true to my
beliefs is the only way to make work meaningful.
Instead of behaving the way you think you’re
“supposed to,” take the time to develop your
own values – I’ve learned that being open to
travel, working across cultures (which requires
being humble, curious, and open), and testing
your own comfort is a powerful way to discover your
strength. And to the extent that I’ve learned to lead at all, I know I’m
only scratching the surface. Leadership is hard work, a never-ending
learning experience, and as rewarding as anything – but it’s also impossible
to master, which is good, because that forestalls complacency, listening,
seeking out mentors, constantly checking yourself for complacency or
arrogance – and then live by them. Finally, make your family your
partners on the ride, and truly value and honor their work and their
passions way above your own. That took me a while to get.
- Mark Allin, CEO Wiley

24. Never stop learning!
There’s a world of inspiration out there
waiting for you to jump in headfirst!
- Dummies Man
@fordummies

25. For more valuable information
as you start and build your
career, visit…
http://bit.ly/IfWileyWere22