Frank strode into the room like he owned it. He was tall, imposing, and downright charming. As soon as we sat down, it was another matter.  He cut to the chase: his direct reports were all wrong and his peers were all stupid. He had managed  to the bottom line, had pushed his people hard. He made money and that was what stakeholders expected of him. He didn’t have a problem, the employees did. And so did any fool who would listen to their empty complaints about him.

When Frank joined his company, he had an insatiable hunger to succeed. He knew what to do as soon as he signed on: meet the right people, move up, never over. Twenty  years later, against staggering odds and an even greater body count,  he had succeeded, with a vengeance.

Frank grew up in a mill town and hustled for nickels and dimes as soon as he could walk. He knew what he wanted before he could write his name. Frank was determined to make something of himself and never looked back. He came from working survivors of hard knocks and cold streets, who made ends meet with outside work and back room income.

As soon as Frank was old enough to leave the house,  he was selling something to somebody: newspapers, water filters, gas extenders; you name it, he tried it. He loved the chase, refusals were fodder for his “try harder” mentality. Inevitably, he’d win over his prey with a relentless drive to make it happen. He didn’t find joy in it, or satisfaction. He never would.

Frank became a popular subject for the business press. He was quotable, candid, and made himself  available. When asked, “what drives you?” he’d tell them the glaringly obvious. “If it was there, I wanted it.  And if I wanted it  badly enough, I’d push aside anyone or anything to get it.”

Frank knew how the game was played: do what you have to do; remember who pays your salary, and deal with the fallout  later. His bosses loved him, his raises and promotions proved that. His peers and direct reports didn’t love him, didn’t like him, and didn’t trust him. In the end, they made their point, and won. Bosses don’t fire you. Direct reports do.

Frank was a survivor who made his name salvaging situations no one else would touch. This time he had to salvage his career. He wasn’t going to leave without putting up a fight.

Frank’s boss had called me, asking if I would pound some sense into him. Frank was out of  time. He couldn’t turn this mess around;  he was history. Frank needed to learn what went wrong, what didn’t work; what to do differently.

Whether you employ someone like Frank or feel that this story could be about you,  pay attention to these fix it now suggestions:

• Watch what you say and who you say it to: If you’re overly aggressive,  you’re probably managing up better than down or over.

• Develop peripheral vision. Make others look good; give credit where it’s due; promote the work of your direct reports; act as a mentor; listen more than you talk.

• Watch your body language: Turning away from others or multi-tasking when they’re talking to you is off-putting at best, and arrogant at worst. Give undivided attention to the speaker, and ask questions to clarify what  you’re hearing, not to justify what you ‘re thinking.

• Watch everyone else: There’s plenty of feedback to be had by watching others watch you. Relationship building and maintaining is key to career success both inside and outside the company.

Who do you trust? People trust trustworthy people. Men and women of integrity are valued in reputable organizations. They have no need to hoard information so that others are overly dependent upon them. They are confident without having to build their self worth off someone else’s errors.

Frank got fired. You may have time to turn your career around, if you work at it. You’re too talented and too old to waste time blaming everyone else for your lapse in judgment.

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.joycerichman.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.