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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – “The corner office has become symbolic of high performance and success,” says author and former CEO Lamar Smith. “It’s an office that men and women all over the world strive to occupy. The CEO is the modern equivalent of royalty and the corner office is the ‘throne room.'”
In THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN THE CORNER OFFICE (March 2009; McGraw-Hill;
$17.95), a parable, Smith explores the relationship between a young, driven,
narcissistic investment banker and a down-to-earth, successful older CEO who
meet by a fortunate twist of fate. This touching story is about a young
man whose life is out of control. His career entirely consumes him as he
focuses solely on acquiring the brass ring, losing sight of what’s truly
important to the point that he is separated from the woman he loves and on
the brink of divorce. Initially dismissed by the young man as old and past
his prime, the CEO takes him under his wing and shares the hard life lessons
that he himself learned on the road to success.
Texan Lamar Smith believes that our quest for the ‘corner office’ in its
many forms starts early fueled by the gold star the teacher passes out for
outstanding achievement. “By the time we’re grown, we are so conditioned to
achieving and to pursuing the ever-elusive gold star that our lives become
unbalanced and our true purpose and power are lost.” Smith wrote the
parable based on his own life, mirroring his experience and observations as
he grew from young military officer in Vietnam to a seasoned CEO of an
international financial services company.
In THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN THE CORNER OFFICE, the author contends that
Americans have become consumed by greed and hubris, asking readers to
consider whether they are leading the best life possible with joy and
confidence, or caught up in the rat race, in a single-minded quest for
achievement in just one aspect of life. While people vow to change, they
often don’t, keeping themselves “passengers on the journey of life, letting
events and relationships enter and exit without much conscious thought or
planning about what happens next.”
Through his mentorship and wisdom, the CEO skillfully and respectfully
forces the young executive to look long and hard at the consequences of
running away from problems and being overly focused on career. The student
learns that it is not about lowering your sights, but about achieving your
‘own corner office’ while balancing physical, intellectual, emotional,
financial, and spiritual well-being enabling and empowering sustained high
performance in all important areas of life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lamar Smith is a first generation college graduate who was a successful
entrepreneur as he put himself through school. After college he entered the
Air Force where he was a highly-decorated attack pilot who flew 114 combat
missions. For 15 years he was the CEO of First Command Financial Services, a
retail brokerage firm with more than 300,000 clients and he is currently the
chairman of a non-profit organization and director of Torchmark, Inc. He
and his family reside in Texas.
THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN THE CORNER OFFICE
Lamar Smith
March 2009
Published by McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 007160930-2
Hardcover; Pages: 160
Price: $17.95
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