OA Book Club: Review of "Be a Shortcut"

Everyone loves a shortcut, right? Those little tricks that help you side-step adversity and get things done. Shortcuts are an office professional's best friend. So, when one of our trusty OA members recommended the book Be a Shortcut I was immediately intrigued.

In this book, Scott G. Halford takes the concept of a "shortcut" and expands it to show how a business professional can actually embody those same characteristics. By becoming a human shortcut, Halford suggests, anyone can enhance their professional standing.

To be honest, it took a little while for the idea to "click." But once it did, I felt I had stumbled upon a powerful lesson. Here's the gist of it:

A shortcut, as we traditionally know it, is a helpful tool that saves us time, energy, and/or money. Shortcuts make us more effective and more efficient.

The human version of a shortcut provides the same benefits. A Shortcut (the capital "S" shows you that we're talking about a person) assists us with tasks that we don't have the time, desire or skill to accomplish for ourselves. For example, many of us hire professional landscapers to help maintain our yard space. They provide us with a service that we don't have the time, desire and/or skill to do for ourselves and, as a result, they make us more efficient. The job gets done and we can spend our time doing things that are more satisfying (either personally or professionally). The professional landscaper is a perfect example of a Shortcut.

A person who establishes himself as a Shortcut within an organization is almost irreplaceable. A Shortcut provides necessary value and expertise that helps others achieve their goals. Thus, a Shortcut plays a critical role in the success of the team. A Shortcut is often referred to as the "go to" person for a particular task and, because of this, he or she will typically be influential and well-respected within the organization.

Clearly, to be a successful office professional, one must master the art of being a Shortcut. So, how is that done? Basically, it's all about self-awareness. You have to understand what you do exceedingly well and hone that skill. You must provide a special ability to do something that others don't have the time, desire or talent to do.

But being a Shortcut goes beyond skill. You have to be likeable. People have to enjoy working with you, otherwise you won't be effective. In fact, Halford suggests that "Bottlenecks" are the opposite of Shortcuts. A Bottleneck is a person who might have once presented the abilities of a Shortcut, but whose attitude is so unpleasant that others avoid working with him and instead, prefer to take the harder, less efficient route.

Overall, I found the practical information in this book to be average; the Shortcut tactics I learned where nothing exceptional. But the concept itself is original and the book made me think. It presents a new way of looking at efficiency, delegation and the "usefulness" of people. Plus, it gave me new insight into my own value as a professional. I think the concepts are applicable for anyone in any position. It's definitely worth a read, especially for those who are looking to become more influential and attain greater influence in their organization. The "Shortcut model" provides a framework for developing your unique professional niche.

September book selection: The 8th Habit by Stephen Covey

The book club in September is being hosted by OA member Carolyn O'Connor. She has selected The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, which is a follow up to Stephen Covey's bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The 8th Habit explores how to find your own voice and help others do the same. Pick up your copy today and share your thoughts with the OA Book Club.