Navigating for Success: Passion, Goals & Action
by Moss Jackson
Published by Corporate Initiatives
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Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali
We all know intellectually that to achieve our goals effectively we need to plan and execute our plan. Few individuals both plan and execute well; most of us need to put additional effort into one of these activities as it “does not come naturally” to us. Jackson helps the reader with both functions. The book starts with identifying ourselves (Jackson uses the terms “victim,” “survivor” and “navigator” for his classifications.)
After identifying and labeling personal styles, Jackson starts with helping readers identify their passions and what they need to do to achieve them. This discussion is not limited to work goals but extends to cover family, personal life, financial life, health and relationships. Next comes dealing with your own emotions, and after that, communicating with others (after all, you will need their help to achieve your goals). After that, he covers unexpected situations.
Like those who advocate spiral-learning techniques, Jackson returns to dealing with emotions, but this time he focuses on dealing with other people’s emotions. Some of the examples he gives refer to dealing with emotions in a group setting. In keeping with the spiral-learning techniques, Jackson next discusses team building, empowerment motivation and conflict resolution. The last few chapters are shorter than the preceding ones and summarize the overall message of the book.
Jackson’s writing style is crisp and concise – even the longest chapters can be read in under fifteen minutes. The paragraphs are fluid and the examples help understand the concepts Jackson is presenting. My only real criticism is that the text would have benefited from the services of an editor. It’s not that Jackson’s writing needs to be clearer, its just that there were a few annoying typographical errors that a conventional spell check would not be able to pick up (for example “sin” instead of “seem”). Fortunately, these errors are rare.
Overall, this is an excellent book. The content is well presented, and I like Jackson’s approach of starting with the self and then moving to others. By using metaphors and symbols associated with sailing, Jackson provides a workbook blueprint that is inspiring, thoughtful and thought provoking.
Armchair Interviews says: Good book for those who want to be successful in business and life.