[How About This Book] "Top Performers Work Outside the Office, in Reverse"

Expanding the Scope and Limits of Work on Your Own
Set Your Life Goal First, Then Plan Backward
Overemphasizing Diligence and Attitude Can Foster a Culture of Irresponsibility
Encouraging External Activities Leads to Significant Results

As the term "quiet quitting" has emerged to describe the growing global trend of doing only the bare minimum at work, the author points out that "with average thinking and average effort, it is actually easy to end up with below-average results."

Having started as a junior employee at a securities firm and later leading innovation by developing Korea's first overseas stock investment platform, he has now risen to the position of CEO at an asset management company. The concept he emphasizes is "edgework," which refers to the attitude of proactively expanding the scope and boundaries of one's responsibilities.

There are three main sources of motivation for work. The first is the sense of sacred calling that began with Martin Luther and John Calvin. The second is the pursuit of achievement through status, growth, and honor. The third is the practical means of making a living, or "hogujichaek" (a means of subsistence).

For the author, work has been more than just a means of livelihood; it has been a field for growth where he gained new perspectives, met diverse people, and acquired in-depth skills. He says, "Even if work is not a calling, the sense of accomplishment you gain when you approach it as a career is much greater (...) Where does the content invested in by the company accumulate? Does it pile up in the company warehouse? No. It accumulates in me."

He compares this accumulation of experience to the growth rings of a tree. Stradivarius and Guarneri violins made 300 years ago can no longer be reproduced, as the spruce tree rings from that era were much denser than those of today. Trees that grew slowly during the Little Ice Age 300 years ago, in harsh conditions, produced a deeper and more beautiful sound. In the same way, he says that adversity and hardship are essential for a densely layered life. However, since everyone faces adversity, what matters most is the attitude and mindset with which one accepts it.

When people talk about dreams, they often use nouns such as "I want to be rich" or "I want to be a CEO." However, the author advises that "real dreams should be expressed as verbs." Instead of vaguely wanting to be "rich," you should strive to be "someone who lives as a rich person in a certain way." Ultimately, what matters is what kind of person you want to become. "Rather than a noun-based dream, you need to set your life goal or role as a verb to have a real objective. Even if it's not the sense of calling spoken of by John Calvin, you should set a goal that gives meaning to your life. That way, your dream will become much more valuable."

As a way to achieve that dream, the author suggests "backcasting." This involves first setting a goal and then planning backward from that point. Of course, some people question the usefulness of planning in an era of rapid change. In fact, according to Johann Hari's "Stolen Focus," the pace of modern life is much faster than in the 1950s, and even walking speed has increased by 10% compared to 20 years ago. The turnover cycle for the top 50 topics on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter) shortened from 17.5 hours in 2013 to 11.9 hours in 2016. Nevertheless, the author emphasizes that "people with life goals are fundamentally different from those without them, right from the start." "When you launch a missile at a target hundreds of kilometers away, even a tiny difference in angle at the start creates an enormous gap by the time it reaches the target. Those who not only set goals but also backcast and execute their plans will inevitably achieve their life goals."

He also has a clear view on whether one should become a generalist or a specialist first. "You become a true generalist only by accumulating multiple specialties."

The author developed a comprehensive skill set by working in three specialized fields: analyst, new business/financial products, and financial strategy/retirement planning. He stresses that this kind of process must be pioneered by oneself. "A company can be like family, but it is not family. Family is non-optional and permanent, but colleagues can change at any time. A company does not endlessly cover for an employee's mistakes like a family does."

The author's personnel evaluation criteria consist of performance (6), attitude (3), and diligence (1). Overemphasizing diligence and attitude can lead to a culture where people just hold their positions without taking responsibility. For this reason, he sent employees outside the company. "Customers are outside. To be more frank, so is the money."

After 4 p.m., when over-the-counter trading ended, he encouraged employees who would otherwise spend time reading at their desks to leave the office and engage in outside activities. Some executives expressed concerns about managing attendance, but he said, "Our goal is to achieve results, not to manage attendance." The outcome was remarkable. External networks expanded, and with the addition of offline information, better insights were shared during meetings. As a result, assets under management increased by 1 trillion won, from 3 trillion won to 4 trillion won.

While many of the ideas in this book may be familiar to readers of self-development literature, the author's real-world experience and philosophy give them considerable weight. The message is delivered quietly but powerfully: success is not about something special, but about how fiercely you put into practice the obvious things you already know.

Edge Worker by Lee Yoonhak | Written by Lee Yoonhak | Gimmyoungsa | 284 pages | 18,800 won