Publications
The Pro-Achievement Way Monthly Coaching Letter
This free, no-obligation informative monthly letter provides leaders and teams with effective insights for bringing more out of themselves by employing The Pro-Achievement Principle™ as their central mantra. This principle is best defined as “the adoption of a personal code of conduct whereby individuals accept control to consistently add an extra degree of value to all that they endeavor.”
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Books and Bizlets
We call our books Bizlets™, a term coined to describe a manuscript that can be conveniently read in the time it takes to fly from Chicago to New York City. Besides their brevity, a Bizlet aims to provide readers with specific “how to” tips and insights for ease of implementation.
The Pro-Achievement Principle will, in just the first three lessons, have you practicing the two most important self-adopted attributes for leading and creating positive outcomes for yourself and your team. You’ll learn how to:
Build good work relationships
Motivate team members at work
Develop strategies for effective team leadership
Coach others how to lead
Gain commitment for team success
This easily digestible, seven-lesson guide will become your personal tool for your own transformation while effectively influencing others to develop a personal value and ethic in the work they do.
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Reviews for the Pro-Achievement Principle
In work environments, there are different types of people. From those who make work experience unbearable to those who just take orders from the boss. For this set of people, any other thing apart from the orders is none of their business. There are also those who can go the extra mile to ensure a particular project is finished on or before the deadline.
In The Pro-Achievement Principle by Deborah S. Bright, the term responsibleness was brought to the fore. Responsibleness is a term that is seldomly used. It is used to describe the behaviour or attitude of people who always put in extra efforts, even beyond what is required of them to make sure work is done successfully. They are always of the opinion that they have control over many factors, and hence they should use it for the betterment of everyone around them. Deborah called them pro-achievers. She described the qualities an individual should possess to be called a pro-achiever. The book is arranged according to lessons and at the end of each lesson, she adds a summary which helps to remember what is discussed in the chapter. The book also has checklists and worksheets to work with to enable practicality.
The concept is illustrated with real examples and day-to-day scenarios are used to buttress her points. This facilitates a better understanding of each point raised. Each lesson isn't overly long but is enough to have a good grasp of the concept.
I liked how Deborah presented the importance of the concept to organizations. She did it subtly and at the same time painted a vivid image for the readers. Another thing that made me so happy was the fact that she included a chapter summary. The summaries were so brief and touched every important point of the chapters. She made the work easier for team leaders and managers by including sample interview questions that could help to assess a pro-achiever's qualities in the candidate they would be recruiting. The inclusion of worksheets, interview questions and other resources would also make it easier for someone new to the concept to learn and adopt this way of life.
I will say the editors did a good job because I didn’t see any grammatical or punctuation errors in the book. The outline of the whole book also made it easier for me to enjoy every bit of the book. Hence, I can say the book is exceptionally well-edited.
I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was written in simple terms for easy comprehension except in some cases where some terminologies were used. The explanations were brief and relatable. The real-life examples were relevant to the topic being discussed and so, it was easy to understand. I can boldly say that there is nothing I dislike about this book because the concept discussed brought into consciousness traits or attitude that might be latent in an individual. It also facilitated good interpersonal interactions which aid organizational growth.
I will recommend this book for individuals who are willing to improve on their work ethics, to team leaders and managers of organizations and HR professionals. Those preparing for an interview will also benefit a lot from this book. It is also suitable for teenagers because it will expose them to attitudes that can put them ahead of their colleagues as they grow into the bigger world.
Review by kicara90 -- The Pro-Achievement Principle
This book is an introduction to the concept of the pro-achiever and starts by defining the difference between responsibility and responsibleness and walks the reader logically through the concept of a pro-achiever from the tools you will need, to applying the principle to yourself, and then introducing it to teams and whole companies. The definition of a pro-achiever is best described in the book as "the conscious choice to internalize the acceptance of control in whatever one does, and a commitment to adding value to every endeavor", which can be found on page 29 of The Pro-Achievement Principle by Dr Deborah Bright. The principle discussed, when applied to yourself, improves both you work life and home life; improves your teamwork capabilities; and describes the principle as a key factor in improving the working environment as a whole.
The book is realistic in its expectations as it is frequently mentioned that this principle cannot be forced upon someone, it has to be their own choice to want to better their own work life; and that therefore people can only be advised and introduced to this principle of the pro-achiever the rest is up to the individual.
I found this book enjoyable and easy to read. As a reader I found the writers use of examples and scenarios very helpful and contributed well to the concept or principle the chapters each discussed. Each chapter, renamed lessons in this book, focused on a different aspect of the principle and was quite thought provoking. At the end of each chapter the lesson discussed had been summarized into key points which I felt made remembering the information in each chapter much easier; it also meant finding the information again after finishing the book much less difficult as well.
There was nothing that I disliked about this book, however the concepts and principles discussed within the book are unique and therefore there is limited literature discussing the same principle else where. I feel that each of the chapters in this book could have the potential to be expanded to fill entire books each and because of that this book was very much an introduction to the the principle of the pro-achiever.
I would rate the The Pro-Achievement Principle 4 out of 4 stars. I found no grammatical or spelling errors and found the book enjoyable.
This book, I would recommend, to anyone who is interested in self development and self improvement, and even though the book is written for both employer and employee to benefit from, I personally believe that this book is of the most benefit to employees.
The book, “The Pro-Achievement Principle,” by Deb Bright is the presentation of an innovative perspective on how to commit to a consistent mental attitude that distinctly improves the value of results delivered in an organization. It focuses upon the principle of responsibleness which places responsibility upon each individual to proactively assess how they can draw the most out of every situation. Deb explains that responsibleness captures the idea that every individual can markedly increase the effectiveness of their work by defining their span of control, and resourcefully initiating action while collaborating effectively with others to deliver quality service.
There were several aspects of this book that I appreciated. The author uses a variety of down-to-earth teaching methods, inspiration quotes, and real- life scenarios that provided the reader with a broad enough perspective to help them quickly grasp the books main concepts. It especially provides practical tools that a manager or supervisor can integrate into their current framework of decision-making. There are several immediate applications of the book’s material, such as interview questions, that provide valuable feedback from the interview process in assessing a prospective candidate for hire. The bulleted lists, at the conclusion of each chapter, offer a practical medium that helps teach pro-achievement principles to employees. The illustrative material is relatable to the experiences of someone who oversees the work of others while likewise serving to help anyone who wants to see greater results in their life.
There was one concern I had with the book. While the majority of the its content was plainly written with conventional words, there were a few occasions where the author used uncommon ones that sent me scrambling to a dictionary for clarification. This created a halt to the flow of my reading experience. When looking at the definitions of these words, I saw there were simpler ones that could have been inserted in the place of those chosen to give immediate clarity. In studying this tendency, I also give allowance that some readers may immediately recognize the words used, and gain a higher appreciation for the idea being expressed. For me though, it simply interrupted what otherwise was an easy read.
Nonetheless, I decided to give this book 4 out of 4 stars . It was well edited as there were no noticeable grammar, or punctuation errors. It clearly defined its main concept, and illustrated it through a variety of illustrative material. The reading experience was generally smooth because it was written with smooth flow, and simple sentence structure. It was also free of profanity or vulgarity, and therefore is appropriate for any audience. The bottom line is that it simply delivered what it promised.
While this book would be of most interest to those overseeing the work of others in a business setting, it could also serve to help a participant in any organization to help them contribute greater value through their efforts. Additionally, it can help anyone who simply wants to create a better quality of life for themselves. Although the information shared is primarily focused on business settings, its core message can be used to improve the quality of life for anyone looking to maximize their potential.
Review by Leslie Ke -- The Pro-Achievement Principle
This book, The Pro-Achievement Principle: Cultivate Personal Skills for Effective Teams by Dr. Deborah S. Bright, is an amazing book. It is filled with great ideas that can help an employer motivate his or her employees and work on their own personal skills. It has a logical flow of ideas, skillfully written and well arranged by the author, Dr. Deborah S. Bright. It is an excellent book for anyone in a leadership position as it vividly teaches character, integrity, trust, and responsibility. It helps one improve their skills, attitude, and become an excellent team player.
I like this book because it has real-life examples and experiences and meaningful suggestions that one can easily relate to. It is a quick and easy read since it only has 120 pages. I specifically liked Lesson 6; Introducing The Pro-Achievement Principle to Your Team, where it taught me about how to start a conversation and keep a conversation going. I will definitely read this book over and over to understand it much better and internalize its content. In every page and chapter, I tend to learn something new and inspiring that I did not grasp the last time and did not expect.
What I did not like about this book, The Pro-Achievement Principle: Cultivate Personal Skills for Effective Teams by Dr. Deborah S. Bright, was that the information was squeezed to 120 pages. I felt as if the book left out other vital and crucial information that could have been very important to the reader. It lacked complete practicability.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is because it had no grammatical errors meaning it was well and professionally edited making it easier to read through. The Content Table guided me well as it is simple and easy to trace the exact page and intended topic of interest.
I recommend this book to any individual who is holding, aspiring, or preparing to acquire any leadership position. This is because the book has clear and precise outlines on how to become an effective leader and a team player in any organization or entity. It helps and guides one on personal growth, self-disciple, and assertiveness. It has simple strategies as it helps one work on their productivity and confidence level. This book will give birth to the future generation of leaders who aspire to climb the leadership ladder with great qualities and excellent traits that their employees and company, in general, will benefit and appreciate.
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A Review by Wealthy Samantha
The Pro-Achievement Principle by Deborah S. Right has made good its promise to be both a great workbook that can be used by coaches to guide small groups of professionals, or by individuals for their self development. It is easy to read, free of spelling errors, easy to follow and understand and has practical exercises for individual readers or readers in groups. For this reason, I give this book a rating 4 out of 4 stars. The book is 146 pages long.
The author kicks everything off by helping the reader understand the general psychology of employees and members of an organization; the truth that everyone wants to be part of a winning team, and that anyone can step up and be a leader in an organization even if they don't have official leadership roles and responsibilities in the said organization. How is this possible? It is possible by the understanding that true leadership and the driving force of achievement is adding value.
The concept of personal responsibleness is introduced in comparison to personal responsibility. While personal responsibility involves being in charge of certain tasks, personal responsibleness is about one giving their all to whatever role they have, whether it's their 'responsibility' or not. Personal responsibleness is about going the extra mile, setting one's personal standards and achieving them, as well as putting effort into helping others achieve productivity.
Dr. Bright also goes ahead to describe what responsibleness is not. For example, responsibleness is not selflessness. Selflessness is an imbalanced attention to obligations placed on someone by external factors. Responsibleness is about a balanced approach to life priorities such as health and personal well being and relationships. Responsibleness is also not over achievement... Though over achievement seems like a noble attention, it is more ego driven than it is team centered.
The impact of attitude on pro achievement in life as well as professionally is also addressed in the book. For example, the attitude of a superficial optimist is one of seeking to please superiors in the organizational hierarchy. The superficial optimist hardly rocks the boat as they usually do not point out any mistakes, with the intention of being likable. It is dangerous to have such people in leadership positions in an organization. The book also offers wonderful advice and assessments that can help human resource managers and other organization heads to scout for and hire pro achievers. Great practical guidance is offered to help team members achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency in asks by fostering a collaborative and value adding culture within organizations...the pro-achievement way.
Simple Principles to Enhance Your Business Productivity
Dr. Deb Bright--in her first 'bizlet--offers sound and simple principles to take control of your professional life and productivity. Her advice is particularly well suited to the "new normal" of working remotely. A quick read - well worth the investment!
Hunter Public Relations
Fast read to change everything
“This quick read book made a profound difference in my environment at work. It produced amazing results by showing me different ways of looking at the dynamics of the people that work within my business. Then how to simply implement the new knowledge. The added benefit is that it did the same thing in my personal life.”
Charlene Rogers
Teaching others to always go the extra mile is easy, if you know how!
Dr. Bright gets right to the point early in this excellent book and addresses a major concern of anyone in a leadership role: how to foster unrelenting commitment from the team to raising their own performance bars and exhibiting renewed pride and enthusiasm in their work. She deftly takes the concept of personal responsibility to a new, higher level of "responsibleness" which comprises character, integrity, dependability, ownership, and trustworthiness. It's taking control of each and every situation in order to achieve desired outcomes.
Her book is a short, easy read with a unique format. It's part textbook and part guidebook. There are "lessons" to be learned followed by "takeaways" which become a wonderful checklist and reference guide when you go back through it and begin to establish a plan of action. Better yet, the author provides specific "how to's" with real life examples of how organizations have implemented her powerful suggestions. It's such a relief to study "how" to make things happen, not simply be told what "should" happen. If you are looking to cultivate exemplary personal skills within your team, this book is a complete toolkit for accomplishing it. Plus, it's a delightful read.
K. Stephen Bailey, CM
Executive Director, NMA ... THE Leadership Development Organization
5.0 out of 5 stars Immediate applicability
“Dr. Deb Bright delivers a powerful yet simplified concept in this bizlet. I have found the content immediately applicable to my newly formed team, and am excited to leverage this in driving myself and my team to deliver higher performance levels. A quick read and one leaders at all levels can use in today’s dynamic environment.”
Kim Ernzen
Adding Value by Practicing the Pro-Achievement Principle
“The Pro-Achievement Principle is a critical tool for adding value in everything we do. In this book Dr. Deb uses realistic illustrations, self-assessments, interviewing protocols and checklists to build personal responsibleness and a Pro-Achievement orientation in ourselves and members of our teams.”
Jack Duncan, Management Professor
5.0 out of 5 stars Developing Personal Responsibility
“Dr. Bright’s book, The Pro-Achievement Principle, was very informative and a quick and easy read. As a retired educator, I reflected back on my 35 years of teaching and I wished that the book had been available to me as I developed as an elementary teacher. This book helped me to understand what to do and how to encourage personal responsibility in the workplace. I bought a copy for each of my sons. I am sure that they will learn and benefit from the lessons in the book.”
Betsy O’Dell
5.0 out of 5 stars The Right Book for the Right Time
“The right book for the right time – as the Covid pandemic has placed new boundaries between employees and management making it more difficult to achieve goals, the Pro-Achievement Principal outlined by Dr. Bright sets forth a formula for success. Through examples and exercises, Dr. Bright provides a means toward developing an effective perspective and attitude leading to strong team building skills and success in the post-Covid world. I was truly impressed by this book.”
Art Keown, Alumni Distinguished Professor and R.B. Pamplin Professor of Finance
“Whether at the start of your career or nearing the end of it, this gem of a book will inspire you with a valuable ethic that is simple to understand yet profound in its relevancy to your life, your work and your interactions with others.”
- Dr. Harry Croft, Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association
“Imagine working for a company that excites you and makes you eager to go to work every day. Imagine the feeling of pride you get from being part of an organization that is bigger than yourself and makes a positive difference in the lives of bosses, colleagues, customers and every life it touches. Finally, imagine having team members who support you and want you to become the best that you can be, not just as a colleague, but as a total person. Would you like to spend your working hours at a place like that? Who wouldn’t?
Well, organizations like that do exist so we know that it’s possible. Scan a list of great companies to work for and you will find many of them have such a culture.
In The Pro-Achievement Principle, author and consultant Dr. Deb Bright, presents a blueprint for building a great company by developing the character and performance of each individual who has the good fortune to work there. In 7 clearly written lessons you learn the basic principles for creating and developing a Pro-Achieving team that builds value in everything they do. It isn’t about doing anything a thousand percent better. It’s about doing thousands of things one percent better and working to build value and get better every day. Read it, learn from it, put the ideas to work and hope that your competition doesn’t.
Michael LeBoeuf, Author of Working Smart, The Greatest Management Principle in the World and How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life
“In just seven short lessons Deb Bright succeeds in providing us with the key to liberating ourselves from the self-imposed pressure of the overachiever and the obsession of the perfectionist. The Pro-Achievement Principle tells the “how” for adding value and making positive differences in everything we do as team members leaders workers or the executives in the C-Suite”.
W. Jack Duncan Ph.D.Professor & University Scholar EmeritusGraduate School of ManagementCollat School of Business &Department of Health Care Organization & PolicySchool of Public HealthUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham.
“This read is Oh So on the mark! Your Pro-Achiever model is very much my style of followership and Leadership. I look at Leadership as a muscle that must be flexed often in order to keep definition. Practicing the attributes of The Pro-Achievement Principle equates to doing high repetition light-weight workouts so your skills are tuned for adding value to all that you endeavor. I plan to send a copy to each member of my team”. Col. Cesar Antonio "Rico" Rodriguez - United States Air Force
Colonel “Rico”Rodriquez had three air-to-air combat victories that brought him closer to becoming an air ace than any American pilot since the Vietnam War. Colonel Rodriguez scored his first two kills in 1991 during the first Gulf War against a Mikoyan MiG-29 and a Mikoyan MiG-23 of the Iraqi Air Force. His third came against a MiG-29 of the Yugoslavian Air Force during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
As a non-manager, I found this book to be very informational with easy to follow tips that will help any person to become a better version of themselves. Without overwhelming the reader, Dr. Bright has managed to provide tips and insights that anyone can easily incorporate into their everyday life, whether work or home-life, to be the best they can be...and then some!
Elaine MacLeod
From Leader to Catalyst. I wouldn't have thought a book designed to be "conveniently read on a flight from Chicago to New York City" could pack such a punch. It was filled with practical ideas not only to help me improve my own skills, but to also motivate my employees. When I read "your role as a leader is to heighten their awareness," I felt that Dr. Bright was giving advice that would impact all levels of the company. This pro-achievement concept is a great idea and I'm looking forward to passing it along to the rest of the staff. It's well written, easy to follow, and beautifully organized. Definitely one of the best business books I've seen in a while.
Penelope Boehm
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