How to Succeed in Business without Really Crying with Tom Johnstone

Your Working Life with Caroline Dowd-Higgins

After graduating from Boston’s Emerson College in 1985, Tom headed west to work in the film and television industry. In Hollywood, he honed his writing skills through the trials and tribulations of episodic TV, animated series, screenplay options, and game shows for over two decades. When the feast or famine lifestyle of a Hollywood Writer became too sporadic for his maturing life (He had grown to enjoy eating two to three times a day – every day), he took a job at a call center to make ends meet. After his first day on the phones, his manager asked him to stop. He was terrible at the entry-level position. Tom got easily frazzled, had no focus, and was simply in the wrong role. But rather than look to another company to find his niche, Tom looked inward to learn more about himself and the industry that didn’t want him. Tom leveraged his findings to change himself and the work environments he occupied. Climbing the corporate ladder one rung at a time, Tom evolved into an innovative leader with a proven track record for success and effective team building.

Over the past 25 years, he has worked at every level in the call center industry - from clerk to Senior Director. He’s hired thousands, promoted hundreds, and fired somewhere in between - building trust, friendships, and Best Practices along the way. His personal approach of meeting business needs by pairing them with the drives of individuals’ passions has taken him around the world building call centers, making friends, and enjoying an industry that initially asked him to just stop. Tom has now returned to his roots as a professional writer, crafting his book, “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Crying,” a tried-and-true business approach based on personal stories that captivate, educate, and entertain.

Suggested questions/topics for discussion:

1. Tell everyone a little about your book, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Crying.” What motivated you to write this book, the format you chose, and why?

2. Can you give us an example of a personal story you share in your book, and how that translates into a Business Best Practice.

3. You mentioned building your own culture, and your book has a section about deciding when to rock the boat or just jump ship. Can you expand on that?

4. Talk a little bit more about building a corporate subculture. What does that look like?

5. Building a corporate subculture requires openness and embracing change – and not everyone will always be on the same page. How do you manage change to be as inclusive and as successful as possible?

6. You just spoke about getting to know your stakeholders and your book goes into some detail about the different types of personalities in the workplace. Why is that important?

7. Your book also broaches knowing when to walk away from a position – and how to do that not only for yourself, but for the potential “greater good.” Can you talk about that?

8. What do you want people to take away from your book and experiences?

Social media:

· LinkedIn: Tom Johnstone | LinkedIn

· Book Purchase: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Crying Order Page

· Facebook (Book page): Facebook

· Midwest Book Review: MBR: California Bookwatch, July 2024

· Donovan Review: June 2024 Issue - Donovan's Bookshelf

· Book Notions Review: Authors In The Media With Tom Johnstone - Book Notions