Change Agent - by Ron Gerevas (Hardcover)

About the Book

Know yourself and be yourself.

Realize your destiny is up to you. Focus on what you love most and do best. Exceed expectations and go the extra mile. Build your network by cultivating relationships. Achieve goals by managing time effectively. Specialize to strengthen your brand. Change things for the better. Be a role model for others. Keep growing by always learning. These ten statements are what Ron calls his "Ten Commandments." And they are the key to pursuing the art and adventure of relentless career innovation.

In an age when it's increasingly difficult to get noticed by top executive search firms, the principles Ron Gerevas shares in Change Agent offer aspiring leaders a master course in career development. Building on decades of high-level expertise, Ron helps readers understand the mindset they need to have successful careers.

Book Synopsis

Change Agent is more than the story of a man with an incredible life. It is a roadmap for those who want to take their careers to the next level but aren't sure what to do next. Ron shares his life's journey which included implementing new business models in four leading companies that changed them and their industries forever. He also helps readers understand why becoming a change agent can lead to a spectacular career and a fulfilling life.

In a journey that includes major restructuring as CEO of Heidrick & Struggles and Vice Chairman of Spencer Stuart, two of the largest executive search firms in the world, Ron gives glimpses into his creative insight with his "Ten Career Commandments." These principles form the framework for how he has lived and operated for decades, and they serve as invaluable guideposts for those he mentors.

Ron begins this book by pointing out that everything starts with changing yourself. As he likes to say, "If you're not willing to change, don't expect to change others." This involves having the right mindset. Ron also encourages readers to change their horizons and stretch the boundaries of their comfort zones. The key to lasting change is focus. While it's easy to take on too many different good things, Ron helps readers see what clear goals and objectives can accomplish. As he also states, it's important to hold yourself to a high standard by becoming a true professional. Only when there is a relentless commitment to the basics can one have a lasting impact on others. Despite working in D.C. as a presidential appointee during the era of turbulent Watergate politics, Ron demonstrated it was possible to get congressional approval to do a lot of good by bringing meaningful change to the Peace Corps as well as our country's domestic volunteer programs.

The middle portion of this book highlights the importance of career development. After three decades in the executive search industry, Ron is more convinced than ever that change is possible, specialization is key, and developing the right network of connections is critical to success. As Ron shares, when your career and industry are stable, the larger question you should ask is, how will I continue to grow? He is convinced that what doesn't grow will die.

The final few chapters focus on giving back to others and self-development. He will try to inspire you to reach your full potential and become a change agent regardless of your age. He discusses how strong faith, body, and mind are key to meeting your expectations and how these areas can be nurtured and developed. In short, he will demonstrate that being a Change Agent is a lifelong pursuit that begins in childhood and continues beyond retirement.

From the Back Cover

Practice Relentless Innovation in Your Career: Ten Commandments for a Lifetime of Adventure

From an early age, Ron Gerevas made a lifelong commitment to himself and others to change whatever he touched for the better. In grade school, this meant cutting down on the local fly population in main street stores. In college, this resolution prompted him to become president of his fraternity and Registration Manager at the world-famous Bohemian Grove. As the Director of Human Resources for the world's largest advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, his relentless work ethic served him well as he helped implement a new business model that forever changed the way they created advertising. As the Director of Public Affairs for the ACTION agency in Washington, D.C. during the fall of the Nixon administration, Ron showed it was possible to bring meaningful change to the Peace Corps volunteer delivery system during a time of political upheaval. And after spending thirty years in the world of executive search, Ron helped shift an entire industry from generalization to specialization. Over the course of his career, he helped lead the implementation of new business models for three different industry leaders that not only changed each organization but indeed each industry forever.

As Ron's life illustrates, becoming a change agent doesn't happen overnight. Instead, it's a commitment to a certain set of ideals, which he likes to call his "Ten Commandments." These principles form the framework for how he has lived and operated for the past several decades, and they serve as invaluable guideposts for those he mentors.