Samuel's CFO Website

  • Home
  • CFO Blog
    • Samuel’s Other Blogs
      • CFO Moves
        • USA
        • Canada
        • UK
      • CHRO Moves
  • CFO Book
    • Buy your copy
    • What others have to say about Guide to CFO Success
  • How Samuel Helps
    • Hire your next CFO
    • Build your Finance Team
    • Financial Executive Coaching
    • CFO Peer Groups
    • Speaking & Training
  • About Samuel
    • Media on Samuel Dergel
  • Contact Samuel
  • English
  • Français
You are here: Home / 2 Types of Knowledge Required for Career Success

November 2, 2012 By Samuel Dergel 6 Comments

2 Types of Knowledge Required for Career Success

I have a theory that there are 2 elements required for career success:

    • What you know – you are hired and compensated because you have excellent skills and abilities that are in demand and few others have.
    • Who you know – you have an ability to make things happen because people like you and trust you, people are willing to open doors for you and you are able to add value to yourself and others based on this ability.

Most people in the world that are successful use a combination of these two knowledge points. Some are more “What you know”. Some are more “Who you know”. Few are solely one or the other.

What is your knowledge mix for success?

++++++++++++++++

Do you like this blog? Would you like to receive ‘Samuel’s CFO Blog – An Insider’s Insight Into the Mind of the CFO’ delivered to your email inbox when fresh and new?

Click on the ‘SIGN ME UP!‘ button on the right side of the blog page, and welcome aboard!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Ken Tudhope says

    November 2, 2012 at 11:41 AM

    You know I lean toward “who you know,” but I’d never leave the house without my: MBA, CPA, CMA, CGMA, 30 years of experience in the school of hard knocks. This blog is simple and powerful.

    Thanks Samuel.

    Regards,

    Ken.

    Reply
    • Samuel Dergel says

      November 2, 2012 at 12:05 PM

      Ken,

      We may have a tendency to think of ourselves as one or the other. But in reality, success really requires both.

      “Who you know” without “What you know” has little value.

      The same applies for “What you know” without “Who you know”.

      We all require both for success. The key is putting together the right mix of knowledge types.

      Thanks for the compliments Ken. I appreciate your support and your input is always valued.

      Best,
      Samuel

      Reply
  2. JD says

    November 6, 2012 at 12:18 PM

    Samuel. There is a second part of the who you know. It is the relationship you have with the people you know.

    Reply
    • Samuel Dergel says

      November 6, 2012 at 11:13 PM

      JD,

      I agree that “who you know” requires the ability not just to know them, but for them to be willing to go out of their way to add value to you.

      *Knowing* the President of the United States doesn’t mean you met him once. It means that you have his private number, that he will take your call, and he will cut any red tape if you asked.

      Best,
      Samuel

      Reply
  3. sunil h patel says

    November 13, 2012 at 11:41 PM

    Dear Samuel,

    All that is stated is correct, these qualities are there only in selected few. Most of the places it is thecoming together of two people with one quality each and with their combination, they have gone places. Also their break up leads to sucess issue. In my view, we should idenitify our strong points and link with some one else having the other points and together ride the growth to success. This is equally applicble in employment, where the CEO does the networkins and CFO the knowledge. I hope u agree.

    regards
    sunil patel

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 2 Types of Knowledge Required for Career Success says:
    May 31, 2016 at 8:29 AM

    […] This blog originally appeared in Samuel’s CFO Blog […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search in Samuel’s CFO Blog

Related Blogs

  • Your Next CFO
  • Why work with Stanton Chase to hire your next CFO?
  • Why do CFOs Leave?
  • When hiring a CFO, is LinkedIn the place to look?
  • What I learned at the Bank of America Merrll Lynch Conference – Treasury in a Connected World

Related Blogs

  • When should a CFO hire?
  • What I learned at the Bank of America Merrll Lynch Conference – Treasury in a Connected World
  • VIDEO: Webinar Presentation – CFO Succession: The Right Way to Grow your Company’s next CFO
  • Together, CFOs and CEOs Create A “Can Do” Culture
  • Thoughts About Successful CFO Hiring

Related Blogs

  • You’ve been promoted to CFO. Now what?
  • Why should a CFO tweet? 
  • What I learned at the Bank of America Merrll Lynch Conference – Treasury in a Connected World
  • What a CFO should read every day
  • Together, CFOs and CEOs Create A “Can Do” Culture

Related Blogs

  • Why should a CFO tweet? 
  • What I learned at the Bank of America Merrll Lynch Conference – Treasury in a Connected World
  • VIDEO: Webinar Presentation – CFO Succession: The Right Way to Grow your Company’s next CFO
  • Together, CFOs and CEOs Create A “Can Do” Culture
  • Thoughts About Successful CFO Hiring

Related Blogs

  • Your Next CFO
  • You’ve been promoted to CFO. Now what?
  • Why work with Stanton Chase to hire your next CFO?
  • Why should a CFO tweet? 
  • Why do CFOs Leave?

Recent Blogs

  • PODCAST: The Hiring Triangle – CEO, CFO and the Board
  • Is your CFO your best salesperson?
  • A CFO Success Story: Sajid Malhotra, CFO of Limelight Networks
  • What Makes a Great Modern CFO?
  • Things CFOs Say

Like what Samuel has to say?

Great! The goal of Samuel's CFO Blog is to engage with CFOs and those who work with CFOs.

Please feel free to comment on any of the issues raised in Samuel’s CFO Blog. Your input, positive or not so positive, encouraging or critical, will add value to all readers of the blog.

You can reach Samuel...
Telephone
San Francisco: +1 (415) 738-2070
Montreal: +1 (514) 907-0925
Email: [email protected]

View Samuel Dergel - The CFO Expert's profile on LinkedIn

Contact Samuel

So you like what Samuel has to say, and you would like to reach out and contact him.

Excellent.

There are a number of ways to reach him. You can complete this convenient form on the right, or you can reach Samuel by...

Telephone
San Francisco: +1 (415) 738-2070
Montreal: +1 (514) 907-0925

Or by clicking on the social media icons below.

Thanks for your interest!

Contactez Samuel

Vous vous intéressez à l’opinion de Samuel et souhaitez le consulter?

Excellent.

Vous pouvez le rejoindre de plusieurs façons, soit en complétant le formulaire ci-joint ou en le rejoignant :

Par téléphone : +1 (514) 907-0925

Ou en sélectionnant l’icône d’un réseau social ci-dessous:

Nous vous remercions de votre intérêt.

  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Archives – Samuel’s CFO Blog

Categories – Samuel’s CFO Blog

All of Samuel's Blogs Assessment Blog Board Board Books books for CFOs Build your Finance Team Career Management CEO CEO CFO CFO Buzz CFO Coach CFO Coaching CFO Consulting CFO Moves CFO Peer Groups CFO Relationships CFO Research CFO Search Chief Financial Officer Executive Coaching Executive Search Finance Team Financial Executive Coaching Great CFO Guide to CFO Success Hire your Next CFO How Samuel Helps HR Investors LinkedIn New CFO Personal Branding Recruiters Social Media Speaking and Training Successful CFO Succession Planning Talent Management Team Structuring The Strong CFO Training and Development Wiley
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Contact Information

You can reach Samuel by:

Telephone
San Francisco: +1 (415) 738-2070
Montreal: +1 (514) 907-0925

Email: [email protected]

Copyright © 2011-2016 - Samuel Dergel (Dergel CFO Search & Consulting Inc.) Note: Opinions expressed on this website are the personal opinions of Samuel Dergel only, and not any other person or entity, unless attributed otherwise.