(Part 12) Workplace Dreams: Winning Big in Business One Success At a Time!

 Did you see Chris Brown and Lil Wayne doing hard time on a Caterpillar tractor? No way! Brown has returned on the scene hoping to break music records. Wayne has again seen the light of day after spending time in the slammer. Their rocky road stories bring lots of buzz that’s louder than any tractor.

For sure they all have drive. This is an important ingredient to success. Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of heavy duty equipment that delivers lots of drive. But, as we’ve seen, sometimes too much drive gets you in trouble. On the road or TV, when drive is out of control it becomes rage.

Caterpillar also makes trucks and heavy duty engines. Over the years they’ve broadened their appeal. Their equipment has been used in many natural disaster efforts like earthquakes. Brown and Wayne also have massive appeal. They now know that professional “disaster recovery” can be a defining moment.

You’ve seen those highway signs about federal funding of infrastructure projects. This is money used to rebuild roads, bridges and other transportation hubs. Rest assured there’s some CAT machinery being used on the job. That’s probably one way they make big money in sales and services.

So Brown and Wayne are back on the block. Caterpillar’s revenues are humming tick-tock. In 2010 they paid among the highest dividends on the Dow Jones Average. If there’s a lesson from Caterpillar’s success, it’s that winning in business takes hard work, good buzz and regular development projects.

Tip: Winning big in business takes a commitment to professional development which makes you more than just a one-hit wonder.

Talkback: Who are some of the one-hit wonders in music or business that you can remember?

Coming Soon: “Reinvent Your Game, Future-Proof Your Dreams: How Celebs and Pros Go From Played-out to Poppin’ Again!”