Former Rockwell Collins exec mentors through new book

CEDAR RAPIDS - Bob Chiusano owes a lot of his success to his first mentor.

'I was struggling when I was a youth - trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” he said.

He was working as an engineering tech, which requires a two-year associate degree, when a boss pulled him aside and encouraged him to go back to school to earn a bachelor's degree.

'It wasn't until years later that I realized how important and instrumental that gentleman was in my life,” he said.

Now the former chief operating officer of Rockwell Collins is trying to do that for others through his first self-published book, 'Mediocrity Is Not an Option.”

Chiusano said he's mentored thousands of people in his more than 30-year career. And over the years he saw several key themes emerge, all of which he touches on in the book.

'This book encourages people to be responsible and make a commitment to themselves,” he said in a telephone interview. 'You can't count on being lucky.”

But that doesn't mean you have to rely only on yourself, he said. The book discusses building a network and finding mentors, giving practical advice while also incorporating Chiusano's own personal anecdotes.

'But you need to build and maintain that network,” he said. 'You can't just call people when you need something.”

He also wants readers to take a long-term view on their career, looking at where they want to go and the skill set needed to get there.

'I was trained as an engineer,” he said. 'I hang out with engineers at work and teach engineering students at the University of Iowa. They all have the hard skills but are missing the soft skills.”

To reach full potential, people need to know how to listen, how to work as a team and how to communicate, he said.

He also writes about the importance of giving back - through time or money - and striking a work-life balance, which he admits can be a challenge. To do that, people must eliminate the things that don't add value to their lives.

'Sometimes ‘no' is a good answer,” he said. 'It can be tough, but saying no provides opportunities for others to grow.”

The book is for students looking to start their careers as well as professionals hoping to make a career change or advance, he said.

'No one should want to delegate the creation of their legacy to anyone else,” he said. 'We all need people to help us, but we need to be in charge and we need to accept responsibility for ourselves.”

Chiusano will have a book signing at the Barnes and Noble in Cedar Rapids, 333 Collins Rd. NE, on Dec. 18 at 11 a.m.

IF YOU GO

What: Robert Chiusano will sign copies of his book, 'Mediocrity Is Not an Option”

When: 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 18

Where: Barnes and Noble, 333 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids