TRACY: Maneuver tells us to remain flexible at all times. George Washington won the decisive Battle of Trenton because his troops rowed across the Dela-ware River on December 26, in the middle of the night. He caught the British when they were still sleepy from their Christmas celebrations. That's showing how to maneuver, how to think outside the box. All originality and progress comes from doing things differently than they were done in the past - that's the plain fact, and it works in business as well as in the military.

AMERICAN WAY: Good as these ideas may be, can an executive expect his or her boss to buy into any of them?
TRACY: Here's how to win approval from your boss. Go to your manager and get clear about your priorities. Whatever your boss considers most important, work on it all day long - and that will bring im-mediate gratification both to you and your boss. How can this not please him or her?

AMERICAN WAY: Sounds good, but isn't that kind of single-mindedness a pipe dream in today's hectic, multitasking work world?
TRACY: My advice here is basic. Focus on results, and on making your actions count. That sounds simple but know this: It's a mindset possessed by the top 3 percent of movers and shakers in American corporations. Make that kind of commitment and you are taking big steps toward becoming a standout in any organization.
TRACY'S 12 TENETS