Matthew T. Kincaid, a Leawood Chamber member, recently authored Occupational Hazards Handbook: Avoid The Top Ten Mistakes Made When Beginning A Career.  Boasting an Amazon star rating of 4.9 out of 5, Kincaid’s book has been very well received by its readers to date.  It has been endorsed by David M. Brain, Founder and Former CEO of EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR), Michael R. Block, Principal of Block Real Estate Services, LLC, and Tyler Palko, Director of Leadership Development of Solutions 21 and Former NFL Quarterback.

A description of the book (which has been abridged from the one on Amazon.com) follows.

Have you ever wished that you could travel back in time, with the knowledge that you possess today, to avoid a costly mistake? Have you ever found yourself thinking “I wish I would have known that!” or perhaps “Why didn’t somebody teach me that?” Are you intrigued or even puzzled by the early career success of some people and the comparatively slow start of others?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, or if you are simply interested in professional improvement and growth, Kincaid’s book is for you. Within it, he shares valuable lessons in the hopes of sparing others from suffering through prevalent career missteps.

The book begins with a foreword from distinguished author and professor Douglas Whitman, one of Kincaid’s early mentors and now colleagues, who has been shaping the minds and vicariously experiencing the mistakes of business school students for over 40 years. It continues with a focus on the top ten mistakes, each of which has its own chapter: 

1.Entitlement
2.Trying To Be A Leader Too Soon
3.Lack Of Follow-Through
4.Putting Your Career In Your Boss’s Hands
5.Specializing Too Early
6.Emotional Unintelligence
7.Surrounding Yourself With The Wrong People
8.Not Taking Enough Risks
9.Neglecting Your Health
10.Failing To Build Your Brand.

Laconic and incisive, Kincaid’s writing style accommodates the needs of time-strapped professionals as well as those who prefer explanation to mere conclusory statements. Individuals embarking on their first job—or even pursuing a new career path—will benefit from Kincaid’s insights as an entrepreneur, attorney, and university-level educator.