You learn how to be book smart in school, but you better not forget that you also need to be street-smart. There's an old saying about how the "A" students in school end up working for the "B" and "C" students in life. I've always been amused by that notion.

I succeeded because I have street smarts. Here are some street-smart ideas that have worked for me over the years. If one or two of them work for you, that's terrific.

Idea 1: Take time -- whenever possible -- to think about important situations that arise before taking any action. Unexpected problems come up in life. No matter what you are hit with without warning, memorize these six words -- "I want to think about it." All my life I've seen people react instantly to events that took them by surprise, and they opened their mouths and really hurt themselves. So practice: "I want to sleep on it! I want to think about it!" You won't be sorry.

Idea 2: Agreements prevent disagreements. Whenever you have a meeting of real importance, summarize your understanding with a brief note back to the other party. I guarantee this will save you from a lot of "he said /she said" ... "I thought you meant" ... or "We never talked about that." Nail it down before it nails you.

Idea 3: Leaks don't just come from faucets. Just remember that the walls have ears, or as I now say, the world has ears. Don't discuss private important business or personal matters where it can be overheard by other parties. Many deals have gone down in elevators. Smartphones and recording devices are everywhere.

Idea 4: Always let someone else set the table for you. Let other people talk you up. It will carry a lot more weight. The sound carries farther when someone else blows your horn.

Idea 5: Dial up your telephone skills. Never, never just leave your name when you call someone. Always leave the exact time frame you can be reached to avoid playing telephone tag.

Also, whenever you do reach a customer, client, VIP or key person in your network, immediately ask them, "Is this a good time to talk?" Don't blow a deal just because of inconsideration. I've received calls all my life where I was preoccupied, and the caller had no chance to be successful.

If you have an assistant who takes your calls, you will always make a solid impression if your assistant says you are expecting their call.

Lastly, and this is a tough one, but try to only take phone calls at a specific time of day. This is a huge time-saver. Of course, there will always be VIP exceptions.

Idea 6: Don't be boring. Don't be predictable. Don't be dull. Put some creativity into your life and business. For example, I have various types of letters that I use on a regular basis. I have unique and creative letters of "congratulations" and "thank you," and then I always add a personal message to them. I do a report card letter where I list 10 or so items and rank each item A+, assuming they deserve it. I'm a big proponent of putting a smile on people's faces, whether it's with creative gifts or personal notes.

Idea 7: Check out who is attending events to which you're invited. I often call the person in charge of an event to try and get a list of attendees and where they will be seated. The cocktail hour is usually not long enough to greet more than 25 percent of the crowd. However, if you have the seating chart, you know the exact table number, plus who's attending. Then you can zero in on the contacts you want to make. If you can't get a list in advance, arrive early and check the nametags to see who will be there.

Idea 8: Many times in life when you are faced with a difficult situation, you should try and apply this philosophy: If you can afford to buy your way out of a problem, you don't have a problem.

Idea 9: Call people who have experienced a setback, demotion or personal tragedy. Everyone calls people on the way up, but not so often on the way down. You will always be remembered for your kindness.

Mackay's Moral: A student of life considers the world a classroom.

A sea captain and his chief engineer got into an argument about which one was more important to the ship. Finally, they decided to trade places for a day. After a few hours, the captain suddenly appeared on deck, covered with oil and soot.

"Chief!" he yelled wildly, waving aloft a monkey wrench. "You'll have to come down here! I can't make the ship go!"

"Of course not!" replied the chief engineer. "We're aground!"

This story demonstrates that everyone is important. As I like to say, "The boat won't go if we all don't row." You must be committed to each other.

This concept is not new, but it is more important than ever in these challenging business times. Even as some businesses start to rebound, many of them have come to realize that their departments look radically different than they did prerecession. They understand that workers who have worn several hats have demonstrated better workflow and streamlined operations. As those businesses slowly expand, they see that the old practices and procedures probably needed changing long before.

Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, coined the phrase "the boundaryless organization." He believed that GE would be much more effective if the cultural, geographical and organizational barriers that separated the employees became more open. He put emphasis on the boundary's ability to enable business to function, rather than to get in its way. In other words, everyone is important and must be included. Once every plant understood this, employees began talking to everyone across the aisle -- shipping to sales, manufacturing to research and development and so on down the line.

We have employed this thinking at MackayMitchell Envelope Co. since we opened our doors more than 50 years ago. For example, I am often asked how many salespeople we have. My answer is always the same, "500." "Wow!" is the usual response, followed by, "How many employees do you have?" My answer is the same: "500."

Perhaps that's why they are also amazed when I tell them our company motto: "To be in business forever."

You see, we believe that everyone is responsible for selling our company, if not a specific product. We are committed to the notion that the sales force may bring in the orders, but the factory must produce the quality product that our sales force promised. Our customer service department needs to be in constant communication with the folks who bring in the business and those who work on the factory floor.

And the officers of the company are charged with making sure their departments understand the challenges and strengths of each of the other departments.

It all sounds so simple, but as a company grows, it takes a commitment at every level of the organization.

Howard Schultz, the entrepreneur who bought the original four-store Starbucks chain and turned it into a company that serves 50 million customers a week, wanted to establish a company where employees were respected. What was his inspiration? Memories of his father's life of working one low-paying job after another and going without decent compensation or insurance. Schultz wanted to create "the kind of company that my father never got a chance to work for, in which people were respected."

Schultz was selling coffee machines for a company when he noticed how many Starbucks was buying. He made the move to Starbucks and began to market the growing coffee company. Inspired by the "coffee culture" in Italy, he wanted to make that type of culture available in the Starbucks shops. Eventually, Schultz bought the company.

Starbucks' principles demonstrate exactly how the company views each of its employees:

-- Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity.

-- Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business.

-- Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and delivery of our coffee.

-- Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time.

-- Contribute positively to our communities and our environment.

-- Recognize that profitability is key to future success.

Those principles include and embrace every worker in the company. The employees know from the start what is expected of them and what they can expect from their employer.

You don't have to be a coffee drinker to appreciate that attitude.

Mackay's Moral: No one is as important as all of us.

As I was driving down a busy street in St. Paul, Minn., last week, I noticed among the preponderance of political yard signs that one stood out. In large letters, it simply said "JUST VOTE."

I wish to echo that sentiment!

We are in the thick of the "silly season," as the pre-election weeks are often called. The candidates and their surrogates are pounding home their messages, frequently to the point that we tune them out. Political posturing and name-calling surround us. We sift through the claims and counterclaims and hope we have the truth.

And then, sadly, some just give up. The confusion is too overwhelming. Or they get lazy. Or they don't care. Or, most tragically, they feel like their vote is meaningless.

They couldn't be more wrong.

Even if you vote for just one candidate or one issue, your vote is your voice.

I don't care whom or what you vote for, please don't pass up this opportunity to be heard. Our American system affords us a unique opportunity to shape our future.

Of course, I have favorite candidates on each slate. I rarely vote a straight ticket, finding personal qualities and reasonable positions on issues I really care about throughout the ballot.

In addition, I have a certain respect for individuals who enter the race, knowing they are exposing themselves to all kinds of criticism and vitriol. Elections in the Internet age are a whole different ball game. Given the potential for anonymous character assassination, I often wonder who would be willing to place his or her name in nomination.

But the ballot is ripe with capable candidates and compelling issues. The choices are pretty clear-cut. Even though our choices may not be the ultimate winners, we have a duty to exercise our right to vote.

I have a theory that a large voter turnout screams to those who are elected: "We all cared enough to vote. We will be watching you to make sure you don't let us down."

But a small turnout sends the message that people just don't care. That is when representatives start to think no one is watching. Our government is based on majority rules, but passing on voting means the minority wins out.

The ancient city of Athens, Greece, may well have been the birthplace of what we call civic spirit. When he reached voting age, it was the obligation of every Athenian to stand in the public square -- before his family and neighbors -- and take this oath: "We will strive unceasingly to quicken the public sense of duty -- so that we will make this city greater, better and more beautiful than it was when we took this oath."

What a tremendous example! There are few opportunities to express your opinion with such impact. Voting gives you voice in your government, from the people who represent you to the issues that affect the way you live.

In other words, if you don't exercise your right to vote, you might as well forfeit your right to complain.

To put it more eloquently, I'll borrow the words of American statesman Daniel Webster: "Impress upon children the truth that the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not incorrectly trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every measure he supports has an important bearing in the interests of others as well as on his own."

We have a duty to another very special group of patriots: our veterans. Do we really understand the sacrifices they have made, that they fight for our right to be free? Voting is a fundamental demonstration of gratitude to those who have risked and even given their lives for us. It is perhaps fitting that we celebrate Election Day and Veterans Day so close together.

Your vote is sacred, it is secret and it IS important. It is much more powerful than you might suppose. It may seem like nothing at the start, but it carries tremendous and widespread aftereffects -- like the future of our country.

Mackay's Moral: To me, VOTE stands for "Voice of the Electorate." Be heard.