The Rules of Work, Expanded Edition A Definitive Code for Personal Success

by Templar, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780137072064
• ISBN10: 0137072066
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-06-22
• Publisher: Ft Pr

Summary

Some people are simply great at their job. They always seem to say the right thing; do the right thing. They are mentioned in every conversation. Everybody likes them. They get promoted. They get pay rises. They get along with the boss. And somehow, they do all these things without being unpleasant, breaking much of a sweat or seeming to put in excess effort. And when they are offered another step up the corporate ladder or a fabulous new job, no one is surprised.

After all, they have 'potential' written all over them. How do they do it? Do they know some secret we don't? Yes, they know The Rules of Work. These rules aren't about how to do your job, day-to-day (assuming you are pretty good at that already). The Rules of Work are about how you are seen to be doing it. They are about how you appear to others. And they are about helping you to achieve the success you richly deserve.

The first edition of The Rules of Work became a global phenomenon, topping bestseller charts around the world. This new, even better, edition includes 10 brand new rules to take you further, faster. These rules are the guiding principles that will improve both what you do and how you do it, giving you the unmistakable air of confidence that will win you admiration, respect, and the next promotion. With The Rules under your belt you'll have the edge in everything you do, without having to compromise your principles.

Author Biography

Richard Templar is an astute observer of human behavior and understands what makes the difference between those of us who effortlessly glide towards success and those of us who struggle against the tide. He has distilled these observations into his Rules titles. More than 1 million people around the world have enjoyed and now play by Richard Templar's Rules.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. viii
Introduction	p. x
Walk Your Talk	p. 1
Get Your Work Noticed	p. 4
Never Stand Still	p. 6
Volunteer Carefully	p. 8
Carve Out a Niche for Yourself	p. 10
Under Promise and Over Deliver	p. 12
Learn to Ask Why	p. 14
Be 100 Percent Committed	p. 16
Learn from others' Mistakes	p. 18
Enjoy What You Are Doing	p. 20
Develop the Right Attitude	p. 22
Be Passionate But Don't Kill Yourself	p. 24
Manage Your Energy	p. 26
Never Let Anyone Know How Hard You Work	p. 28
Keep Your Home Life at Home	p. 30
Know That You're Being Judged at All Times	p. 33
Cultivate a Smile	p. 36
No Limp Fish-Develop the Perfect Handshake	p. 38
Exude Confidence and Energy	p. 40
Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed	p. 42
Pay Attention to Personal Grooming	p. 44
Be Attractive	p. 46
Be Cool	p. 48
Speak Well	p. 50
Write Well	p. 52
Have a Plan	p. 55
Know What You Want Long Term	p. 58
Know What You Want Short term	p. 60
Study the Promotion System	p. 62
Develop a Game Plan	p. 64
Set Objectives	p. 66
Know Your Role	p. 68
Know Yourself-Strengths and Weaknesses	p. 70
Identify Key Times and Events	p. 72
Anticipate Threats	p. 74
Look for Opportunities	p. 76
Make Learning a Lifelong Mission	p. 78
If you can't say Anything Nice-Shut Up	p. 81
Don't Gossip	p. 84
Don't Bitch	p. 86
Stand Up for Others	p. 88
Compliment People Sincerely	p. 90
Be Cheerful and Positive	p. 92
Ask Questions	p. 94
Use "Please" and "Thank you"	p. 96
Don't Swear	p. 98
Be a Good Listener	p. 100
Only Speak Sense	p. 102
Look After Yourself	p. 105
Know the Ethics of Your Industry	p. 108
Know the Legalities of Your Industry	p. 110
Set Personal Standards	p. 112
Never Lie	p. 114
Never Cover Up for Anyone Else	p. 116
Keep Records	p. 118
Know the Difference Between the Truth and The Whole Truth	p. 120
Cultivate Your Support/Contacts/Friends	p. 122
Date with Caution	p. 124
Understand others' Motives	p. 126
Assume Everyone Else Is Playing by Different Rules	p. 128
Keep the Faith	p. 130
Put Things in Perspective	p. 132
Blend In	p. 135
Know the Corporate Culture	p. 138
Speak the Language	p. 140
Dress Up or Dress Down Accordingly	p. 142
Be Adaptable in Your Dealings with Different People	p. 144
Make Your Boss Look Good	p. 146
Know Where to Hang Out, and When	p. 148
Understand Social Protocols	p. 150
Know the Rules about Authority	p. 152
Know the Rules about the Office Hierarchy	p. 154
Never Disapprove of Others	p. 156
Understand the Herd Mentality	p. 158
Act One Step Ahead	p. 161
Dress One Step Ahead	p. 164
Talk One Step Ahead	p. 166
Act One Step Ahead	p. 168
Think One Step Ahead	p. 170
Address Corporate Issues and Problems	p. 172
Make Your Company Better for Having You There	p. 174
Talk of "We" Rather Than "I"	p. 176
Walk the Walk	p. 178
Spend More Time with Senior Staff	p. 180
Get People to Assume You Have Already Made the Step	p. 182
Prepare for the Step After Next	p. 184
Cultivate Diplomacy	p. 187
Ask Questions in Times of Conflict	p. 190
Don't Take Sides	p. 192
Know When to Keep Your Opinions to Yourself	p. 194
Be Conciliatory	p. 196
Never Lose Your Temper	p. 198
Never Get Personal	p. 200
Know How to Handle Other People's Anger	p. 202
Stand Your Ground	p. 204
Be Objective About the Situation	p. 206
Know the System-and Milk It	p. 209
Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life	p. 212
Know What to Call Everyone	p. 214
Know When to Stay Late and when to Go Early	p. 216
Know the Theft or Perks Rule	p. 218
Identify the People Who Count	p. 220
Be on the Right Side of the People Who Count	p. 222
Be Well up on New Management Techniques	p. 224
Know the Undercurrents and Hidden Agendas	p. 226
Know the Favorites and Cultivate Them	p. 228
Know the Mission Statement-and Understand it	p. 230
Handle the Opposition	p. 233
Identify the Opposition	p. 236
Study them Closely	p. 238
Don't Back-Stab	p. 240
Know the Psychology of Promotion	p. 242
Don't Give Too Much Away	p. 244
Keep Your Ear to the Ground	p. 246
Make the Opposition Seem Irreplaceable	p. 248
Don't Damn the Opposition with Faint Praise	p. 250
Capitalize on the Career-Enhancing Moments	p. 252
Cultivate the Friendship and Approval of Your Colleagues	p. 254
Postscript Know When to Break the Rules	p. 256
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Introduction Introduction I first started formulating The Rules of Work many, many years ago when I was an assistant manager. There was a promotion going for the next step up--manager. There were two possible candidates, myself and Rob. On paper I had more experience, more expertise, most of the staff wanted me as their manager and I generally knew the new job better. Rob, to be honest, was useless. I was chatting with an outside consultant the company used and asked him what he thought my chances were. "Slim," he replied. I was indignant. I explained all about my experience, my expertise, my superior abilities. "Yep," he replied, "but you don't walk like a manager." "And Rob does?" "Yep, that's about the strength of it." Needless to say he was quite right and Rob got the job. I had to work under a moron. But a moron who walked right. I studied that walk very carefully. The consultant was spot on, there was a manager's walk. I began to notice that every employee, every job, everyone in fact, had their walk. Receptionists walked in a particular way as did the cashiers, the catering staff, the office workers, the admin, the security staff--and the managers of course. Secretly, I began to practice the walk. Looking the Part As I spent a lot of time watching the walk I realized that there was also a manager's style of attire, of speaking, of behavior. It wasn't enough that I was good at my job and had the experience. I had to look as if I was better than anyone else. It wasn't just a walk--it was an entire makeover. And gradually, as I watched, I noticed that what newspaper was read was important, as was what pen was used, how you wrote, how you talked to colleagues, what you said at meetings--everything, in fact, was being judged, evaluated, acted upon. It wasn't enough to be able to do the job. If you wanted to get on you had to be seen to be the Right Type. The Rules of Work is about creating that type--of course, you've got to be able to do the job in the first place. But a lot of people can do that. What makes you stand out? What makes you a suitable candidate for promotion? What makes the difference? Act One Step Ahead I noticed that among the managers there were some who had mastered the walk, but there were others who were practicing, unconsciously, for the next walk--the general manager's walk. I happened at that time to be traveling around a lot between different branches and noticed that among the general managers there were some who were going to stay right where they were for a long time. But there were others already practicing for their next step ahead--the regional director's walk. And style and image. I switched from practicing the manager's walk and leaped ahead to the general manager's walk. Three months later I was promoted from assistant manager to general manager in one swift move. I was now the moron's manager. Walk Your Talk Rob had the walk (Rule 15: Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed), but unfortunately he didn't adhere sufficiently to the rules in Part 1--he didn't know the job well enough. He looked right, sounded right, but the bottom line was--he couldn't do the job as well as he should have. I was brought in over his head because they couldn't fire him--having just promoted him it would have looked bad--and they needed someone to oversee his work so that his mistakes could be rectified quickly. Rob had reached the level of his own incompetence and stayed there for several years neither improving nor particularly getting worse