You' re good at your job.That' s a given.But being good at what you do is not enough if you want to be really successful. You need something else. You need "The Rules of Work.While everybody else is concentrating solely on what they do, you' re following the 100 golden Rules of Work that make sure you' re not just thinking about what you do but also: How you do itHow others perceive you are doing itWhat else you do besidesAnd that' s what gets you respected, valued, admired... and promoted.Others can be good. With "The Rules of Work, you' ll be better.(c) Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgments

ix

Introduction

x

PART 1 Walk Your Talk

xviii

Get Your Work Noticed

2

(2)

Never Stand Still

4

(2)

Volunteer Carefully

6

(2)

Carve Out a Niche for Yourself

8

(2)

Underpromise and Overdeliver

10

(2)

Know Something Others Don't

12

(2)

Be 100 Percent Committed

14

(2)

Enjoy What You Are Doing

16

(2)

Develop the Right Attitude

18

(2)

Never Let Anyone Know How Hard You Work

20

(2)

PART 2 Know That You're Being Judged at All Times

22

(22)

Dress Well

24

(2)

Cultivate a Smile

26

(2)

No Limp Fish---Develop the Perfect Handshake

28

(2)

Exude Confidence and Energy

30

(2)

Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed

32

(2)

Pay Attention to Personal Grooming

34

(2)

Be Attractive

36

(2)

Be Cool

38

(2)

Speak Well

40

(2)

Write Well

42

(2)

PART 3 Have a Plan

44

(22)

Know What You Want Long Term

46

(2)

Know What You Want Short Term

48

(2)

Study the Promotion System

50

(2)

Develop a Game Plan

52

(2)

Set Objectives

54

(2)

Know Your Role

56

(2)

Know Yourself---Strengths and Weaknesses

58

(2)

Identify Key Times and Events

60

(2)

Anticipate Threats

62

(2)

Look for Opportunities

64

(2)

PART 4 If You Can't Say Anything Nice---Shut Up

66

(22)

Don't Gossip

68

(2)

Don't Bitch

70

(2)

Stand Up for Others

72

(2)

Compliment People Sincerely

74

(2)

Be Cheerful and Positive

76

(2)

Ask Questions

78

(2)

Use ``Please'' and ``Thank You''

80

(2)

Don't Curse

82

(2)

Be a Good Listener

84

(2)

Only Speak Sense

86

(2)

PART 5 Look After Yourself

88

(22)

Know the Ethics of Your Industry

90

(2)

Know the Legalities of Your Industry

92

(2)

Set Personal Standards

94

(2)

Never Lie

96

(2)

Never Cover Up for Anyone Else

98

(2)

Keep Records

100

(2)

Know the Difference Between the Truth and the Whole Truth

102

(2)

Cultivate Your Support/Contacts/Friends

104

(2)

Understand Others' Motives

106

(2)

Assume Everyone Else Is Playing by Different Rules

108

(2)

PART 6 Blend In

110

(22)

Know the Corporate Culture

112

(2)

Speak the Language

114

(2)

Dress Up or Down Accordingly

116

(2)

Be Adaptable in Your Dealings with Different People

118

(2)

Know Where to Hang Out, and When

120

(2)

Understand the Social Protocols

122

(2)

Know the Rules About Authority

124

(2)

Know the Rules About the Office Hierarchy

126

(2)

Never Disapprove of Others

128

(2)

Understand the Herd Mentality

130

(2)

PART 7 Act One Step Ahead

132

(22)

Dress One Step Ahead

134

(2)

Talk One Step Ahead

136

(2)

Act One Step Ahead

138

(2)

Think One Step Ahead

140

(2)

Address Corporate Issues and Problems

142

(2)

Talk of ``We'' Rather Than ``I''

144

(2)

Walk the Walk

146

(2)

Spend More Time with Senior Staff

148

(2)

Get People to Assume You Have Already Made the Step

150

(2)

Prepare for the Step After Next

152

(2)

PART 8 Cultivate Diplomacy

154

(22)

Ask Questions in Times of Conflict

156

(2)

Don't Take Sides

158

(2)

Know When to Keep Your Opinions to Yourself

160

(2)

Be Conciliatory

162

(2)

Never Lose Your Temper

164

(2)

Never Get Personal

166

(2)

Know How to Handle Other People's Anger

168

(2)

Stand Your Ground

170

(2)

Be Objective About the Situation

172

(2)

Put Things in Perspective

174

(2)

PART 9 Know the System---and Milk it

176

(22)

Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life

178

(2)

Know What to Call Everyone

180

(2)

Know When to Stay Late and When to Go Early

182

(2)

Know the Theft or Perks Rule

184

(2)

Identify the People Who Count

186

(2)

Be on the Right Side of the People Who Count

188

(2)

Be Well Up on New Management Techniques

190

(2)

Know the Undercurrents and Hidden Agendas

192

(2)

Know the Favorites and Cultivate Them

194

(2)

Know the Mission Statement---and Understand It

196

(2)

PART 10 Handle the Opposition

198

(20)

Identify the Opposition

200

(2)

Study Them Closely

202

(2)

Don't Backstab

204

(2)

Know the Psychology of Promotion

206

(2)

Don't Give Too Much Away

208

(2)

Keep Your Ear to the Ground

210

(2)

Make the Opposition Seem Irreplaceable

212

(2)

Don't Damn the Opposition with Faint Praise

214

(2)

Capitalize on the Career-Enhancing Moments

216

(2)

Cultivate the Friendship and Approval of Your Colleagues

218

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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