Synopses & Reviews
The Rules of Work
108 bite-size, easy-to-use rules
for building a more successful,
fulfilled career from
Richard Templar
Let’s face it: for most people, work doesn’t work.
For a fortunate few, though, work comes naturally:
success, promotion, and above all, self-fulfillment.
Were they born that way? No. They’ve learned the rules.
Rules you can learn, too.
The Rules of Work.
Here they are:
108 simple rules to work by...
Rules for getting way more out of your skills and talents…
doing the job better, and having more fun along the way...
developing more style, more confidence, and a plan…
knowing who really counts (and what they really want)…
when to stand up (and when to shut up)...
how to get noticed, get respect, get promoted, and get paid
These are the most important work rules you’ll ever follow.
Follow them straight to the top to make more money,
gain more recognition, and enjoy greater effectiveness
and more satisfaction at work.
Synopsis
For some people, work's a breeze: they glide effortlessly through all the office politics and back stabbing, always saying and doing the right thing, getting raises, getting promotions, getting results. What do they know that everyone else doesn't? The rules of work. Those rules are surprisingly easy to learn -- and once you know them, they're equally easy to live by. Now, Richard Templar's brought them all together in one place: the quick, irreverent The Rules of Work: A Definitive Guide to Personal Success. Templar doesn't just show you how to LOOK more effective: he shows you how to BE more effective in today's workplace environments. Discover how to get ahead without compromising your principles; how to project the air of confidence and energy that wins respect; how to carve out a powerful niche for yourself; how to handle conflict without alienating the warriors; how to read your corporate culture; when to speak and when to remain silent; when to stay late and when to leave early; and how to capitalize on the key moments that can supercharge your career.
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Richard Templar's recent best-selling business books include I Don't Want Any More Cheese, I Just Want Out of the Trap! He is also author of Free Agency; Fast Thinking Finding Facts; and the forthcoming Rules of Management: The Definitive Guide to Managerial Success. He has spent many years in managerial roles in industries ranging from casinos to higher education.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
I. WALK YOUR TALK.
1. Get Your Work Noticed.
2. Never Stand Still.
3. Volunteer Carefully.
4. Carve Out a Niche for Yourself.
5. Underpromise and Overdeliver.
6. Know Something Others Don’t.
7. Be 100 Percent Committed.
8. Enjoy What You Are Doing.
9. Develop the Right Attitude.
10. Never Let Anyone Know How Hard You Work.
II. KNOW THAT YOU’RE BEING JUDGED AT ALL TIMES.
11. Dress Well.
12. Cultivate a Smile.
13. No Limp Fish–Develop the Perfect Handshake.
14. Exude Confidence and Energy.
15. Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed.
16. Pay Attention to Personal Grooming.
17. Be Attractive.
18. Be Cool.
19. Speak Well.
20. Write Well.
III. HAVE A PLAN.
21. Know What You Want Long Term.
22. Know What You Want Short Term.
23. Study the Promotion System.
24. Develop a Game Plan.
25. Set Objectives.
26. Know Your Role.
27. Know Yourself–Strengths and Weaknesses.
28. Identify Key Times and Events.
29. Anticipate Threats.
30. Look for Opportunities.
IV. IF YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NICE–SHUT UP.
31. Don’t Gossip.
32. Don’t Bitch.
33. Stand Up for Others.
34. Compliment People Sincerely.
35. Be Cheerful and Positive.
36. Ask Questions.
37. Use “Please” and “Thank You”.
38. Don’t Curse.
39. Be a Good Listener.
40. Only Speak Sense.
V. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF.
41. Know the Ethics of Your Industry.
42. Know the Legalities of Your Industry.
43. Set Personal Standards.
44. Never Lie.
45. Never Cover Up for Anyone Else.
46. Keep Records.
47. Know the Difference Between the Truth and the Whole Truth.
48. Cultivate Your Support/Contacts/Friends.
49. Understand Others’ Motives.
50. Assume Everyone Else Is Playing by Different Rules.
VI. BLEND IN.
51. Know the Corporate Culture.
52. Speak the Language.
53. Dress Up or Down Accordingly.
54. Be Adaptable in Your Dealings with Different People.
55. Know Where to Hang Out, and When.
56. Understand the Social Protocols.
57. Know the Rules About Authority.
58. Know the Rules About the Office Hierarchy.
59. Never Disapprove of Others.
60. Understand the Herd Mentality.
VII. ACT ONE STEP AHEAD.
61. Dress One Step Ahead.
62. Talk One Step Ahead.
63. Act One Step Ahead.
64. Think One Step Ahead.
65. Address Corporate Issues and Problems.
66. Talk of “We” Rather Than “I”.
67. Walk the Walk.
68. Spend More Time with Senior Staff.
69. Get People to Assume You Have Already Made the Step.
70. Prepare for the Step After Next.
VIII. CULTIVATE DIPLOMACY.
71. Ask Questions in Times of Conflict.
72. Don’t Take Sides.
73. Know When to Keep Your Opinions to Yourself.
74. Be Conciliatory.
75. Never Lose Your Temper.
76. Never Get Personal.
77. Know How to Handle Other People’s Anger.
78. Stand Your Ground.
79. Be Objective About the Situation.
80. Put Things in Perspective.
IX. KNOW THE SYSTEM–AND MILK IT.
81. Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life.
82. Know What to Call Everyone.
83. Know When to Stay Late and When to Go Early.
84. Know the Theft or Perks Rule.
85. Identify the People Who Count.
86. Be on the Right Side of the People Who Count.
87. Be Well Up on New Management Techniques.
88. Know the Undercurrents and Hidden Agendas.
89. Know the Favorites and Cultivate Them.
90. Know the Mission Statement–and Understand It.
X. HANDLE THE OPPOSITION.
91. Identify the Opposition.
92. Study Them Closely.
93. Don’t Backstab.
94. Know the Psychology of Promotion.
95. Don’t Give Too Much Away.
96. Keep Your Ear to the Ground.
97. Make the Opposition Seem Irreplaceable.
98. Don’t Damn the Opposition with Faint Praise.
99. Capitalize on the Career-Enhancing Moments.
100. Cultivate the Friendship and Approval of Your Colleagues.