The Rules of Work A Definitive Code for Personal Success

RICHARD TEMPLAR

EXPANDED EDITION

The Rules of Work A Definitive Code for Personal Success

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the readers who have emailed me over the

years with comments on my books, and especially those who have

contributed ideas to this new edition of The Rules of Work. In particular,

may I thank:

Anil Baddela

Johnson Maganja Grace

David Grigor

Frank Hull

Hubert Rau

Pawan Singh

Tina Steel

Foreword
Most of us (I’m guessing here) want to do our jobs well. Most of us
(still guessing) want more important jobs, bigger salaries, greater
security, higher status, and a bright future. So we try to do our jobs
so well that we will be rewarded, respected, and promoted.

And that is where we go wrong. (I’m not guessing anymore.)

Of course, we have to do our jobs really well. There’s no future for
the screw-up, the bum, or the sociopath. But Richard Templar puts
his finger on the flaw in the implied logic that concludes that the
better we do our job, the faster we will rise up the organization. He
points out that we are all doing two jobs, but most of us are only
conscious of one of them—the job in hand: meeting our sales targets,
reducing machine downtime, speeding up monthly
management accounts, whatever. The other job is both larger and
vaguer: making the organization work. If people think you have it in
you to solve the problems of the organization itself, not just your
small part of it, you’ve broken away from the pack. But how do you
do that? There’s an easy answer: read this book. Follow the Rules.

I realized when I read this book that I have always been half conscious
of the Rules, though I never managed to formulate and
analyze them with the clarity and detail that Richard Templar brings
to the task. There was a time when I had to interview a lot of promotion
candidates in the BBC, and with most of them I had this feeling
that somehow they didn’t look like top management material. Was it
how they dressed, how they walked, how they talked? Bits of all of
those, but most of all their attitude, their frame of mind, which
somehow affected all the others.

Most of them stressed how well they did their present job, which
was quite unnecessary. We knew that; that’s why they were there. It
was their entrance ticket to the interview, and there was no point in
constantly waving it at us. Amazingly few of them had given any real
thought to the problems of the job they were applying for, as
opposed to the job they were doing, let alone the problems that
faced the BBC as an organization. They were oblivious of the Rules.

The American management guru Peter Drucker makes a useful distinction
between efficiency and effectiveness: efficiency is doing the
job right, effectiveness is doing the right job. Your boss will tell you
how to do the job right, but you have to work out for yourself what
the right job is. It means looking at the world outside the organization:
what it needs, and how its needs are changing, and what the
organization must do (and stop doing) to survive and prosper.

I remember interviewing two chief executives of great corporations.
Both had joined from college with hundreds of other bright ambitious
graduates, and I asked them why it was they had gotten to the
top of the heap and not any of the others. One said he didn’t know,
but what he could tell me was that every job he’d ever done was
abolished after he left it. The other didn’t know either, but said that
no job he’d ever done existed until he started doing it. Both of them
were striking examples of people who focused on doing the right
job, of thinking like the chairman even when they were junior or
middle managers. And I have no doubt they followed all the other
rules as well, always somehow looking and sounding like someone
who should be in a higher job. And as Richard Templar stresses—
they were popular and respected throughout the organization. You
can’t be a successful chief executive if you’re surrounded by embittered,
resentful, and demoralized colleagues.

The Rules of Work is first and foremost a guide for the individual
manager, an eye-opener for all those who would like to rise to the
top but don’t seem to be able to find the map. But it is also very
much a book for the organization itself; the great danger is fossilization,
becoming preoccupied with its internal tasks and systems and
procedures, and losing touch with the world outside. And this will
happen if everyone is concentrating on being efficient rather than
being effective—in other words, if they don’t follow the Rules.

Sir Antony Jay

Author, Yes Minister and creator of Sir Humphrey

Founder, Video Arts

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 travelling 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 leapt 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 18: Develop a Style That Gets You

Noticed), but unfortunately he didn’t adhere sufficiently to the

number one rule—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 done. I was

brought in over his head because they couldn’t sack him—

having just promoted him it would have looked bad—and

they needed someone to oversee his work so that his errors

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—just looking good

and walking right. He eventually shuffled himself off sideways

into running his own business—a restaurant. This failed

shortly afterward because he forgot Rule 2: Never Stand Still—

or maybe he never actually knew it. He carried on walking like

a manager instead of a restaurateur. His customers never really took to him.

By practicing the general manager’s walk, I got the promotion,

but I also got it because I paid great attention to doing my job

well—Rule 1. Once in this new job I was, of course, completely

out of my depth. I had to quickly learn not only my

new role and all its responsibilities, but also the position

below, which I had not really held. I had stood in for managers

but I had never been a manager—now I was the manager’s

manager. I was in great danger of falling flat on my face.

Never Let Anyone Know How Hard

You Work

But I was, by now, a dedicated Rules Player. There was only

one recourse—secret learning. I spent every spare second

available—evenings, weekends, lunch breaks—studying

everything I could that would help me. But I told no one—Rule 13.

Within a short time I had mastered enough to be able to do the

job well enough. And the embryonic Rules of Work were born.

Have a Plan

Being a general manager was both fun and pain. It was 50 percent

more work but only 20 percent more pay. My next step,

logically, was regional director. But it didn’t appeal. More

work—much more work but for not that much more money. I

began to develop a plan (Rules 24–34). Where did I want to go

next? What did I want to do? I was getting bored being stuck

in the office all the time and all those endless dreary meetings.

And all that time spent at head office. Not for me. I wanted to

have fun again. I wanted to practice the Rules. I formulated my plan.

What the company didn’t have was a roving troubleshooter—a

sort of general manager’s general manager. I put Rule 4: Carve

Out a Niche for Yourself into play. I suggested to the chairman

that a report was needed. I never suggested that this was the

job I wanted, but the agenda was obvious, I suppose. I got it,

of course, and became a peripatetic general manager, answerable

directly only to the chairman and with a job description I

wrote myself. And pay? A lot more than the regional directors

were on, but they didn’t know and I didn’t let on (Part V: Look

After Yourself). I cultivated their support and friendship; I was

never a threat because it was obvious I wasn’t after their job.

They may have wanted the money I was making if they had

known, but they didn’t want the little niche I had carved out

for myself.

And I did this without being ruthless, dishonest, or unpleasant.

In fact, I was always diplomatic when dealing with the

general managers. I treated them with courtesy and politeness,

even when I had to confront them on some aspect of their job.

I added If you can’t say anything nice—shut up and learned the

rules in Part VIII: Cultivate Diplomacy.

Knowing the People Who Count

And I quickly learned that if I wanted to know what was going

on in a branch, it was best to speak to the people who really

knew—the maintenence staff, the receptionists, the cashiers,

the elevator attendant, and the drivers. It was important both

to identify these people and to be on the right side of them—

Rule 94. They supplied me with more information than anyone

would have believed—and all for the price of a simple “Hello

Bob, how’s your daughter doing at college these days?”

The Rules of Work took shape. Over the next few years I

watched them grow up and gain maturity and experience. I

left the corporation and founded my own consultancy. I

trained managers in The Rules of Work and watched them go

out into the world and conquer their destiny with charm and

courtesy, confidence and authority.

But I see you have questions. How do these Rules work—are

they manipulative? No, you don’t make anyone else do anything;

it is you that is changing and improving.

• Do I have to become someone else? No, you may need to

change your behavior a bit, but not your personality or

values.You’ll go on being you, but a slicker, quicker you, a

more successful you.

• Are they hard to learn? No, you can learn them in a week

or two—but it does take a long time to really master

them. But we are learning all the time and even practicing

one Rule is better than none at all.

• Is it easy to spot others doing them? Yes, sometimes, but

the really good Rules Players will never let you see what

they are doing; they’re too good for that. But once you

become a Rules Player too, it does become easier to see

what Rule people are using at any particular time.

• Will I notice benefits right away? Oh yes, you betcha—immediately.

• Do I still do them? I wouldn’t even admit to doing them

in the first place—I’m a Rules Player after all.

• Is it ethical to use the Rules? Yes. You aren’t doing anything

wrong, merely utilizing your own natural skills and

talents and adapting them, using them consciously. 

This is a key area for understanding the Rules—consciously.

Everything you do will have been decided beforehand—

you’ll still appear spontaneous, of course, you decided

that as well—but you will be a conscious controller of

any situation rather than an unconscious victim. You will

be awake and aware, living in the moment and taking

advantage of your own abilities. The bottom line is that

you must be able to do your job—and do it well in the

first place. The Rules are not for slackers. You think

you work hard now? It’s nothing to doing the Rules

successfully—now that really does take work.

And let’s face it, you love to work. You love doing your job.

You have to, to be wanting to read the Rules and to want to be

moving up. What I am suggesting is that you consciously

think about every area of that work and make changes to improve

• The way you do it

• How people perceive you to be doing it

If you don’t practice the Rules, you will muddle along, get by,

maybe find what it is you are looking for. You may already

know a lot of these Rules—and be practicing them—

instinctively and intuitively. Now we will do them consciously.

If you do you will

• Get promoted

• Get along better with your colleagues

• Feel better about yourself

• Enjoy your work more

• Understand your job better

• Understand your boss’s point of view better

• Take more pride in both yourself and your work

• Set a good example for junior staff

• Contribute more to your company

• Be valued and respected

• Spread an aura of goodwill and cooperation around you

• Be successful if you leave to start your own business.

These Rules are simple and effective, safe and practical. They

are your 10 steps to building confidence and creating a new

and more powerful you. And building that new you morally

and ethically. You aren’t going to do anything that you wouldn’t

expect—and appreciate—others doing to you. These Rules

enhance personal standards and elevate your individual principles.

They are my gift to you. They’re yours. Keep them safe,

keep them secret.

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Product details

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File Size	827 KB
Pages	273 p
File Type	PDF format
ISBN-10  ISBN-13	0-13-707206-6  978-0-13-707206-4
Copyright	2010 by Pearson Education, Inc

Table of Contents

Foreword . . . . . .viii

Introduction . . . . . .x

Part I Walk Your Talk . .  . . .1

1 Get Your Work Noticed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2 Never Stand Still . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

3 Volunteer Carefully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

4 Carve Out a Niche for Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

5 Under Promise and Over Deliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

6 Learn to Ask Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

7 Be 100 Percent Committed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

8 Learn from Others’ Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

9 Enjoy What You Are Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

10 Develop the Right Attitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

11 Be Passionate But Don’t Kill Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

12 Manage Your Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

13 Never Let Anyone Know How Hard You Work . . . . . . . . . . .28

14 Keep Your Home Life at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Part II Know That You’re Being Judged at

All Times . . . . .33

15 Cultivate a Smile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

16 No Limp Fish—Develop the Perfect Handshake . . . . . . . . .38

17 Exude Confidence and Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

18 Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

19 Pay Attention to Personal Grooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

20 Be Attractive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

21 Be Cool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

22 Speak Well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

23 Write Well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Part III Have a Plan . . . . . . . . .55

24 Know What You Want Long Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

25 Know What You Want Short term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

26 Study the Promotion System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

27 Develop a Game Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

28 Set Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

29 Know Your Role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

30 Know Yourself—Strengths and Weaknesses . . . . . . . . . . . .70

31 Identify Key Times and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

32 Anticipate Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

33 Look for Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

34 Make Learning a Lifelong Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Part IV If You Can’t Say Anything Nice—Shut Up . . . . .81

35 Don’t Gossip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

36 Don’t Bitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

39 Be Cheerful and Positive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

40 Ask Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

41 Use “Please” and “Thank you” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

42 Don’t Swear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

43 Be a Good Listener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

44 Only Speak Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Part V Look After Yourself . . . .105

45 Know the Ethics of Your Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

46 Know the Legalities of Your Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

47 Set Personal Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

48 Never Lie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

49 Never Cover Up for Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

50 Keep Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

51 Know the Difference Between the Truth and The

Whole Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

52 Cultivate Your Support/Contacts/

Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

53 Date with Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

54 Understand Others’ Motives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

55 Assume Everyone Else Is Playing by

Different Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

56 Keep the Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

57 Put Things in Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Part VI Blend In. . . .135

58 Know the Corporate Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

59 Speak the Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

60 Dress Up or Dress Down Accordingly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

61 Be Adaptable in Your Dealings with

Different People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

62 Make Your Boss Look Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

63 Know Where to Hang Out, and When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

64 Understand Social Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

65 Know the Rules about Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

66 Know the Rules about the Office Hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . .154

67 Never Disapprove of Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

68 Understand the Herd Mentality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Part VII Act One Step Ahead . . .161

69 Dress One Step Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

70 Talk One Step Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

71 Act One Step Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

72 Think One Step Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

73 Address Corporate Issues and Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

74 Make Your Company Better for Having You There . . . . . .174

75 Talk of “We” Rather Than “I” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

76 Walk the Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

77 Spend More Time with Senior Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180

78 Get People to Assume You Have Already Made the Step .182

79 Prepare for the Step After Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Part VIII Cultivate Diplomacy .. . .187

80 Ask Questions in Times of Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

81 Don’t Take Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

82 Know When to Keep Your Opinions to Yourself . . . . . . . . .194

83 Be Conciliatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

84 Never Lose Your Temper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

85 Never Get Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200

86 Know How to Handle Other People’s Anger . . . . . . . . . . .202

87 Stand Your Ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

88 Be Objective About the Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Part IX Know the System—and Milk It . . .. .209

89 Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life . . . . . . . . . . .212

90 Know What to Call Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

91 Know When to Stay Late and When to Go Early . . . . . . . .216

92 Know the Theft or Perks Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218

93 Identify the People Who Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220

94 Be on the Right Side of the People Who Count . . . . . . . . .222

95 Be Well Up on New Management Techniques . . . . . . . . .224

96 Know the Undercurrents and Hidden Agendas . . . . . . . .226

97 Know the Favorites and Cultivate Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228

98 Know the Mission Statement—and

Understand It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230

Part X Handle the Opposition . . . . .233

99 Identify the Opposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236

100 Study Them Closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

101 Don’t Back-Stab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240

102 Know the Psychology of Promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242

103 Don’t Give Too Much Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244

104 Keep Your Ear to the Ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246

105 Make the Opposition Seem Irreplaceable . . . . . . . . . . . . .248

106 Don’t Damn the Opposition with Faint Praise . . . . . . . . . .250

107 Capitalize on the Career-Enhancing Moments . . . . . . . . .252

108 Cultivate the Friendship and Approval of

Your Colleagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

Postscript Know When to Break the Rules . . . . . . . . . .256

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