7:}:oûB§ èèÐÐ88   Ð/à=ðÈ" Arial©°NEVER CONFUSE A MEMO WITH REALITY (A Little Book of Business Lessons), by Richard A. Moran, adapted for the Psion by Richard Lyon.È" Arial°AAlways know who your client or customer is - no matter what your job is.È" Arial°¹Be nice to receptionists - they can help you. If they don't like you they can hurt you.È" Arial °Never let your guard down around superiors - even when socialising.È" Arial°1Brag about someone to another person; that person is sure to find out.È" Arial°YSimplify, don't complicate - especially processes, procedures and policies.È" Arial°Never take a problem to your boss without some solutions. You are getting paid to think, not whine.È" Arial°ISpend five minutes figuring out how to communicate the decision for every ten minutes you spend deciding.È" Arial °YBelieve that change can happen, even after overwhelming evidence says that things never seem to get better.È" Arial$°1Life in business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defeats - claim them all as victories.È" Arial(°ØKnow what shoes to wear and keep them in proper shape.È" Arial,°QWhen waiting in a lobby for a meeting, or to meet someone, don't sit down.È" Arial0°±Carry telephone numbers with you - use the back of a calendar or an electronic gadget.È" Arial4°ÌKeep track of what you do - someone is sure to ask.È" Arial8°ÁRead the business and trade publications - so you understand trends and know buzz words.È" Arial<°”Don't promise what you can't deliver.È" Arial@°`Get to the office early.È" ArialD°9Don't write memos of more than one page and use graphics where you can.È" ArialH°lNever miss deadlines. Ever.È" ArialL°±Don't be late for meetings. If you are late, don't make it a big deal, just apologize.È" ArialP°Always have documents proofread. Never send a document with a typo.È" ArialT° When you hear words like restructuring, de-layering and/or rightsizing, get your resume together.È" ArialX°‘Be prepared for performance reviews - do your own review and give it to your boss.È" Arial\°ÈGet to know people in the public relations office.È" Arial`°YIf you interview for another job, inside or outside the company, expect your boss to find out; be prepared.È" Ariald°Never confuse a memo with reality &most memos from the top are political fantasy.È" Arialh°ÙGet out of the office as much as you can - especially if you are with clients or customers.È" Ariall°pDon't look at change as bad.È" Arialp°qResignation letters should only be one or two lines. Don't take parting shots.È" Arialt°pDon't tell off-colour jokes.È" Arialx°˜Don't take newspapers to the bathroom.È" Arial|°iShare the credit for successful projects and make sure everyone's supervisor knows of everyone's contributionÈ" Arial€°9Remember that the purpose of every business is to make or do something and sell it. The closer you get to those activities, the better.È" Arial„°éIf you are in a staff job, get line experience by jumping at assignments out in the trenches.È" Arialˆ°ÌIf you tell a racist joke, be prepared to be fired.È" ArialŒ°As Queen Victoria said, Never complain, never explain. Be courageous in your business perspectives.È" Arial°°Never go to a meeting without your calendar.È" Arial”°Focus on the most important things to do to help your department or organisation be successful. Don't focus on the easiest things.È" Arial˜°ÑNever start a meeting with anything remotely resembling I'm sorry, I have a cold, or  &that we're late, or  &there's a typo.È" Arialœ°qTake a time management course and then develop your own system that will work.È" Arial °As tedious as it may be, understand your health benefits and keep track of them.È" Arial¤°)Collect business cards and keep them in a Rolodex. If you don't think you'll remember how you know a person, make a note on the card.È" Arial¨°‰Maintain an accurate mailing list for announcements, newsletters and sales calls.È" Arial¬°€Go to the company holiday party.È" Arial°°´Don't get drunk at the company holiday party.È" Arial´°ðTreat your time as if someone is paying for it - someone is.È" Arial¸°èKeep track of your expenses or you'll end up losing money.È" Arial¼°Always carry your business cards with you and give them out freely.È" ArialÀ°èMaintain a sense of humour and inject it when appropriate.È" ArialÄ°äReturn calls within 24 hours. Never leave one unanswered.È" ArialÈ°If you are going to complain about something, have a solution in mind and make clear what you want.È" ArialÌ°üDevelop friends in the executive search-and-placement business.È" ArialаABuy clothes that will last a long time - lean towards wools and cottons.È" ArialÔ°ÑIf travelling on the corporate jet, know what the seating protocols are before you get on.È" ArialØ°ŒLearn to read financial statements.È" ArialÜ°!Know how to write business letters and send them - including thank you letters and proposal letters.È" Arialà°øIn all sales situations seek clarity - is it sold or isn't it?È" Arialä°Develop a high tolerance for ambiguity - you'll be more satisfied.È" Arialè°YLearn to remember people's names. If your memory is poor, develop a system.È" Arialì°At all costs, avoid dotted-line or ambiguous reporting situations.È" Arialð°XAlways have an agenda.È" Arialô°øDon't hang your diplomas in your office unless you are an M.D.È" Arialø°ñLearn how to give first rate presentations so that the message you're trying to deliver is the same one the audience receives.È" Arialü°ìBe comfortable around senior managers, or learn to fake it.È" Arial°èDon't micromanage your people, your projects or your life.È" Arial°YIf you even think you are vulnerable, you should probably find another job.È" Arial°™Read In search of Excellence - the companies are dated, but the principles are not.È" Arial °ÙUnderstand the skills and abilities that differentiate you from everyone else. Whenever you have the opportunity, use them.È" Arial°œLearn how to use a spreadsheet program.È" Arial°9Keep a toothbrush and toothpaste in your desk and use them after lunch.È" Arial°ìLong hours don't mean anything - results count, not effort.È" Arial°©Happy workers don't always make good workers, but good workers make for happy workers &Focus your efforts on getting yourself and others to work well.È" Arial °‘Maintain outside interests - volunteer in not-for-profits and stay physically fit.È" Arial$°ÔWrite down good ideas - they get lost like good pens.È" Arial(°!Worry about implementation rather than strategy - it's harder to do.È" Arial,°ALearn how to run a meeting well, and learn how to prepare a good agenda.È" Arial0°1Rejoice in the successful completion of projects and major activities. Remember how it felt to put that calculus text away, knowing you'd never have to open it again.È" Arial4°™Understand the core of the business and bond with it. Don't take a job with Nintendo if you don't like video games.È" Arial8°Know the perceptions people have of you. If people see you as a whiner or too political, change that perception.È" Arial<°IDevelop a point of view about success - your own and your organisation's.È" Arial@°yThe buzz words from Total Quality Management are here to stay for a while. Get to know what Continuous Process Improvement and six sigma mean. È" ArialD°9Own stock in the company for which you work, but make sure not all the stock you own is in one company.È" ArialH°Seek rotational assignments, especially if one will put you in a key operational role or close to the seat of power in operational headquarters.È" ArialL°¼Read What colour is your parachute? every year.È" ArialP°QThe true test of whether you (and your company) are customer-driven is how you set priorities. If the question How will this affect my customers? Is always the first one asked, the chances are good the organisation is customer driven.È" ArialT° Never in your life say, It's not my job.È" ArialX°‘Read your job description but never be restricted by it. Do what needs to be done.È" Arial\°ŒMaintain a three-year rolling plan.È" Arial`°ÈBe known as someone who enhances customer service.È" Ariald°qWhen working on the computer, save the document you are working on frequently.È" Arialh°IIf someone says you are not strategic, try to figure out what that means and then tell him to go to hell.È" Ariall°áDon't ever ask colleagues if they dye their hair. Don't ever tell them that they look bald or fat - or that they look tired.È" Arialp°)If your desk faces the door, don't look up every time someone passes.È" Arialt° Take vacations and long weekends. Never let vacation time expire.È" Arialx°1Strive to me known as a Rainmaker, People Developer and Decision MakerÈ" Arial|°Go only on those training classes that will help you. Avoid those that will be a waste of time. Good training classes will expose you to new and exciting ideas.È" Arial€°When giving a talk or presentation, always consider what you thought you wanted your audience to walk away with.È" Arial„°dDon't eat garlic at lunchÈ" Arialˆ°ÁRelationships change. Your one-time allies can become your nemeses. Remember who is who.È" ArialŒ°QLearn how to make proper introductions and then introduce people properly.È" Arial°qAlways know how you perform - be honest with yourself and do better next time.È" Arial”°‰Always have an answer to the question, What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow?È" Arial˜°¹Use a spiral bound notebook to take meeting notes and record phone-mail messages. It will become your business journal.È" Arialœ°iMaintain your sense of adventure - there are things to do if your travels take you to Erie, Ohio in February.È" Arial °¹Get at least one article published per year that will garner recognition in your field.È" Arial¤°Create a great opening to speeches and presentations - use it often or until you get sick of it.È" Arial¨°„Complete surveys and return them.È" Arial¬°qDon't open or read any memo marked confidential unless it is addressed to you.È" Arial°°ÑA little self effacing humour can be an effective ice breaker; just don't use it too much.È" Arial´°ùNever assume you can keep major changes a big secret, because you can't. Employees always know.È" Arial¸°ÉIf you are in a focus group, make sure you can trust everyone before you speak your mind.È" Arial¼°‰When the note on the refrigerator says it will be emptied this Friday, get your salad dressing. Cleaning the refrigerator is one corporate initiative that is always implemented.È" ArialÀ°”If you don't know the answer, say so.È" ArialÄ°Reorganisation means someone will lose his or her job. Get on the task force that will make the recommendations.È" ArialÈ°ìIf your are worried about your job, you probably should be.È" ArialÌ°AIf everyone is telling you to worry about your job, you probably should.È" ArialаÉIf you are feeling sorry for yourself, do something like delivering meals to the homebound, that will snap you out of it.È" ArialÔ°Take a counseling course and develop a 'bedside manner' for dealing with clients and associates.È" ArialØ°Don't take sick days unless you are.È" ArialÜ°Help other people network for jobs - what goes around comes around.È" Arialà°øRecognising someone else's contribution will repay you doubly.È" Arialä°©Know what your pay grade is - what the salary range is, where you are in the range, and how to get to the next level.È" Arialè°¡If you are in a job where someone ever tells you to look busy, look for another job.È" Arialì°Do your homework before interviews - reading annual reports, which are easy to get, is the minimum.È" Arialð°ðGive presentations that tell stories, not just provide data.È" Arialô°QNever put more than twenty words on an overhead slide. Use graphics. If you want to lose an audience, show slides with columns of numbers.È" Arialø°€Make time for life outside work.È" Arialü°ÀBuy good luggage and briefcases - people notice.È" Arial°”Assume no one can/will keep a secret.È" Arial°ÑMake sure you can operate the fax machine, photocopy machine and report binding equipment.È" Arial°ñNever appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or you boss. Take a deep breath and ask yourself, In the course of human events, how important is this?È" Arial °INever go into a meeting without knowing what you want the outcomes to be.È" Arial°¡If anticipating your first day of work doesn't stir feelings of excitement in your gut, it isn't the right job for you. Don't find out the hard way.È" Arial°qDon't check your luggage, and take only the essentials with you. Travel light.È" Arial°ÙAlways keep your passport and airline tickets in the same pocket of your suit or briefcase.È" Arial°ØSpend your department's budget as if it were your own.È" Arial °iThe days of the three-martini lunch are over - don't drink at lunch unless you don't plan to go back to work.È" Arial$°No matter what you are told, a laptop computer will run on the battery for an hour and a half, max.È" Arial(°±At most, only half the time you spend on a plane will be productive: plan accordingly.È" Arial,°™You are never too old to change, learn a new job, start over, or try something new.È" Arial0°ŒTake evening and extension courses.È" Arial4°aWhen interviewing, think about the people with whom you'd be working. Eight hours a day is a long time to spend with people you don't enjoy.È" Arial8°yLife is choices: always choose to do what you will remember ten years from now.È" Arial<°QBecome proficient in another language - or at least get the tapes and try.È" Arial@°yMake a 'to do' list every day. Crossing things off the list is very satisfying.È" ArialD°ÀDon't try to be close friends with subordinates.È" ArialH°±Leave concise phone-mail messages. If you know it will be long, say how many topics you'll cover early in the message.È" ArialL° Never leave misspellings in any document that leaves your office.È" ArialP°yThe final presentation/ recommendations should never come as a surprise to the client, task force or your boss.È" ArialT°éLeave your office building at least once every day, even if it is January and you work in Anchorage. It will clear your head.È" ArialX°iNever go to more than two meetings a day or you will never get anything done.È" Arial\°Befriend your travel agent, and don't be afraid to demand service.È" Arial`°QNever correct a co-worker in front of a customer or client &or anyone else.È" Ariald°øCooperate with consultants - their input can change your life.È" Arialh°XDon't date co-workers.È" Ariall°)Don't tell people their ideas are bad unless you've got a better one.È" Arialp°yCommuting is not necessarily bad - you just need a good reason for it, such as loving your job or loving your house. The longer the commute, the better the reason needs to be.È" Arialt°QNever apologise for an idea that didn't work - but always admit a mistake.È" Arialx°¡Make a friend with the guard in the lobby - someday you will forget your i.d. badge.È" Arial|°ÉBe realistic about how much work you can accomplish at night or on a trip and only pack that much. Don't overpack your briefcase and lug too much around.È" Arial€°1Don't talk about your boss, clients or projects in elevators or taxis.È" Arial„°ÑAlways push that little button that sends callers directly to your phone when you are not around. No one likes to wait six rings and then get a recording.È" Arialˆ°ŒGo through an Outward Bound course.È" ArialŒ°èLet things go. If the old way doesn't work, don't keep it.È" Arial°You will never regret having spent too much time with your kids.È" Arial”°¸Never make up an acronym; try not to use them.È" Arial˜°ùUse commuting time well. Listen to National Public Radio, tapes you enjoy, or, if you can afford it, use a car phone to get things done. If using public transportation, read, do paper work or get mentally prepared for the day, but don't use a cellular phoÈ" Arialœ°ØTake risks with your ideas and with implementing them.È" Arial °ŒUse metaphors to convey your point.È" Arial¤°Be the first to use technology - don't fight it. People talk about Luddites, but they are history.È" Arial¨°IPeople who don't know how to use phone mail and personal computers will tend to slow things down - surround yourself with early adapters.È" Arial¬°ÜBeing good is is important; being trusted is essential.È" Arial°°©Have lunch once a month with someone outside your company who someday might hire you.È" Arial´°ØBecome known for building ideas, not for finding faultÈ" Arial¸°ùAlways strive for a deeper level of truth with business associates. Posturing and pretending is always transparent to everyone.È" Arial¼°ðItalian salad dressing stains silk ties and is best avoided.È" ArialÀ°ÉAlthough everyone hates it, understand the budgeting process and what it means to people.È" ArialÄ°¡Learn the difference between Theory X and Theory Y and type A and type B and the definition of the Hawthorne effect.È" ArialÈ°ÙDon't be afraid to ask the big question; other people are probably wondering about it, too.È" ArialÌ°èSuggestion systems can work - don't be afraid to use them.È" ArialаÉPick your friends carefully. The water cooler set may be accessible, but those who are there all the time always will be.È" ArialÔ°ÁReduce all analysis to three bullet points: no one will take time to understand, pay attention to, or remember any more.È" ArialØ°1Don't have anyone on your team that you wouldn't trust with your kids.È" ArialÜ°)When you get the entrepreneurial urge, go visit someone who has started a business - it may cure you.È" Arialà°¡Whenever executives start talking about competition, be prepared for cost reduction.È" Arialä°¼Do something good early in your new assignment.È" Arialè°ÙNever be the last to leave a company going downhill: your personal market value declines with each additional day you stay.È" Arialì°Cultivate a reputation for being reliable and hardworking, even if it means bucking peer pressure.È" Arialð°yIf you have bad handwriting, buy a laptop and learn word processing. If you have good handwriting, do the same.È" Arialô°Strive to be an 'impact player', i.e. someone who makes a difference no matter what the situation.È" Arialø°ØAlways arrive at work thirty minutes before your boss.È" Arialü°ILike they say in boxing, 'Always finish stronger than you start.' People remember the end of the project.È" Arial°yYou can have fun nearly every day if you approach work with the right attitude.È" Arial°¤Always plan your day while in the shower.È" Arial°1If you think people don't know what you are really after, think again.È" Arial °‰Recognise that people from headquarters, particularly staff, never know what is going on. Ask the workers directly and you will learn a lot more.È" Arial°Fountain pens always leak. Always. They leak more on aeroplanes.È" Arial°AThe old model said that managers didn't do anything but manage; the new rules say that managers must do.È" Arial°‘Be sensitive about the language you use, especially gender specific titles. Know what the organisational norm is regarding titles like 'chairman'.È" Arial°IThe size of your office is not as important as the size of your paycheck.È" Arial °¼Keep your desk clean and you will think better.È" Arial$°¡It is true. Sometimes you'll be on a roll and everything will click; take maximum advantage. When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.È" Arial(°)Don't talk about your new car or big sailboard with peers or clients.È" Arial,°)Trust is as important as competence and more important than affinity.È" Arial0°ùRemember the parable of the captain of the battleship steaming through the dark night who proudly insisted that the ship showing the light dead ahead give way...until the 'ship' identified itself as a lighthouse. It works in many organisational situationsÈ" Arial4°ùRemember the story of the flood consultant who confidently told Saint Peter that he would tell the assembly of heaven about how he managed the great Johnstown flood of 1988... until he found out that Noah would be in the audience. Balance humility with exÈ" Arial8°1Sometimes saying nothing and waiting until the other side makes a move is the best offense. The Japanese have perfected this strategy.È" Arial<°¤Money now is worth more than money later.È" Arial@°™Manage the paradox of being 100% committed to what you are doing while keeping an eye open for other opportunities.È" ArialD°ÑDon't surround yourself with people who are like you: strive for difference and diversity.È" ArialH°Never wear a tie with a stain on it.È" ArialL°YBoil down your job far enough so that you can describe it to anyone easily.È" ArialP°AIf Total Quality Management doesn't get results for your organisation in one year, it should be history.È" ArialT°€Coffee and doughnuts are a meal.È" ArialX°ÌIf a job sounds too good to be true, it usually is.È" Arial\°©A good source of names for initiatives and speeches are country-western album covers.È" Arial`°Learn what finished work looks like and then deliver your own work only when it looks the same way.È" Ariald°iAct like the customer is king, even if no one else in your organisation does.È" Arialh°ñDevelop a network of friends and advisors on issues you are dealing with. Think of it as your own personal board of directors.È" Ariall°)The most successful people in business are also the most interesting.È" Arialp°qAvoid being assigned for more than one year to the human resources department.È" Arialt°¤Learn how to involve people in your work.È" Arialx°áBe honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses and govern yourself accordingly.È" Arial|° Stay with something long enough to learn and make a contribution.È" Arial€°ôBring your kids to the office so they can see where you work.È" Arial„°aThe age of strategic planning is over... it is now the age of implementationÈ" Arialˆ°)Those who do the work should have a say in how it is to be organised.È" ArialŒ°iIt may not be a small world, but there is a small number of people who count.È" Arial°9Learn to recognise people who are bad medicine and stay away from them.È" Arial”°Whatever initiatives you are communicating, remember to tell your audience three things: What it is and why, how it will affect them, and when they will know more.È" Arial˜°€Always ask why before proceedingÈ" Arialœ°ÑDon't create reports that sit on shelves. Reports should be a means to an operational end.È" Arial °©The lifespan of any organisation's design is less than twenty-four months. Stay tuned if you don't like what you see.È" Arial¤°´Don't listen to rock and roll in your office.È" Arial¨°xGive informational interviews.È" Arial¬°)Graciousness always helps: when you have a visitor, always make sure you offer soft drinks or coffee.È" Arial°°°Send thank-you notes to people who help you.È" Arial´°‘Don't get a reputation for being a climber or a political animal; get a reputation for always doing what is right.È" Arial¸°qHave your own document retention programme: if you haven't referred to a file in twelve months, get rid of it.È" Arial¼°Being in the right place at the right time is never an accident.È" ArialÀ°iNever underestimate the ability of peple to develop strange interpretations of anything you write, say or do.È" ArialÄ°YRemember that almost all business is painfully simple. Strive to demystify.È" ArialÈ°äKeep the good pens in your desk, otherwise you lose them.È" ArialÌ°áThe person who spend all of his or her time at work is not hardworking, he or she is boring.È" Arialа‰Don't confuse extensive documentation of a situation with insight, and don't confuse a spreadsheet with analysis.È" ArialÔ°±Most autocratic executives are like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz: they are really more human than the wizards they are trying to be.È" ArialØ°±Create work teams wih the best available talent, regardless of function or background.È" ArialÜ°!Teamwork will become more and more important. Learn what it is and how to become a good team member.È" Arialà°‰In projects and meetings prepare rigorous lists of things to do with dates - learn to use tools like GANT charts.È" Arialä°AWatch a big reorganisation closely. It will broadcast what will be important in the company. Remember, 'same old horses, same old glue.'È" Arialè° Just because you are in business and have a family doesn't mean you can't be in shape - it actually makes it even more important.È" Arialì°™Don't get hung up on whether you're working on a vision or a mission or goals or objectives - do what is important.È" Arialð°ÁKnow when you are at your best - morning, night ,under pressure, relaxed - and schedule and prioritise work accordingly.È" Arialô°iIf you're put in a spot where you are the process consultant, keep the meeting moving and know your audience.È" Arialø°PDon't create layers.È" Arialü°9Always have a beginning, middle, and end, whether it is a presentation, a meeting, a memo, or a letter.È" Arial°aDon't be a process consultant without having some content knowledge as well.È" Arial°¹Learn what the differences between marketing, sales, public relations, and advertising.È" Arial°1There is a marketing element to everything you do in any organisation.È" Arial °Customers don't care how you are oganised - they care most about responsiveness, cost and speed.È" Arial°éThe best mission statement ever written is that of Federal Express: To deliver the package the very next morning, regardless.È" Arial° Never sacrifice quality to make numbers.È" Arial°yDon't be internally focussed. Learn what is important to customers and clients.È" Arial°qEvery change initiative will have an impact on other parts of the organisation; know what the impact might be.È" Arial °Understand the difference between what the organisation says and what it does will help focus on basic problems.È" Arial$° Work elimination should accompany job elimination - someone needs to pay attention to the balance, i.e. with job elimination, work elimination should also occur.È" Arial(°IWork on problems, not symptoms. Morale itself is never a problem; something is happening that causes low morale, which creates a problem.È" Arial,°ôDon't sell anything in the office, except Girl Scout cookies.È" Arial0°ÀWork for a company where pay equals performance.È" Arial4°!The fastest way to create organisational change is to change people.È" Arial8°The best thing about training is the people you meet in your class.È" Arial<°©If you learn and apply even one idea from a training session, it has been worthwhile.È" Arial@°!The hard part of any process is determining who decides who decides.È" ArialD°iNever communicate anything important, such as 'You're fired' or 'I quit' over the car phone or on phone mail.È" ArialH°ôLearn the difference between benchmarking and best practices.È" ArialL°¤Try to figure out who's making decisions.È" ArialP°a'Playing with the lights' means a lot of activity where nothing will happen.È" ArialT°¸Call home every night when you're on the road.È" ArialX°ABeware of a false sense of activity - i.e. you're too busy to go to the bathroom but you're not sure what all your work will add up to.È" Arial\°yAction follows intent: if you intend to lose weight, act like you are on a diet. If you intend to be customer- or quality-driven, act that way.È" Arial`°9If the 'answer' to an organisational issue is already delared or known, test the answer before you waste time coming up with a new one.È" Ariald°!Most problems can be lumped into three types: organisational, process, or cultural. Although they are not unrelated, know which is which. Understanding the category will help you derive solutions.È" Arialh°ÁBefore you get retrained for a new job, make sure where the training will get you and that you will learn something new.È" Ariall°QReal change in any organisation usually happens due to an outside impetus.È" Arialp°ÄRead the fine print in early-retirement packages.È" Arialt°œTry to make your hobbies into a career.È" Arialx°@Own your career.È" Arial|°9Learn the paradoxes of organisation work, like growing the organisation while maintaining cost control.È" Arial€°ABe a supporter of the latest fad, but don't build your career around it.È" Arial„°)Never travel first class if your customer and boss don't, even if you've used a cheap upgrade coupon.È" Arialˆ°Don't try to save money on travel expenses if it means you'll lose a productive minute working on whatever you are travelling for.È" ArialŒ°ÐDon't make people feel bad when they make a mistake.È" Arial°tNever complain about jet lag.È" Arial”°œRead the same book the boss is reading.È" Arial˜°ITraining is often seen as a reward and a sign that the organisation is willing to invest in you. Take advantage of it, but be realistic about what you will really learn.È" Arialœ°Don't expect that things will be different back at the ranch after you finish a training programme.È" Arial °ÀThe best training is provided by your customers.È" Arial¤°ˆBe direct but not confrontational.È" Arial¨°Never try to accomplish more than three things in any one meeting.È" Arial¬°Get assigned to a project team working with external consultants. You may learn something and protect your job at the same time.È" Arial°°ˆGlobalisation is really happening.È" Arial´°œSupport recycling. Avoid wasting paper.È" Arial¸°‰Learn the definition of outsourcing and find out whether or not you are a target.È" Arial¼°¹Drink coffee and drive, or talk on the phone and drive, but don't do all three at once.È" ArialÀ°ÉIf you are placed on a Total Quality Team, do something worthwhile; don't redesign forms.È" ArialÄ°™Always get a title and sufficient money going into a company; promises about future potential are aways overstated.È" ArialÈ°YThere are work clothes, school clothes and church clothes. Don't mix them up. The focus at work should be the organisation, not your socks.È" ArialÌ°àDon't expect to make money in the boat or wine business.È" ArialаPerformance evaluations take place every day, not every six months.È" ArialÔ°øAsk questions at company meetings, but don't embarrass anyone.È" ArialØ°pJob security does not exist.È" ArialÜ°QWhen giving a presentation, don't read the slides and don't use a pointer.È" Arialà°ÑThe concept of entitlement is disappearing fast. You have to earn employment and benefits.È" Arialä°qEmployees always know what's going on in a company. When making announcements assume no one will be surprised.È" Arialè°¡If you order a drink, name the label you want. Don't just say, 'I'll have a scotch.'È" Arialì°©Eliminate guilt: don't cheat on expense reports, taxes, benefits, or your colleagues.È" Arialð°‰Let the business shape the organisation, not the organisation shape the business.È" Arialô°lA good raise is 10 percent.È" Arialø°ÑFUD is the IBM acronym for an illness called Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. If you have it, it will probably last for a while, but fight it any way you can.È" Arialü°‘The organisation most of us grew up with is gone. Corporate chaos is here to stay.È" Arial°˜Always carry a thin, cheap calculator.È" Arial°ñWhen travelling internationally, read a simple travel guide in advance and carry a quick reference guide to currency exchange.È" Arial°1Technology cannot solve all problems. It can only make the real work cheaper, faster and less tedious.È" Arial °áReducing costs, increasing competition, or providing more training are usually not the solutions to organisational problems.È" Arial°!Don't work on weekends - work longer during the week if you have to.È" Arial°ÉCompanies like UPS may not do everything right but they sure keep their trucks clean and their people courteous. There is a lesson in paying attention to details like people and trucks.È" Arial°¹Don't smoke. Especially don't hang around out front of the building with other smokers.È" Arial°YIf you receive a customer complaint letter, give him or her what she wants.È" Arial °˜Take a good presentation skills class.È" Arial$°±If you get a bad review, mke sure you understand what genuinely needs to be improved upon, as opposed to your boss's perception of how bad things are.È" Arial(°QMake decisions in a timely fashion, even if you are not 100 percent certain that it's the right decision. Not deciding is a decision, too.È" Arial,°´The fewer polices and procedures, the better.È" Arial0°ÙIf the result of a meeting is a form, it was a meeting that produced the wrong deliverable.È" Arial4°ÁWhen giving presentations, read the audience continuously. Change the tenor, subject, or speaker if you are losing them.È" Arial8°AHanging around in an office lobby will give you a flavour of what it's like to work in the organisation.È" Arial<°éDon't carry huge calendars with all the gizmos and gadgets. They will label you as a staffer.È" Arial@°ÈFocus on what peers and supervisors will remember.È" ArialD°qPreparing budgets and anything related to them is a necessary evil but a good use of anyone's time and energy.È" ArialH°Remember what Stanley Marcus said: 'You achieve customer satisfaction when you sell merchandise that doesn't come back to a customer that does.'È" ArialL°ÙNever pay a relative to fix your car. Never fix your relative's car. The car will work better if it's taken to a shop. The same holds true for doing taxes, writing resumes, developing business plans, public relations, and all other business functions.È" ArialP°ÜAlways sit at the conference table - never by the wall.È" ArialT°iConstructing a matrix can create a powerful picture. Use it whenever you can.È" ArialX°iFollow Stephen Covey's suggestion of knowing how to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.È" Arial\°©Career planning is an oxymoron: the most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned.È" Arial`°Treat everyone in the organisation with respect and dignity whether it be the janitor or the president. Don't ever be patronising.È" Ariald°ÑLearn to enjoy the present and don't be too future orientated. Your life will probably not change dramatically once you move from a grade 9 to a grade 11.È" Arialh°Past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Remember this whenever a leopard claims to have changed its spots.È" Ariall°ùBe wary of slogans like 'The future is Here', or 'Excellece through People.' Look for the beef.È" Arialp°áRegardless of his tone and style, Tom Peters is almost always right. Read what he's written.È" Arialt°™Children are a source of truth and ideas. The icebreaker to use in an intense meeting was developed by a six-year-old: 'Raise your hand who's mad.'È" Arialx°ÔBe loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.È" Arial|°Don't use the speaker phone unless you are on a conference call.È" Arial€°!All employees - including the management - want to know three things when they show up for work: What's my job? How am I doing? and, How does my contribution help serve the organisation's mission?È" Arial„°)Learn to stand up in front of a room and take notes at the same time.È" Arialˆ°yIf your job isn't going well, change jobs before you even think about taking your frustations out on your co-workers, your family, or yourself.È" ArialŒ°Always know the answer to the question, 'What business are we in?'È" Arial°IIf you write a customer complaint letter, tell the company what you want.È" Arial”°ñDon't confuse the organisation chart with who does what. Real activity often takes place between the organisation chart lines.È" Arial˜°Don't treat peope like they are dead if they get fired or laid off.È" Arialœ°ÄUse the word 'paradigm' no more than once a week.È" Arial ° Written visions, missions, and goals are not as important as knowing what you are supposed to do when you show up in the morning.È" Arial¤°9When someone tells you these are the best years of your life, believe it and act accordingly. 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