17 Things I Believe: Updated and Expanded

In gearing up for my next book, Good Boss, Bad Boss, I am putting together a list of "12 Things that Good Bosses Believe," which you will soon see on this blog and elsewhere.  In the process, I took two or three ideas from my old list of  "15 Things I Believe" that has been on this blog for a long time. So I decided it was a good time to update and expand that list, as I have not changed much in the last couple years.  So I spent the morning updating the new list, now "17 Things I Believe," which you can see to the left.

The first 9 items aren't really changed much, although one or two of the links are updated.  Items 10 through 16 are all new.  And item 17, which I removed for awhile, is back because I thought it was important to remind others -- and myself -- that there is a lot more to life than work.  Here is the new list. As always, I would love your comments, and as this is a pretty big change, if you have ideas about items you might add (or subtract) if it was your list, or that you think I should add or subtract, I would love to hear your reactions.  Here it is (and note that #17 has no link):

1. Sometimes the best management is no management at all -- first do no harm!

2. Indifference is as important as passion.

3. In organizational life, you can have influence over others or you can have freedom from others, but you can't have both at the same time.

4. Saying smart things and giving smart answers are important. Learning to listen to others and to ask smart questions is more important.

5. You get what you expect from people. This is especially true when it comes to selfish behavior; unvarnished self-interest is a learned social norm, not an unwavering feature of human behavior.

6. Avoid pompous jerks whenever possible. They not only can make you feel bad about yourself, chances are that you will eventually start acting like them.

7. The best test of a person's character is how he or she treats those with less power.

8. Err on the side of optimism and positive energy in all things.

9. It is good to ask yourself, do I have enough? Do you really need more money, power, prestige, or stuff?

10. Anyone can learn to be creative, it just takes a lot of practice and little confidence

11. "Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong."

12. If you are an expert, seek-out novices or experts in other fields. If you are a novice, seek out experts.

13. Sutton's Law: “If you think that you have a new idea, you are wrong. Someone else probably already had it. This idea isn’t original either; I stole it from someone else”

14. "Am I a success or a failure?" is not a very useful question

15. The world would be a better place if people slept more and took more naps

16. Strive for simplicity and competence, but embrace the confusion and messiness along the way.

17. Jimmy Maloney is right, work is an overrated activity.

Comments

[Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach]

If the planet of human beings and the universe of business practiced #9 "It is good to ask yourself, do I have enough? Do you really need more money, power, prestige, or stuff?", the picture of this life would be completely different.

Then take the energy, time, and commitment from that thought and put it on helping others.

Kate Nasser

[Nikolay Zverev]

The listed rules describe the life inside of office but outside of working process (social life). In this case work really does not matter:)
This system of rulles is seriously not full.This rulles will not help a young man to become a boss. This rulles will not help experienced boss to build a new business process. This rulles are OK for a person who is a boss for a long time, seatting in a place where everything is organized many years ago by somebody else. It will help him to lead an easy social life in office and not to be an "a.." (wrong person:) for stuff.

P.S. i have read the original article at http://slon.ru/blogs/sutton/post/398445/

[Greg]

#3 really struck me. My nature is to work alone (classic introvert). This is a reminder that i have to get out and mix if I want to have influence.

[Bradley J. Moore]

So much wisdom here - Especially number 6 (Avoid pompous jerks) and 15 (take more naps!). I have found that if I am bothered by someone acting like a jerk, then chances are everyone else is bothered too, whether or not they are saying it. The older I get, the easier this is for me to do (since I am more in control over my career, people who I work with, etc).

Also about the naps... I just turned 50 and some nice wise person suggested that I start taking naps every afternoon, since I rarely get enough sleep. What a great, simple idea for taking better care of myself and utltimately all of those that I work with.

[Daniel Christadoss]

Bob,
Thanks for sharing your beliefs.
I would like to share a few of mine. They probably are part of your 17 anyway.
1. Talk more to people who talk less as they may have a lot to say.
2. A smile is your best friend
3. Every one likes to excel if you want them to.
4. Negativism is like cancer
5. Cut some slack for your boss, he is actually a nice guy and wants you to like and respect him as much as he does you.
6. We are all in the drivers seat

[Ronn Kolbash]

From your original list I always thought #1 and #4 were spot on. #4 always reminds me of the nursery rhyme about the wise old owl in an oak - sums your point up perfectly. As for your new additions, I really think there is tremendous value in #16. When tied together with #1 I think you have a solid starting point for what make a good boss.

[Lacie Barber]

Hi Bob,
I'm very excited to see sleep on your list (#15), and wholeheartedly agree. You may be interested my recent newsletter article:
The Unhealthy Sleeper Effect: Hidden Costs to Employee Health, Happiness, and Productivity
http://www.phwa.org/resources/goodcompany/newsletter/article/189

[Mike Thomas]

Hi Bob,
Number 7 resonates with me. Also number 17. I couldn't understanding my colleagues' "Work/Life" struggles until I realized that I was one of the fortunate people who loves my work - and can share it with others. I have no "work/life" balance issues because it's all the same to me. While I've heard it throughout my life, it still rings true (and would be my number 18) "Discover your bliss and follow it"

[Jenilee Deal]

I am also a proponent of #15. In addition, an initial read of #10 and #13 makes me feel that the two statements are at odds with one another. Does not a "little confidence" in order to be creative lead you to discount Sutton's law, even if it's true?

[Steph Cowan]

Hi Bob, you recently blogged about the fact that when the job market turns around, many folks who are just hanging on with bad bosses out of sheer necessity will leave their crappy workplaces. This Yahoo article seems to confirm your prediction, though they miss the boat by not addressing the impact of fear-based decision-making and poor leadership during this crisis.
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109636/more-workers-start-to-quit?mod=career-worklife_balance

[Bret Simmons]

Number 15 is one of my core beliefs. Why should you do today what you can put off until tomorrow, especially if it would cause you to lose sleep? :)