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Raytheon Chairman William H. Swanson was fawned upon as an inspirational
figure for his Unwritten Rules of Management. It turned out
many of them were taken from a book published in the 1940's by an engineering
professor, W. J. King (The Unwritten Laws of Engineering),
and a few from Donald Rumsfeld's Rules.
Commenting on the accusations of plagiarism, William Swanson stated:
"Regarding the truisms of human behavior, there are no original
rules." See my comments on leadership rules.
Here are Bill Swanson's 25 rules.
I hope this will inspire you to collect nuggets of wisdom where you
find them, to keep them and share them with others as a source of inspiration--just
don't pretend you invented them.
1.
Learn to say, “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate,
it will be often.
2.
It is easier to get into something than it is to get out of it.
3.
If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.
4.
Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what’s there,
but few can see what isn’t there.
5.
Viewgraph rule: When something appears on a viewgraph (an overhead transparency),
assume the world knows about it, and deal with it accordingly.
6.
Work for a boss with whom you are comfortable telling it like it is.
Remember that you can’t pick your relatives, but you can pick
your boss.
7.
Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits
are what they are supposed to be. Avoid Newton’s Law.
8.
However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them
your best efforts.
9.
Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of
difficulties, discouragement, or indifference. Don’t be known
as a good starter but a poor finisher.
10.
In completing a project, don’t wait for others; go after them,
and make sure it gets done.
11.
Confirm your instructions and the commitments of others in writing.
Don’t assume it will get done!
12.
Don’t be timid; speak up. Express yourself, and promote your ideas.
13.
Practice shows that those who speak the most knowingly and confidently
often end up with the assignment to get it done.
14.
Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports.
15.
Be extremely careful of the accuracy of your statements.
16.
Don’t overlook the fact that you are working for a boss.
- Keep him or her informed. Avoid surprises!
- Whatever the boss wants takes top priority.
17.
Promises, schedules, and estimates are important instruments in a well-ordered
business. You must make promises. Don’t lean on the often-used
phrase, “I can’t estimate it because it depends upon many
uncertain factors.”
18.
Never direct a complaint to the top. A serious offense is to “cc”
a person’s boss.
19.
When dealing with outsiders, remember that you represent the company.
Be careful of your commitments.
20.
Cultivate the habit of “boiling matters down” to the simplest
terms. An elevator speech is the best way.
21.
Don’t get excited in engineering emergencies. Keep your feet on
the ground.
22.
Cultivate the habit of making quick, clean-cut decisions.
23.
When making decisions, the pros are much easier to deal with than the
cons. Your boss wants to see the cons also.
24.
Don’t ever lose your sense of humor.
25.
Have fun at what you do. It will reflect in your work. No one likes
a grump except another grump.
See also:
- Leadership rules: What I learned from Swanson's Rules of management
- Executive coaching
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