32 Rules of Work [and Awesomeness]

The world of work is in constant disruptions. What worked yesterday may not work today and will surely be obsolete tomorrow. Competition is ruthless, consumers are informed, stakeholders are demanding and you are stressed — that’s what it all looks like. With so much change at such a great pace, the way we approach our work must also change.

I am so excited to share my top 32 rules for work. You may take it as rules, treat it as advice or ignore it as an official memo. The choice is yours.

My Top 32

1. You are not paid for the time you spend at work. You are paid for the value you add to work. What a great advantage. You cannot add more hours to the clock but you can surely add more value to what you do.
2. Do more of what you are personally great at. Working on your strengths is the mantra. You can keep your focus on weakness and you will, at most, move from being ‘’bad’ to ‘not that bad’. When you focus on your strengths, you move from being ‘good’ to ‘exceptional’. World celebrates ‘Exceptional’.
3. Be mean before being a mentor. You can’t help others reach excellence when you are in search of direction yourself. Invest time in improving yourself before helping others.
4. You don’t have to know more than the other person to sustainably win in business. You just need to know more than what you knew yesterday. This is what progress is all about.
5. When change is frustrating you, your retirement is near. Change is neither going to alter its path, nor its speed. You have to adjust your sail.
6. Small Stuff matters the most. Cherish small successes. Be your own Recognition Manager.
7. Have a mentor. Have someone around you who is courageous enough to tell you when you are screwing up.
8. Better is boring. Different is cool. Better is crowded. Different is an open playing field. Be different!
9. Take relationships seriously. Treat everyone you meet with great love and interest. I know it’s basic — but how badly are we missing on it?
10. It’s always a Showtime. Be at your best. Always. No exceptions!
11. Practice may not make you perfect but it surely makes you awesome. Practice. Learn New Stuff. Practice more. Repeat.
12. Healthy Mind needs a healthy body. You know what I mean!
13. Read more stuff. Read cool stuff. Read Weird Stuff. Read boring stuff. Read funny stuff. Read serious stuff. Read academic stuff. Read spiritual stuff. Read LITERATURE. Read magazines. Read Sci-fi. Read story books. Read newspaper. Read whatever you can. There is no one who ever existed on earth and regretted reading more. Read!
14. Be obsessed with Design. It must look great.
15. Be obsessed with details. The magic is in the details.
16. You must be moving, preferably ahead. But you must be moving. As Mark Twain said, “even if you’re on the right track, if you just sit there, someone will pass you by.”
17. Going an extra-mile is outdated. Take the lead and define new possibilities for your colleagues, your subordinates, your boss, your customer, your friends, and your family. Extra-mile is crowded. New possibilities can never be crowded for the next 1000 years.
18. It’s better to move when you’re 80% ready and make up for the other 20% while you’re moving than to wait until you’re 100% prepared. The delay in waiting for that final 20% is destructive. With my experience, I have known that 100% is an illusion. You can never be 100% prepared. Get moving.
19. If you’re not feeling scared or nervous for the new stuff that you are trying, you’re definitely trying worthless stuff. It is normal to be scared. It is cool to be nervous. It is shameful to be complacent.
20. Cheer them up! Any idiot can criticize, humiliate or discourage. It needs a hero to lift spirits up. Be a hero.
21. Work-Life Balance is a myth. You don’t need to balance it. You must enjoy it. Are you happy at work? Do you enjoy being at home? Are you having crazy fun with your kids? Are you listening to your spouse more empathetically? Are you reading books and doing some sort of physical exercise? Think!
22. You are only a leader when you can see more than other people. Improve your insights. If you are in a leadership position and you cannot see more than other people, you become a joke. Lead with insights.
23. Smile! You need it today more than ever before. In the world full of constipated expressions, your smile can be a symbol of hope. Smile More. Smile Now.
24. You are in customer service department. Period. And the world is your customer. Get on with your job now.
25. You can never be more than what you imagined of being. At least, increase your growth prospects by broadening your imagination.
26. You are never safe with someone who tells you others’ secrets.
27. Looking for short-term wins and instant success? You can try anything you want. But if you are aiming at long-term prosperity and sustained success? Choose integrity.
28. Small courtesies ensure big wins. Being courteous is being human!
29. I encourage you to share + discuss + debate these with your team and throughout your organization. Within a quick period of time, you’ll see some fantastic results.
30. Do you know what’s the new word for extreme in today’s world of work? It’s called “Realistic”.
31. Share your ideas. Project yourself. If you think you are scared of sharing your ideas and projecting yourself, I have an alternate. Start preparing to hide the embarrassment of being jobless.
32. Compassion is the new cool. Treat people with great love and understanding. That’s the minimum you can do for them [and even the maximum].

I hope you had a good time reading it. Please share your feedback. You can write to me at szindani@sohailzindani.com or join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zindanisohail.

You are Awesome!