Stupid Rules
See, ropes saved Indy's life!
When I was in middle school, my science teacher (Mr. Miller, the best teacher ever) once gave the class the following analogy: “Rules are like ropes on a wooden plank bridge, without the ropes you have to walk slowly and carefully, maybe even crawl. There is no goofing around without ropes. With ropes, you can enjoy your walk, hang over the edge, spit, throw pennies at the alligators, etc…” What he was trying to say was that rules may seem burdensome at times, but they also allow you to be more flexible.
As a business owner, I understand how easy it is to forego the rules and and take things on as they come. But over the years I’ve realized that rules can be a tool to help you achieve your business goals.
Now, when I talk about “rules” I’m not talking about external rules like paying your taxes, or NOT WRITING IN ALL CAPS. I’m talking about generating your own rules for business success. Here’s an example of rules I use for my communications:
COMMUNICATION
- Follow Up: we will follow up with all clients and prospects within 24 hours
- E-Mail: we check e-mail only twice daily, 10am and 4pm (see why)
- Meetings: participate in meetings only when it’s essential that you be there or where actual decisions are going to be made.
The above is just a small sample of some of the rules I’ve set for how I communicate. I have other rules for project management, project processes, and starting and ending the work day amongst others. I’m currently working on rules for my social media communications.
Some of these rules may seem nit-picky, but they are all important and all tied in directly with my business goals. It’s about achieving more with less (which is not so abstract considering our current economic conditions) and being efficient and effective at the same time.
What are some of the rules you have for yourself, for your business? I’d love to hear other ideas.
