“Carl’s Rules” are guidelines used in developing high-performing teams that win. They are provided during executive coaching and team workshops conducted through Split Rail Consulting’s leadership development program.
- Treat everyone as a VIP because they are to someone.
- Things are always a priority to the person calling our office.
- Normal people don’t speak corporate or government acronyms.
- Treat every assignment as if you are being evaluated on it… because you are.
- Importance is relative. Because it isn’t important to you doesn’t mean it’s not important to someone.
- We don’t get bad days.
- Leaders meet people where they are and show them how to get where they want to go.
- Always be prepared to lead.
- Lead – teach – manage — in that order.
- Life is full of teachable moments. The better you are at learning from them the more successful you can be.
- Excellence is a journey….not a destination.
- The clock is ticking. Make it count.
- What have you done lately is a better indicator of success than what you have done, or plan to do.
- What you know matters more to me than who you know.
- It isn’t a fact if you can’t prove it. Always be prepared to prove it.
- If it’s not documented, it doesn’t count.
- If you can’t argue both sides of an issue, you don’t understand it thoroughly.
- If folks would spend half the time and energy on creative problem solving as they spend on developing excuses and reasons why something can’t be done… we would live in a remarkable world.
- Generally, the more that folks feel the need to act important – the less likely it is they are.
- Don’t cut corners. It will always cause a problem.
- Now is always an acceptable timeframe.
- Everyone here is a member of the Marketing Department.
- “That’s not my job” is never an acceptable attitude.
- Pilots use a pre-flight checklist before every flight. What is your pre-flight checklist?
- Clearly understand the question or request before you provide an answer. Doing so demonstrates you are listening. Taking additional time and asking clarifying questions to understand is always better than providing the answer to the wrong question.
- Your definition of timely and a customer’s/client’s/constituent’s definition of timely might be vastly different. Manage expectations on the front end to avoid disappointment on the back.
- Unless you are telling a story around a campfire, start your conversation with the bottom line up front.
- Think first.
- Don’t ask unless you have already Googled it.
- Spell-check is not just a superfluous button added to a computer program. Use it.
- Once is a mistake. Twice is careless. Three times is lazy.
- Making the effort to get it right the first time is always faster than fixing careless mistakes.
- Ignorance is not an excuse. And no one with a high speed connection should be ignorant.
- Ask yourself, “Is this the best I can do?” If the answer is no… fix it.
- Situational awareness is critical.
- Embrace change.
- We live in the 21st century. Use technology to be more efficient, so you can slow down when it matters.
- Every day is an audition for tomorrow.
- Leadership is sometimes just having the courage to make a decision to head in a direction.
- A vast difference exists between an open-door and an open-mind.