![[Bullhorn Header Twitter-14.png]] ##### **A digest for winning at work and life.** ## 1. Have a bias for action. (a) There are three ways to win anything: Be first, be smarter, or cheat. - We don't cheat. And you're not that smart. - That leaves hustle, Einstein. (b) Winning anything involves keeping score. - So, count your hustle. - But don't shout about it. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times. ## 2. Judge yourself by outcomes, not efforts. (a) More specifically; by outcomes you can control. - Those controllable outcomes are both more broad and more narrow than you think. - Nobody *makes* you chase fastballs high and outside, but the guys on the mound and behind the plate get votes. (b) Clarifying desired outcomes is half the Work of knowledge work. - Failure to think about outcomes, and think well, leads to embarrassment and/or a lot more work. - This is doubly true for non-knowledge work. - You should only dig a hole in the wrong spot once in your life. - Twice, and you should see Rule 6. (c) Hold yourself accountable first. - Seek - *desire* - accountability for producing clear outcomes, smartly and repeatedly. - It makes everything easier, and you better looking. (d) If you can't count it; and it doesn't involve doctors, reporters or subpoenas; assume no one else much cares. See Rule 1(b). ## 3. Be empowered to make mistakes. (a) Make good and useful ones; they end up as better stories. - Repeated, sloppy, selfish mistakes are not funny in five years. See Rule 2(c). (b) Take manful ownership of those mistakes. - If not, you *should* be fired for lying or hedging about them. - Yes, the concept is gender neutral. - For serious people, words mean real things. - Being a serious person and taking oneself seriously are more antonymic than synonymic. (c) If you are observably, repeatedly and accountably doing something merely stupid or fruitless; be less concerned. - Following Rules 1 & 2 are the best cover, and best apology. - Exception: You are not empowered to make mistakes on Twitter. See Rule 4 below. ## 4. It's hard to find trouble for something you don't say. (Especially online) (a) Vigorously Mind your Context. - You're naked in the locker room; they laugh at your jokes. - You're naked in the dining room; they call the police. (b) Slow down and Listen more. After doing so, see Rule 1. - If everyone already knows it, why be talking? See Rule 3(b)(3) (c) Have fewer opinions. - If you must have one, be able to defend the opposite point of view in good faith. ## 5. Good Process Is Good Manners. (a) Good Culture is just good process, highly adopted. - You follow a rigid process in the dining room. It's just not written down. - Never forget you were *taught* said process at considerable effort and expense. - Ask your mom, then say "thank you" (b) There is no way to reductively quantify the social reward for following unwritten rules, or the mechanisms for their transmission. - But the rewards exist. See Rule (4)(a)(1). (c) Writing desired outcomes in a public place keeps meetings focused. - That doesn't mean brainstorming. - Scoreboards at sporting events are unsubtle for good reason. See Rule 2. (d) Late once is busy. Late repeatedly is sloppy and rude. See Rule 3 and Rule 5(a) respectively. - ~2 minutes = standing grace period. - Exception 1: Selling (fundraising) is a universal excuse. - Exception 2: There is no such thing as late to a meeting where alcohol is consumed. (e) People are not processes. See Rule 6 below. - "Oh, so-and-so just takes care of that" is not a reliable assurance of anything. At some point, you will learn this at great expense. (f) Most of what seems urgent is urgent only to you. - Exception: conditions of Rule 2(d) are in play. - Then, take a deep breath, pick up a phone, and see Rule 3 & Rule 4(b). ## 6. Never forget that half the world is below average.^ (Then, adjust your expectations accordingly.) (a) Whatever you are doing, you are probably close to average at it. - This is always true. See Rule 3(b)(3), again. - So get over yourself. See Rule 4(c). (b) Average is not synonymous with mediocre. - Think well about differentiators. Write them down. Then, see Rules 1 & 2. ^*This statement is not precisely true. If you can't figure out why, you're in the lower portion* ## 7. Grin While You Fight. So admonished Winston Churchill, who was busy killing Nazis with our grandfathers. (a) We are not fighting Nazis. We are not even digging ditches. - Yet. (b) Thank God for that every morning and adjust your attitude accordingly. - Laughter always helps. Especially at yourself. See Rule 3. - "This is fun, goddammit" - Crash Davis