Media Spotlight: The Rules Of Work
Share
The Rules Of Work, By Richard Templar
There’s a danger that whatever industry you’re in, at some point down your career path you will experience a slump.
It goes like this. You’ve been doing your job well for several years and have become comfortable in your role. Maybe too comfortable. You’re coasting, but where is the challenge? Where’s the impetus? Don’t you want to be doing and earning more?
And with that rallying self-help cry comes The Rules Of Work. But don’t be put off - this isn’t one of those syrupy books telling you that you can achieve everything you want to if you just look within, or some such rubbish. Instead, the book contains 108 down-to-earth principles by which you can supposedly lead a more fulfilling working life.
One of the cardinal rules is that as in the movie Fight Club, you don’t talk about The Rules Of Work (and there goes my ticket to stardom).
Well, either the PR machine did a sterling job or a lot of readers broke this rule because the first edition of the book, published in 2003, made bestseller lists worldwide.
Richard Templar’s series of Rules books including parenting, money, and management, prove that he is on to a winning formula. And with this, the second edition of The Rules of Work, no doubt booksellers are hoping for similar success this time round.
And so to Templar’s golden rules.
Some are fairly obvious such as his advice to “make your boss look good”. And some you may need reminding of including “don’t gossip” and
“don’t bitch”.
But some seem to conflict with one another. I’m not sure how someone can “be 100% committed” to their job while at the same time abiding by the rule that states you must “be passionate but don’t kill yourself” through overwork.
Apparently, the big secret is that enthusiasm will carry you through. It’s pretty clear that Templar has never worked as a broker. Sheer enthusiasm does not kick-start the mortgage market, my friend.
But despite the underlying scepticism readers inevitably feel when reading books such as this the magic formula seems to do the trick.
Templar writes in a no-nonsense style and one feels somehow comforted by the fact that it’s an English author dispensing these pearls of wisdom rather than some cheesy American unfamiliar with the concept of subtlety.
But the question is - do the rules really work or is this really just a scam designed to cash in on peoples’ desire to better themselves? I am inclined to plump for the former. Clearly, stellar financial gain hasn’t yet been achieved subsequent to reading this book (fingers crossed) but despite my initial cynicism I found that just reading a few chapters seems to have the desired affect.
Read this en route to the office and you’ll get there feeling more motivated and somewhat better equipped to deal with the day. Placebo effect or not, that’s got to be a good thing.
Of course, as with all these things Templar is clever enough to include a disclaimer of sorts in the event that stupendous riches and success are not showered upon the reader upon finishing his book.
“In the end it’s about gut feeling,” he writes. “If you refer back to The Rules Of Work from time to time and work on the ones that are tricky you can be confident that in time your instincts will serve you better than any book.”
Book review by Natalie Holt
If you enjoyed this article, sign up here to receive daily email updates from Mortgage Strategy and Follow @mortgagestrat
