Three things
Since retiring from the Navy, I’ve had a number of management jobs. When you’re the “new boss,” employees want to know what to expect from you. They want to know what your expectations are of them. When I was on active duty, I had the good fortune to have a number of good department heads and commanding officers. One gave me the formula I still use when I have that first “Hi, I’m the new guy and here’s what I expect” meeting with staff. I like it because it’s simple, easy for me to remember, and it’s true. Here’s what I expect of people who work for me. I expect only three things.
- Show up on time, ready to work
- Do your job
- At the end of the day/shift, go home
That’s it. Sure, each of those can be explained in greater detail (and often should be), but those three things cover everything I expect.
What I’ve noticed lately is that this “three things” approach is applicable to a lot of areas of life. Remember, each of the things on these lists often encapsulate a myriad of concepts, ideas and skills.
I’m not a pilot. My Air Force pilot friend told me flying a plane is easy. He, too, had three rules to remember.
- Pushing the stick forward makes the ground bigger
- Pulling the stick back makes the ground smaller
- Everything else is airspeed
As a life coach, I’m often asked “why don’t I have everything I want socially/financially/professionally/insert area of life? A life coaching colleague gave me this little gem. He said, “In every area of your life, there are three, and only three, reasons you don’t have/achieve what you want.”
- You aren’t doing the right things
- You aren’t doing the right things long enough, consistently enough
- You suck as a person
(It’s important to note each of the three things above can be corrected)
I knew a personal fitness trainer who shared his three rules for how to get in shape. You must regularly
- Eat things you may not currently like
- Move until you sweat
- Push something heavy
A self-defense instructor told me his three rules for avoiding conflict and violence.
- Don’t go stupid places
- Don’t do stupid things
- Don’t hang out with stupid people
So, what “three rules” lists do you have?
Ones that stuck in my head from a TED speech a few years ago about success in business are: Better before cheaper, Revenue before cost, and there is no third rule. 🙂