Making up rules

September's a big month for me. In fact, it's the biggest month of my professional career. Get Unstuck & Get Going™ officially enters the world stage. My very brilliant team - web designers, writers, project managers, my coach - have been scrambling to make stuff happen in time.

One of the key decisions we made was to push back the launch a week to September 21st, to ensure our infrastructure was in place. I didn't think of it - I was running WAY too hard to be able to see the big picture. But as soon as someone pointed out that I'd "just made up" the date of the launch, I knew we could break that particular rule.

This month's edition is about breaking the rules (and you'll find in it the two rules for everlasting happiness, success, true love and endless wealth). It's also slightly shorter than usual - let me know if you like the shorter version or not. Know anyone who's still following the rules? Please forward Outside the Lines (in its entirety please) to anyone you think might be interested. This community grows with your help.

I'd be delighted if you should wish to reprint (for free) any part of Outside the Lines in your newsletters, websites, and message boards. Contact me at Michael@BoxOfCrayons.biz for further details.

Michael Bungay Stanier
Principal, Box of Crayons

"When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion."
C P Snow, author

"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something."
Thomas Edison, inventor

"Heaven is purpose, principle, and people. Purgatory is paper and procedure. Hell is rules and regulations."
Dee Hock, founder of Visa

"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God."
Benjamin Franklin, statesman

"We seem to believe it is possible to ward off death by following rules of good grooming."
Don DeLillo

One of the best "games" I knew to come up with ideas was to list all the "rules" about what could and could not be done with that challenge. This in itself is a powerful process, because for the most part these rules are rarely made explicit. They're just the unquestioned "way things are done".

Here are some of the primary rules that I see people create:

Time

• "This is urgent
• "It always takes this long to do this task"
• "This is the deadline, and it can't be changed"

Responsibility

• "Only I can complete this task"
• "To be a good [insert role: mother, manager, leader, acrobat, etc] I must..."

Status

• "I can't approach that person"
• "I'm not allowed to ask for help"

Cost

• "Something like this must cost this amount"
• "The price is fixed"

Process

• "These are the steps you must go through to complete this task."
• "This is what it means to be successful."
• "This must be done in person."
• "It's considered rude if..."
  

What do you do with all these rules? I like the former Commander of the USS Benfold, Mike Abrashoff's, suggestion:

• If a rule doesn't make sense, break it.
• If a rule does make sense, break it carefully

Review the list of rules above and work out what you've made up about your challenge.

Pick three rules you'd like to break

Break one of them

WANT TO LEARN MORE? HERE ARE SOME USEFUL RESOURCES

Mike Abrashoff, It's Your Ship. Abrashoff was one of the most effective Commanders in the US Navy in recent history, and this book recounts the successes and failures of his progressive leadership style. [buy: US  UK]

Dee Hock, Birth of the Chaordic Age. Hock was the founder of Visa, and this book tells this story as well as being the start of re-imagining what and how organizations could be in the future. [buy: Can  US  UK]

5. It's currently being used in 6 continents and 16 countries around the world (including Iraq)

(And I'm offering a $30 Amazon book voucher to the best photo of a reader holding Get Unstuck & Get Going somewhere cool and funky So send them in!!)

4. The launch party is being held in Toronto on September 22. If you'd like to come, drop me a line and I'll send you an invitation!

3. The new Get Unstuck & Get Going™ website goes live next week!

2. On the new website, you'll be able to sign up to the Get Unstuck affiliate program. It means you can earn 25% of any books that you sell through your website or newsletter

And the number one thing to know about Get Unstuck & Get Going™ ... it's spectacular!

"Get Unstuck & Get Going." Mind Camp! September 8-11, Cedar Glen Discovery Campus, north of Toronto. I'll be part of an eclectic crowd of scintillating and provocative presenters. This is a perfect place to get completely revved up on creativity. You can find out more and enrol at http://www.mindcamp.org.

"From Confusing to Irresistible." HR.com's "Employees of Excellence" conference.. September 25-27, Tuscon, Arizona. I'll be speaking with my client and friend Chris Gillespie. We're going to tell the story of how PricewaterhouseCooper's recruitment brand was reinvented to great success, and share some of the secrets of our success. If you do any work around driving change in your organization, this is a workshop that will be of benefit to you. Other great speakers at this conference include Jim Collins, Daniel Pink and David Whyte.

"The Wow Factor: Creating Your Own Coaching Products for Greater Visibility, Impact and Profit", International Coach Federation conference, November 8-11, San Jose. I'll be facilitating a hot-shot panel of experts who have a great deal of experience in creating real, honest-to-goodness products. If you're a coach looking to generate passive income, then this is for you.

I love to speak or run workshops for groups! Please get in touch if you think I might be able to serve you or your organization in this capacity.

To subscr.be to Outside the Lines click here. If you have any trouble accessing this link send a blank email to subs@BoxofCrayons.biz.

Outside the Lines is distributed on the 2nd Thursday of every month. Your contact information is never traded, never rented, never sold.

©Box of Crayons 2004-2005. Box of Crayons is a registered trading name of Maida CC Inc.


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