12 Rules Of Effective Self-Management

Managing and leading people are not exclusive actions reserved for only those who hold “positions” in an organisation. We believe management and leadership are callings, which we all participate in at different times to different degrees. We can learn to adopt the 12 Rules of Self-Management to enhance our effectiveness in whatever vocation we engage in.

1. Live by your values. You confuse people when you are double faced.

2. Speak up. No one can “hear” what you are thinking without your willingness to stand up for it. Mind reading is something most people cannot fathom.

3. Honour your own good word and keep the promises you make. If not people will eventually stop believing most of what you say.

4. When you ask for more responsibility expect to be held accountable. This is what seizing ownership of something is all about.

5. Don’t expect people to trust you if you are not willing to be trustworthy. Trust is an outcome of fulfilled expectations.

6. Be more productive by creating good habits to reject bad ones. Good habits corral your energies into a momentum-building rhythm while bad habits sap your energy.

7. Develop a good work ethic, which seems rare today. Embrace “old-fashioned” values like dependability, timeliness, professionalism and diligence. Be action-oriented. Seek to make things work. Be willing to do what it takes even when people are not willing.

8. Be interesting. Read voraciously, listen to learn, then teach and share everything you know. No one owes you his or her attention; you have to earn it and keep attracting it.

9. Be courteous and polite. Be considerate. Manners still count for an awful lot in life.

10. Be self-disciplined. This is what every adult is supposed to “grow up” to be.

11. Do not develop a victim mentality. You always have a choice in every situation. Make every choice with discretion without regret.

12. Look forward to being enthusiastic. Learn to consistently keep healthy, take good care of yourself. Exercise your mind, body and spirit so you become someone people can count on.
 
Managers will tell you that they do not really need to manage people who live by these rules instead they devote their attention to managing the businesses in which they all thrive. If you stick to these rules, chances are that your leadership potential will be unleashed.