Hit the Road Running

In his best selling book The Employee Handbook of New Work Habits for a Radically Changing World, author Price Pritchett identifies 13 ground rules for job success. His ground rules are condensed below so you can get yourself ready for work in a changing world.


Rule No. 1 Become a quick-change artist.

Work changes to fit the world. You may spend time on several different project teams for the same employer or in the same job.

Rule No. 2 Commit fully to the job.

Expect your employer to expect more of you. Today's workers must be able to move faster and do better-with less.

Rule No. 3 Speed up.

Work with a sense of urgency. Don't get caught up in endless preparation and details, trying to reach perfection before making a move.

Rule No. 4 Accept uncertainty.

Shifting priorities will be normal. Your task may be defined vaguely, and you probably will not get all the answers you want before you have to get started.

Rule No. 5 Behave like you're in business for yourself.

Your employer wants you to assume more personal responsibility for the success of the company, rather than focusing on the boundaries in your job description.

Rule No. 6 Stay in school.

Protect your career by continuing to learn all your life. Today's world takes no pity on the person who gets lazy about learning.

Rule No. 7 Hold yourself accountable for outcomes.

Responsibility is being pushed to the lowest levels. For this to work, all employees have to be accountable for their results.

Rule No. 8 Add value.

Make sure you contribute more than you cost. Employees often mislead themselves by assuming they should get to keep their jobs as long as they are responsible and do good work. More is expected.

Rule No. 9 See yourself as a service center for customers.

The better you serve customers, the more you protect your career.

Rule No. 10 Manage your own morale.

You are responsible for your attitude. Expecting your boss or someone else to keep you content and upbeat is out of date. You have to bounce back from low morale on your own.

Rule No. 11 Practice looking for a better way.

Reach and stretch to outdo yourself. Small, continuous improvements may come bit by bit, but they eventually add up to a competitive advantage.

Rule No. 12 Be a fixer, not a finger pointer.

Problems are an offspring of change, so you'll see plenty of them. Build a name for yourself as a problem solver. Own your problems and find a way to fix them.

Rule No. 13 Alter your expectations.

Some people think their education and experience entitles them to employment. Companies do not think this way. The best thing you can do is upgrade your skills, stay flexible and never con yourself into believing that you deserve a good job.