Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/287205
Connections | Spring 2014 6 Two young girls in California kept a journal of "Rules" they had been taught over a period of time until they lost the journal in a shopping center parking lot. A store employee found the journal and after reading it contacted the media to help find the girls to be sure it was returned to them. The story made national news, and their journal of "Rules" has been published by Simon and Schuster. At the time the journal was found, the young girls had listed 157 Rules to live by including such directives as don't bite the dentist, no pushing and don't lick the plate, along with other rules children often hear. After watching this story on television it occurred to me that there must be at least 157 Rules for executives to live by in organization management, and so it was born. As a veteran executive in organization management, writing and producing 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management was a way for me to review all the highs and lows of my management career from being selected as the top candidate for the organization to leaving while I was still on top. The lessons learned from my successes and failures made me realize that all veteran executives should take a little time to review the "Rules" that create success and prevent failures. Then I realized how important the rules would be to new executives entering our field and the keyboard came to life! In my career, there was never a time when I applied for a new position where I was not offered the job. This isn't to say I took every job offered but when I did apply I was the winning candidate. The "rules" I followed put me above the other candidates and made me appear to be the organization's leader even before they hired me. Rule #33 says to research every board member and active volunteer on line. In essence, I would know more about them than they would know about me. Rule #37 tells us to always ask why the former executive left. More often than not the search committee will be hesitant to share this information, but one call to a neighboring association or significant member within the organization will tell us everything we need to know. In leading and operating an organization, the first rule and most important rule is, "Always put a volunteer between you and the 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management Patrick H. McGaughey, CPF (Continued on page 8)