Terry Paulson is a wonderful speaker and thinker. He told the following story to our Speakers Roundtable group, and it has lasted....

Terry and Russ Walden both create a unique communication experience!

Russ Walden, President of Ridgecrest Properties, a subsidiary of Intermark, likes to limit his business philosophy to one page. When he brings people on board to his company, he gives the sheet to each new employee. He makes his position clear: "You don't have to follow this, but it's important for you to understand that I will."

Russ Walden's list of mostly true and mostly plagiarized thoughts on the management process (in no particular order):

*Weak leadership will destroy the finest strategy, while forceful execution of even a poor strategy can often bring victory. (Sun Tzu, 400 BC)

*Authority to manage is delegated downward; the right to lead is delegated upward.

*A person may be appointed to high position, but never to leadership. Leaders are effective only through the authority conferred on them by those upon whom they depend for results.

*Leaders produce consent; others seek consensus.

*Manage a business by its economics, not by the accounting numbers.

*It is better to be approximately right than precisely wrong.

*Ethics are non-negotiable.

*The personal dignity of each individual is inviolate. A manager who often breaks this rule will eventually self-destruct, but I will probably get him (or her) first.

*As a manager, ask yourself, "How would I like it if my boss treated me the way I treat those who work for me? " If you are unsure, read Luke 6:31.

*Authority is not inherently useful, but you can greatly influence most of the things which you cannot directly control. A manager without influence is a contradiction of terms.

*Create real values and the earnings will follow. Never sacrifice tomorrow's values for today's reportable earnings.

*Spend your time with people who contribute to your energies; avoid those who drain them.

*A person has a right to know the significance of his work.

*We will only do things of which we can be proud. If our people are ashamed of a project it will be a disaster.

*If you aren't having fun in your work, fix the problem before it becomes serious; ask for help if you need it. If you can't fix it and won't ask for help, please go away before you spoil the fun for the rest of us.

*Never let well enough alone. (Just because it isn't broke; doesn't mean it can't be better.)

*Build some regular customer contact into the job of every person in the company.

*Defending yesterday is far more risky than making tomorrow.

*Manners are the lubricating oil of organizations. (Peter Drucker)

Russ Walden not only wrote his page; he uses it when facing difficult decisions. He asks his leaders to have and use their own page in support of company values. What would you want on your page?