by: J.F. (Jim) Straw
Throughout recorded history, man has decreed, written, enacted,
broken, changed and revoked literally millions of rules, laws,
ordinances, covenants, and codes. Each was established to direct
the interactions of the parties subject to those rules; whether
those rules were political, social, religious, contractual, or
simply the procedures of play in a game of sport or chance.
Each time I am called upon to lecture on the subjects of business
and/or finance; before groups of neophytes and professionals
alike, the question of "rules" is always raised.
"What are the rules of doing business?"
"What rules do the lenders follow in granting a loan?"
By learning the rules, each hopes to play the game more successfully;
for, only an egotistical fool would sit-in on a high-stakes poker
game without knowing which combinations of cards, according to
the rules, have a chance of winning.
There are, in this world, only four (4) "sets of rules"
that govern your interaction with other people. Although these
four "sets of rules" are interactive and dependent
upon each other, each "set of rules" must be understood
by you in order that you might govern yourself accordingly. Once
you understand the four "sets of rules," you will be
better enabled to play the games of life and business.
Those four "sets of rules" can easily be classified
as:
YOUR RULES - the rules that you have established, within
yourself and business, to govern your dealings with others in
your life or business.
MY RULES - the rules that I have established, within myself
and business, to govern my dealing with others in my life or
business.
OUR RULES - the rules that we; you and I, have either
accepted or established to govern our dealings between us in
life or business.
THEIR RULES - the rules established by "governing"
bodies; usually referred to as Laws.
When I do business with you, I must either accept your rules;
prices, terms, conditions, etc., or I must seek another whose
rules are more acceptable to me. Once I know, and have accepted,
"Your Rules" in our business dealings, they become
"Our Rules," and those rules govern our interaction.
If, at a later date, I change my mind and decide I cannot do
business with you under "Our Rules," I cannot arbitrarily
change "Your Rules," nor demand retribution from our
past dealings (unless "Your Rules" are in violation
of "Their Rules"). I may, however, discontinue our
dealings and seek another whose rules are more acceptable to
me. - The same is true of your dealings with me, under "My
Rules."
If you cannot do business with me, under "My Rules;"
and I cannot do business with you, under "Your Rules,"
we may, before initiating any business dealings between us, establish
a separate and distinct set of rules to govern our dealings.
These rules, then, become "Our Rules" by mutual agreement
and are, usually, set-down in some form of written contract or
agreement. However, situations not specifically covered by our
set of rules (contract) may be played either by your rules by
you, or my rules by me. Conflicts of this kind are settled by
mutual agreement, arbitration, or litigation; which establishes
further or additional rules.
Once I know "Your Rules," it is up to me to decide
whether or not I will play by those rules. I cannot arbitrarily
change your rules to suit my rules; unless we mutually agree
to establish a separate and distinct set of rules. But, if I
accept your rules, I am bound by those rules until you change
your rules, or I find another whose rules are more acceptable
to me. - The same holds true of my rules, and your dealings with
me.
All too often, in the business world, beginners, not knowing
or understanding the four "sets of rules," try to arbitrarily
change the rules to conform to rules they "think" should
exist. Or, worse yet, they believe they can change the rules
to suit themselves, once they get into the game. - These are
the poor wretches who go through life blaming everyone, but themselves,
for their mediocre existence. They want to play the game, but
only if everyone else's rules are changed to satisfy their avarice,
stupidity, or ignorance.
A wise & successful businessman makes his rules to fit the
needs (as he perceives them) of the people he will be serving;
his customers. A foolish businessman makes his rules to serve
only himself. - The successful businessman is as bound by his
own rules as are his customers. A foolish businessman makes rules
for his dealings and then violates them himself to serve his
own purpose. - A successful businessman respects and abides-by
the rules imposed upon him by those with whom he deals. The fool
tries to arbitrarily change the rules of those he deals with
to fit this perception of what the rules should be.
We are all bound by rules. Rules that we have established for
our own dealings; rules of those with whom we have dealings;
and rules that govern us and our rules.
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Copyright - 2005, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.