That is the subtitle of a book, Rules of Thumb, written by Alan Webber and published by HarperBusiness in 2009.  What we have here is a series of 52 mini-commentaries, each devoted to an insight or conviction that Webber has formulated throughout his life thus far.

As I worked my way through them, I was reminded of Isaac Asimov’s observation, “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s odd…’”

Presumably Webber has encountered situations that struck him as odd and wondered about them, finally reaching conclusions that he characterizes as unofficial “rules” or “truths” about human nature. I suspect that are probably viewed by most people as guidelines.

Although Webber suggests that they can be applied to “winning at business without losing your self,” I think they are relevant whenever and wherever there is human interaction. These are among the ones that caught my eye:

#2: “Every company is running for office. To win, give the voters what they want.”

Comment: Customers “register” with their interest but “vote” with their cash, checks, and credit cards. If they are your evangelists, they will also highly recommend you and what you offer to everyone they know.

#4: “Don’t implement solutions. Prevent problems.”

Comment: In most organizations, there is too much firefighting and not enough fire prevention. Sun Tzu was right: Every battle is won or lost before it is fought.

#10: “A good question beats a good answer.”

Comment: When Albert Einstein was asked by a colleague why he asked the same questions every year on the final examination he gave to his graduate students at Princeton, he replied “Every year, the answers are different.”

#16: “Facts are facts; stories are how we learn.”

Comment: All of history’s greatest leaders were great storytellers.

#34: “Simplicity is the new currency.”

Comment: What Oliver Wendell Holmes characterizes as “simplicity on the other side of complexity” continues to have great value because it is so rare.

After you read Alan Webber’s book, he invites you to formulate Rule #53. I hope you do and then share it with those who visit this website.