Business Rules of Thumb . com

Thomas Watson Rule of Thumb

2012-02-21T12:13:00.002-07:00

I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.

Will Rogers Rule of Thumb

2012-02-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Everything is changing ... people are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.

Charles Kemmon Wilson Rule of Thumb

2012-02-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Opportunity comes often ... it knocks as often as you have an ear trained to hear it, an eye trained to see it, a hand trained to grasp it, and a head trained to use it.

Richard Feynman Rule of Thumb

2012-02-09T13:23:00.004-07:00

Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are.

Bob Eberle Rule of Thumb

2011-08-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

To create a new product, apply SCAMPER to an old one ...

Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Modify, minimize, magnify
Put to another use
Eliminate, elaborate
Rearrange, reverse

David Baltimore Rule of Thumb

2011-08-09T16:29:00.001-07:00

Under the most rigorously controlled conditions of pressure, temperature, volume, humidity, and other variables ... the organism will do as it damn well pleases.

Gordon Strang Rule of Thumb

2011-08-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Standard parts are not.

Fred Hermes Rule of Thumb

2011-05-09T19:57:00.002-07:00

... but officer, I wasn't speeding, I was qualifying!

Betty White Rule of Thumb

2011-05-09T19:43:00.001-07:00

If you lie to anybody on the planet, don't lie to that person reflected in the mirror ... always be able to meet your own eyes, and know that you're telling the truth.

Steve Wozniak Rule of Thumb

2011-05-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

Know in your heart that you are a good person with good goals because that will carry over to your own self-confidence and your belief in your abilities.

Edward R. Murrow Rule of Thumb

2011-05-06T21:17:00.003-07:00

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty ... when the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.

Stacy Blackman Rule of Thumb

2011-05-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Anyone can have a good idea, but it takes certain know-how to turn that idea into a profitable venture; entrepreneurs need a broad skill set to manage the range of tasks required for success.

Philip Crosby Rule of Thumb

2011-05-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Making a wrong decision is understandable ... refusing to search continually for learning is not.

Andrew Likierman Rule of Thumb

2011-05-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Innovation, as far as we're concerned, is one of the key drivers of everything that goes on in business ... I wouldn't have the nerve to get up in front of a group of sophisticated people and say something that didn't relate to the world that actually is.

Albert Meyer Rule of Thumb

2011-05-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Stock-based [executive] compensation plans are often nothing more than legalized front-running, insider trading, and stock-watering all wrapped up in one package.

John Wooden Rule of Thumb

2011-05-02T20:56:00.001-07:00

Talent is God-given; be humble ... Fame is man-given; be thankful ... Conceit is self-given; be careful!

Lois McMaster Bujold Rule of Thumb

2011-04-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ordinary people need extraordinary examples so they can say to themselves, well, if he can do *that*, I can surely do *this* ... no excuses.

Robert Swan Rule of Thumb

2011-04-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

The challenge in the world today is not the lack of information; it is the lack of inspiration ... our job is to inspire people - to get them to believe the journey is possible - by showing them small, achievable steps.

Paul Tillich Rule of Thumb

2011-04-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.

Michelle Donovan & Prasad Setty Rules of Thumb

2011-04-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Eight good-manager behaviors ...
1. Be a good coach.
2. Empower your team and don't micro-manage.
3. Express interest in team members' success and personal well-being.
4. Be productive and results-oriented.
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team.
6. Help your employees with career development.
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team.
8. Have key technical skills so you can advise the team.

Three manager pitfalls ...
1. Have trouble moving from individual contributor to team leader.
2. Lack a consistent approach to performance management and reviews.
3. Spend too little time managing and communicating.

[Thank you, Joe Driear]

Mary Poulton Rule of Thumb

2011-04-14T10:52:00.001-07:00

Three PhD's does not a make an MBA.

Tax Day Rule of Thumb

2011-04-10T20:52:00.001-07:00

When in doubt, deduct!

Dan Eklund Rule of Thumb

2011-04-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference ... he acquired his size from too much pi.

Jason Fried & David Hansson Rule of Thumb

2011-04-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

Conventional wisdom says that to beat your competitors, you need to one-up them: if they have four features, you need five (or fifteen, or twenty- five) ... So what could you do instead? Do less than your competitors to beat them: Solve the simple problems and leave the hairy, difficult, nasty problems to the competition ... instead of one-upping, try one-downing ... instead of outdoing, try underdoing.

Jim Jindrick Rule of Thumb

2011-03-31T04:29:00.000-07:00

Incremental change is not the same as incremental improvement.