Michael Scott's Rules of Business
Yeah, you read that right. These rules actually have some merit, and here's why
The Office
Arguably the greatest TV comedy of all time, The Office does a great job of making fun of the typical American workplace. I was reflecting on Episode 4 of Season 2, The Fire, where Michael Scott, the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton, is enlightening their newest employee, Ryan, on the 10 Rules of Business. If you have not seen this episode, I highly recommend you stop reading this and go watch it before continuing…simply because it is hilarious. While this scene is obviously comical in many ways, one being that we never actually get to learn all 10 rules, some of the concepts Michael discusses have value.
After my umpteenth time watching this episode, I decided it was time to review and analyze Michael Scott’s Rules of Business for myself. While it will be difficult not to take a comedic approach here, it is important to acknowledge the truth behind some of his ridiculously silly pieces of advice. We are going to uncover them in this newsletter. Obviously, there is still going to be some humor in this because who can’t laugh at The Office? Not me.
Why Rules?
Whether you realize it or not, every great business has a set of rules one way or another. These rules are either explicitly stated somewhere like a handbook, or they are unspoken rules maintained by the staff through workplace environment and culture. The recipe for success is to study and repeat what does work, while eliminating what doesn’t work. In essence, this is the function of a business day-to-day.
Why do you think certain companies are able to grow at such exceptional leaps and bounds? They have a playbook that works, and they stick to it. Studying new strategies, but never repeating a failed one.
Michael Scott’s Rules of Business
Alright, let’s get into what you are really here for: to talk about Michael Scott. We are going to go one by one through his list, breaking down the fundamentals behind his ideas. True fans of the show remember that Michael Scott starts his speech with telling Ryan and Dwight that he will talk about his 10 rules of business, but never ends up getting to all of them. The world may never know what the rest of Michael Scott’s rules of business are.
Rule #1: You need to play to win, but you also have to win to play
What a great first rule from Mr. Scott, very well worded. Even though it is a very choppy and confusing statement, it really drives home a great general rule of business, and even life.
To succeed at anything, you need to start somewhere. Nothing just happens, and that is especially true in business. True innovation and growth come from trying things out and learning how to maneuver around problems that arise. You might not think this rule applies to you, but the funny thing is, it applies to everyone. No matter what you are doing in your life right now, you are playing a game and trying to win it.
Ask yourself this question: How can I continue playing the game of life with the goal of being successful?
The second part of this rule rings every truer. Bear with me as I try to make sense of Michael’s seemingly nonsensical statement. As you progress through this game of life, you have to be winning in certain aspects to continue playing. This is known as the cutoff point in the formula in which we find winners and losers. The people who succeed in life are the ones pushing through the challenges, while the others are staying stagnant.
How this relates to most young people is within their current job. You might be an entry level employee, but that should not stop you from helping the mission of breaking through those challenges your company might face.
That idea you have, share it. You think of something in a meeting, share it. You think of things that can be done differently, share them. These are all ways to complete the full rule of business. It is all about playing to win, and if you are playing correctly, you will be able to continue playing.
This first rule serves as a change in perspective, as that is what I believe Michael Scott was going for when he so confidently said this to the temp, Ryan, during the episode.
Rule #2: Adapt, React, Readapt, Apt.
When Michael Scott says this in the show, it becomes one of those moments where you just have to laugh because you know he started his sentence without really knowing where it was going but hoping he would find out along the way. An improversation, if you will (a reference to later in the show, for my die-hard fans out there). And truly, I don’t think he knew where that sentence was going. If you go back, however, and listen to the equation he lays out, it turns out to actually be a great rule of business!
As humans, we are always reacting to things in our lives, on our phones, in business, and much more. It is human nature to react. However, problems arise in the way we adapt or readapt to the things presented to us. This is not only a business issue, but a big issue we face in most aspects of life.
A lot of us find ourselves in the same natural human rut of never changing our reactions to unexpected things that happen in our days. In business you find that the most successful people are the ones who change their reaction each and every time something unpredictable and unprecedented happens. They never let the barrier block them from achieving the goal.
Look inward and reflect on the way you react to the constants in your day. You might have a sales script that has worked for the past ten clients you called, but on the eleventh client it didn’t work. Successful people take on that challenge of crafting the script in a different way moving forward, rather being discouraged and never adapting. This is just a sales example, but you will find this to be true in any and every field of work. The problem usually arises in how you react. We all know when new things are presented to us it can be hard to react positively. Lucky for you, Michael Scott is here to change that mindset. If you make slight changes, or adaptations, to your mindset, you will see a large change in your productivity and overall success.
What Michael Scott is saying with this rule of business, I assume, is that this equation is never ending. Act, React, Readapt, Act. Over and over. I challenge everyone to have this sentiment written down somewhere so you can use it as a way to motivate yourself to have a different perspective.
Rule #3: In business, image is everything
He nailed it with this one. It might be sad, but it is true. People who are under the impression that image “is what it is” and cannot be changed or controlled, are sorely mistaken. Image is everything, people, utilize the many platforms in existence to help create your image exactly how you want it. Truly living by this Michael Scott rule means you are taking your image into your own hands, not just living with it.
When you think of the people you trust and the businesses you buy products from, what comes to mind? It might not be glaring, but everyone subconsciously thinks about the image the brand has created. You think of the company they run, their social media presence, how they hold themselves, etc. These are all things that make up their image.
It goes without saying that people with the most defined images tend to find more success in what they do. Now, I want to be clear that I said the word “defined,” which does not always mean a positive image. There is a large population out there that can manipulate people into believing they have a different image than what the true reality is. I strongly advise not to take it in that direction. I am saying that building your own identity can be very powerful, and you should start creating that image as soon as you finish this article.
Let’s use The Office as a perfect example of what I mean here. Each character in the show has a defined image that is indisputable. Michael is trying to be the best boss ever, while actually having an understated understanding of business. Dwight is a hard worker that doesn’t always pick up on the social ques around the office. Jim is the laid-back employee that says he doesn’t care about his job but is really good at it. Their images are very clear cut and define the audience’s feelings towards them.
There are so many platforms out there that you can use to help create the image you want for yourself. Take those opportunities and start creating. This will not only help you but will help everyone who surrounds you in work and personal life.
Rule #4: Safety first, i.e., don’t burn the building down
This final rule on the list explains itself. In the episode, there was a small fire in the office, and everyone had to evacuate. As they are all standing around the parking lot playing awkward ice breaker games, Michael, probably impromptu, throws in the rule that safety is first. Even though, this was maybe the third or fourth rule he shared over the course of the episode.
I want to expand off of this short rule by saying I believe it relates to not only safety, but to health and happiness as well.
To have a successful business, you need to have happy and healthy employees. Even if you are the one running the business, it is crucially important that people prioritize their happiness and their health to maintain a positive lifestyle. One way to incorporate this into your work life is to choose a company that aligns with your goals, aspirations, and overall culture. There are seemingly unlimited companies out there, so don’t settle for what is currently in front of you if it won’t make you happy showing up to work each day.
When Michael was explaining this rule, I have to assume he was basically reminding Ryan to take care of the person inside the employee. Take control of yourself and your life when the workday ends and explore the world to find things that bring you joy.
Start With Small Steps
Michael Scott’s 10 Rules of Business, which is really just his 4 Rules of Business with more to come, rings very true outside of the fictional Scranton Business Park building. The rules to live by should help you realize your potential and motivate you to do everything you can to reach it. There are so many resources out there like The Office that can teach you valuable ways to look at business a different way. They might not be as good as The Office, but they are close runner ups.
You can never know too much about business, so take on the challenge of incorporating these four rules into your everyday life and I know you will see an improvement in happiness and success quicker than you think!
As always, cheers everyone!
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