The RulesOf Rock:

Learning High Performance fromReal Rock Stars

David B. McLaughlin

Includes Self-Assessment

The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance from Real Rock Stars is meant to be shared with as many people as possible.

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Many times you hear someone in the office telling a co-worker, “You are such a rock star!” You roll your eyes thinking, “They are not a rock star. Mick Jagger is a rock star.”

You have a point! Nailing a report or presentation does not mean you are a rock star. So why do people use that term? Because real rock stars have demonstrated success in a crowded field of posers and wannabes.

In the work environment we want to call out high performers when they achieve great success among a crowded field. The term “rock star” can get overused, so let’s find out who the real rock stars are and what it takes to be one…on stage and at work.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

These are the Rules of Rock!

1. There are no rules…but there are.

The first rule of rock and roll is there are no rules. Whether making music or creating an image, every law and style has been broken and thrown out. Everything goes. Except when you cross the line. Some artists have hurt or ruined their careers when they went too far. They either realized it and tried to create a public relations recovery campaign or went into oblivion after being defiant and unwilling to change.

Work and career success is the same way. There really aren’t any rules. There are as many ways to succeed as there are people and companies. Everyone has to find what works for them. But there are ways to go too far and kill your career. You can be a rebel and succeed or a rebel that implodes to never be heard from again. Figure out where the lines are in your organization and industry before you self-destruct.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

2. Crank it up a notch!

Rock and roll is about making noise. Crank the volume up to eleven. They say, “If it is too loud then you are too old!” Some bands have competed through the years to see who can be the loudest in the business. Many of those artists now have permanent hearing problems. But there is no question that rock is synonymous with volume.

High performers have to make some noise to be rock stars at work. Your ideas have to be heard. Your work has to be seen. You cannot sit in your cubicle 365 days a year without getting involved, speaking up or throwing out your ideas for debate and expect to get any rock star attention. You do not have to be an extrovert but you are going to need to be your own publicist to get people to see you as a rock star.

3. Throw in some distortion.

One of the distinguishing sounds of rock is distorted guitars. Distortion happens when the audio signal experiences overdrive. The speaker sounds broken or rough. This can be accomplished by turning the volume up higher than the speaker is intended to go, by damaging the speaker, or by using an effects device to simulate a distorted sound. Guitarists have been trying to get this sound since blues players started using it in the mid 1940’s to create a unique driving sound.

High performers at work know ideas have to be shaken up. Sometimes you have to break things to bring about something new. Whether you distort, disrupt, alter, innovate, transform, or revolutionize your industry, processes or department, you need to reinvent the way things are done. Sometimes it will look or sound shocking but it can also excite the room.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

4. Be unpredictable.

People pay money to watch rock stars because they have no idea what is going to happen. Will they smash a guitar? Hang from the rafters? Dive into the audience? Eat a bat? Wear a meat suit? If rock stars were predictable they would be as boring as your next door neighbor - and you don’t buy tickets to see your neighbor.

If you want to be noticed at work you need to be surprising your employer and customers. This does not mean by throwing a bucket of blood on them, but by being amazing. Shock them with your high performance on a regular basis. Work so they are always wondering, “What in the world are they going to do next? I have to pay them just to see what is coming up!”

5. Give the audience what they want.

I went to see a rock star in concert who had not had a hit in many years. I still enjoyed his music. He played for over an hour and did not play a single song anybody in the audience knew. He was talented but people wanted to hear the hits. He finally got around to playing them but by then people were not very interested. If he wanted to play his new songs he probably should have spread them out among the hits.

Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company) said, “If I had given the customer what they wanted, I would have given them faster horses.” If you are not going to give people what they want, you had better be amazingly innovative like Ford. He gave them what they did not even yet realize they wanted. In the meantime, give them what they are paying you for with excellence.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

6. Bring some soul.

Rock stars often love to go back to the roots of rock and roll and record early songs from Motown or the blues. There is something about the swing, swagger, heart and soul of those songs that touches the artists and the fans. The older we get the more we understand the importance and depth of that music and we try to recreate and get in touch with it.

As a high performer, you know you have to bring your heart and soul in everything you do. If you are not passionate about your work it will show in the way you show up every day. High performers may not have a great day every day but you love what you do. That is how you put on a smile even during bad days. Reconnect with why you are in your business and perform from the heart.

7. Look like a star.

Real rock stars have a certain look. You can tell they are rock stars when they walk in the room by the way they dress, fix their hair and own the room. Sometimes, it may be the disheveled style of a four-day binge so it is not necessarily always a positive thing.

Work rock stars know that casual day means you still need to find a way to look good. Casual does not mean sloppy and stars find a way to look better than the rest. You may be wearing dress clothes, corporate branded wear or a company uniform. Somehow you find a way to look a little snappier than the general public.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

8. You can always make a comeback.

Whether you are Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, AC/DC or Aerosmith, even the best fall out of fashion sometimes. But you are always able to make a comeback. These rock stars and more have overcome their demons, risen against insurmountable odds, survived criticism and stood at the top once again.

Many high performers have experienced being knocked down. Sometimes the fall was of no fault of your own and sometimes it is due to your own errors of judgment. But the grittiest performers decide the second, third or fourth acts can be the best and you struggle your way back. Comeback stories are for rock stars and you work hard to never finish without a success story.

9. You are never too old to rock.

Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Tina Turner, Chuck Berry; these are just a few of the stars who rocked well into their prime years. Some think rock and roll is a young person’s game. But those who have lived understand better than any the lyrics and meaning behind the songs about life. They bring depth and experience to their performances.

Age is a deceiver when looking for high performers. Older people look at the young and think they are too inexperienced and entitled. They do not give them credit for seeing the world in a new way, seeing new opportunities and for not being cynical and jaded. Young people do not give older people enough credit for the wisdom and experience they offer. They do not listen to the reasons for their decisions and too often make the same mistakes over again. Rock stars learn from each other through collaboration.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

10. Always leave them wanting more.

Great rock stars know how to leave their fans wanting more. They want another album, another concert, a longer interview, more access. The fans can never get enough. We are not talking about a lack of PR. Stars do not want to be a disappearing act. But you don’t want overexposure either. The best rock stars give great performances that leave the fans wanting more.

High performers leave people wanting more because your work is great. You are in high demand. People want more of your kind of work. Work that is high quality, accessible, customer-friendly, smart, intuitive, innovative. When there is a job to do, you are the person people want because you can genuinely be called a rock star.

What Now?

1. Join other like-minded high performers and learn more about developing The Rules of Rock. You can subscribe@fullvolumedevelopment.com to join the band for free.

2. Take the self-assessment on the next few pages to find out how hard you are rocking your performance right now.

Self-Assessment

Use the assessment on the next few pages to measure yourself on The Rules of Rock to see how

hard you are rocking your performance. Give yourself a score for each statement from 1 to 6.

1 = Never 2 = Almost Never 3 = Occasionally 4 = Usually 5 = Almost Always 6 = Always

I push boundaries but do not cross the lines.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I make sure my ideas get heard.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I disrupt systems to bring improvements.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I regularly surprise my employer and customers with exciting results.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I provide consistent and excellent results.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I am passionate about my work and performance.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I care about how I look and represent my organization well every day.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I do not fail because I learn and keep trying.

1 2 3 4 5 6

I do not let my youth or age prevent me from achieving success.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Employers and customers regularly request my services because I am amazing.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Score

Total your points from all ten questions. If you scored:

0-15 Flop

If you were in the music business your record would have flopped. The good news is, we are not analyzing your latest hit single. From a performance and personal development standpoint, you view yourself as a low performer. You need to immediately seek coaching on how to improve your performance.

16-30 One Hit Wonder

Your performance is similar to a band that has one hit. You have a little bit to offer but you run out of momentum quickly. You need immediate coaching on how to improve your performance. Take your basic abilities and turn them into great strengths before the band loses its contract.

31-45 Gold Record

You are on the right track. There is a buzz about you. Some people see you as a high performer but others are not buying what you are selling. Your consistency is questionable. Sometimes you are hot and sometimes you are cold. Coaching can help you get to the next level. You should also consider mentoring some of the newbies in areas in which you excel.

46-60 Multi-Platinum

Consider hiring a body guard. Everybody wants to see you and be you. You are performing at the top of your game. But do not get overly confident. There is always room for improvement and the environment is always changing. What was hot yesterday can be out of style tomorrow. Be sure you pass along your wisdom and experience by mentoring others and keep up your skills by being mentored and coached.

fullvolumedevelopment.com The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance From Real Rock Stars – David B. McLaughlin @fullvolumedev

The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance from Real Rock StarsDavid B. McLaughlin, M. Ed, SHRM-SCP

FULL VOLUME DEVELOPMENT is a think tank that explores best practices related to high performance in organizational development. Organizations achieve maximum performance when they help individuals and teams reach maximum performance. We exist to develop high performers that rock the world.

David McLaughlin has been developing people for over twenty years. He is an organizational development professional who has worked in the corporate and non-profit sectors as employee, manager and business owner. For over a decade he has performed in one of Oklahoma City’s top employers in the domain of organizational development. He has served as President and Executive Advisor for the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the Association for Talent Development.

David has a Master’s Degree in Adult Education and B.S. in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is a Senior Certified Professional from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP). David also enjoys serving on the boards of several non-profit organizations. He is a popular conference speaker who brings unique energy and humor built on deep, useful content.

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