BEN FRANKLIN'S 12 RULES OF MANAGEMENT --- THE FOUNDING FATHER
OF AMERICAN BUSINESS SOLVES YOUR TOUGHEST PROBLEMS
by Blaine McCormick, Entrepreneur Press, 2000.
    INTRODUCTION --- The founding father of American business (pxiv-xxiii)

      [1] A brief overview of Franklin's life --- Will Power (pxv-xviii)

      [2] Franklin's business legacy --- The higly "effective" Franklin (pxviii-xx)

        See Stephen R. Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which is based upon the "Character Ethic" philosophy of life embodied by Benjamin Franklin (pxix)

      [3] America on the rise (pxx-xxi)

      [4] Design of this book (pxxi-xxii)

      [5] A book about business, not leadership! (pxxii-xxiii)

        Franklin's 12 Rules of Management:

        (1) Finish better than your beginnings

        (2) All education is self-education

        (3) Seek first to manage yourself, then to manage others

        (4) Influence is more important than victory

        (5) Work hard and watch your costs

        (6) Everybody wants to appear reasonable

        (7) Create your own set of values to guide your actions

        (8) Incentive is everything!

        (9) Create solutions for seemingly impossible problems

        (10) Become a revolutionary for experimentation and change

        (11) Sometimes it's better to do 1,001 small things right than only one large thing right

        (12) Deliberately cultivate your reputation and legacy!

      1) Great managers rarely have great beginnings (p1-15)

      2) A simple recipe for lifelong learning (p17-32)

      3) How to manage others effectively (p33-45)

      4) Winning in the end (p47-65)

      5) Hard work and frugality --- a winning combination (p67-83)

      6) Let reason work for you (p85-97)

      7) Becoming a person of value (p99-117)

      8) Incentive is everything (p119-132)

      9) Doing the impossible (p135-144)

      10) Experiment (p147-164)

      11) The importance of 1,001 small details (p167-179)

      12) A good reputation is not an accident (p181-192)

    CONCLUSION --- Becoming a Franklin inspired manager (p195-200)

        [1] McCormick's first rule of reading --- Seek inspiration rather than imitation! (p195-196)

        [2] The "Colonial Context" (p196-199)

        [3] Benchmarking --- A recipe for mediocrity! (p199-200)

        [4] Here endeth the lesson --- Franklin's life offers powerful lessons in management for those seeking guidance in their business. Allow Franklin to be human and let his humanity inspire you toward becoming a better businessperson! (p200)

    INDEX (p203-209)
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