Principles are ways of successfully dealing with reality to get what you want out of life.
Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, cites principles as his key to success.
In 1975, Ray Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Over forty years later, Bridgewater has grown into the largest hedge fund in the world and the fifth most important private company in the United States (according to Fortune magazine), and Dalio himself has been named to TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way Dalio discovered unique principles that have led to his and Bridgewater’s unique success. It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio, that he believes are the reason behind whatever success he has had. He is now at a stage in his life that he wants to pass these principles along to others for them to judge for themselves and to do whatever they want with them.
Work Principle
Be open-minded and assertive at the same time.
Being effective at thoughtful disagreement requires one to be openminded (seeing things through the other's eyes) and assertive (communicating clearly how things look through your eyes) and to flexibly process this information to create learning and adaptation.
I have found that most people have problems being assertive and open-minded at the same time. Typically they are more inclined to be assertive than open-minded (because it's easier to convey how they see things than to understand how others do, and also because people tend to have ego attachments to being right) though some people are too willing to accept others' views at the expense of their own. It's important to remind people that they have to do both--and to remember that decision making is a two-step process in which one has to take in information as well as decide. It also helps to remind people that those who change their minds are the biggest winners because they learned something, whereas those who stubbornly refuse to see the truth are losers. With practice, training, and constant reinforcement, anyone can get good at this.
RECENT USER EXCHANGES
How do I let the people know they are being assertive side when think they are open-minded?
There is a lot you can do — too much to cover here. Have him read Chapter 3 and then focus in on principles 3.5 and 3.6. That should help him intellectually want to change. Then he has to emotionally want to change i.e. that means that he needs to change his habits which is covers in principle 4.3.
I often consider being assertive rude and fail at it. Any advice?
You have to realize that you might be right or wrong and ask probing questions to find out. To help people get good at being open-minded and assertive at the same time I get them to practice arguing by asking questions. If something doesn’t make sense to you ask probing questions about how it makes sense. The person answering will either have good answers that will convince you or they won’t; in either case following this process will help you take in what they’re saying and put them in the position of having to make good arguments — so it will help you be open-minded and assertive at the same time.
To achieve this is valuable but hard work. It kinda goes against natural instincts, particularly if people are raised among adults who operate either their way or no way. As a child you learn to protect yourself from forced choices by shutting down your mind. Those good at making compromises put more brain cells at work to align their emotion with their purposes.
People often tell me “but it’s hard to do” . Achieving exceptional results is largely about getting yourself in the habit of doing the things that are good for you but are initially hard to do. Using the habit change techniques described in Principles it won’t take you long to make these things that seem hard seem much easier. What’s really hard is living with the consequences of not making that change.
Work Principle
- Get and Stay in Sync
Be open-minded and assertive at the same time.
- Distinguish open-minded people from closed-minded people.
- Don't have anything to do with closed-minded people.
- Watch out for people who think it's embarrassing not to know.
- Make sure that those in charge are open-minded about the questions and comments of others.
- Recognize that getting in sync is a two-way responsibility.
- Worry more about substance than style.
- Be reasonable and expect others to be reasonable.
- Making suggestions and questioning are not the same as criticizing, so don't treat them as if they are.
Any person or organization can adopt Principles to better achieve their goals.
Learn what Principles are and how they are applied at Principles.com
