Li Weiwen’s Ten Rules for Getting Ahead

2023-10-31

Li Weiwen (李維文) writes about work and personal development. The Korean publisher introduces him as a Chinese bestselling author with a career in consulting in the United States.

The publisher’s biography traces that career from Fudan University and a sales position at Cheung Kong to work advising organizations in the United States and China.

The Secrets of People Who Come Out Ahead

Korean readers may know Li from earlier books on finding the right people, speaking with confidence or building the relationships that matter in a career.

In this book he draws on his own experience to describe habits he sees in people who get ahead.

Ten rules for an unfair world

The Korean subtitle promises ten rules for succeeding in an unfair world. Li begins with the idea that fairness is a poor assumption to make about the conditions in which you work.

From there, he asks what people can do with the circumstances they have, and what habits successful people seem to share.

Each of the ten chapters suggests something readers can change in their lives and closes with a compact recap. Most of the points make sense when you read them. They are easy to forget on a crowded workday.

The contents and recaps give you the book’s outline quickly. Read the chapters for the stories from Li’s own career. They show what prompted him to put these particular ideas on the list.

Here are the chapter topics, followed by the main ideas from each recap.

Contents

  1. Facing reality — Recognize the structure you are working within.
  2. The 80/20 rule — Give more time to the relationships that make a difference.
  3. Communication — Accomplish things together.
  4. Work — Decide what deserves your time before your commitments decide for you.
  5. Planning — Take control of your day at the level of minutes.
  6. Habits — Address a bad routine before the consequences grow.
  7. Adversity — Use the obstacle in front of you to make progress.
  8. Opportunity — Pay attention to moments you might otherwise pass over.
  9. Strategy — Sometimes a step back gives you room to move.
  10. Core strengths — Develop an ability no one can take away from you.

The chapter summaries turn those broad themes into specific advice.

Five ways to look at a difficult world

  1. Accept that the world is uneven.
  2. Adapt to the circumstances you face.
  3. Pay attention to who gets to set the rules.
  4. Learn to build relationships.
  5. Notice how much the ability to endure matters.

Five ways to build relationships

  1. Approach people with warmth.
  2. Be sincere with the people around you.
  3. Meet people outside your usual circle.
  4. Review the relationships you put time into.
  5. Create a place where people can find one another.

Four communication habits for leaders

  1. Speak with humility and act with confidence.
  2. Apply the same rules to everyone.
  3. Strengthen what the team can do together.
  4. Trust people with real authority.

Five ways to take charge of your work

  1. Learn the small tasks as well as the big ones.
  2. Consider letting go after three unsuccessful attempts.
  3. Manage your working hours carefully.
  4. Make time to enjoy ordinary days.
  5. Find a way of relieving stress that works for you.

Three plans worth writing down

  1. A plan for where you want to be in life.
  2. A plan for your work.
  3. A schedule for the day.

Four rules for managing habits

  1. Practice the habits you want to keep.
  2. Catch bad habits before they settle in.
  3. Deal with procrastination early.
  4. Develop routines that help you work efficiently.

Four things to remember in a setback

  1. Expect setbacks.
  2. Use the experience to develop.
  3. Look for a way forward.
  4. Learn enough from the mistake to avoid repeating it.

Three ways to spot an opening

  1. Give small openings a chance.
  2. Notice when the moment is right.
  3. Go looking for opportunities.

Four ways to step back strategically

  1. Accept a small loss when it makes sense.
  2. Let go when it is time to stop.
  3. Practice judgment and moderation.
  4. Keep your ambition in proportion.

Five ways to build a lasting strength

  1. Know what a core strength is.
  2. Find out which abilities are valued in the work you want to do.
  3. Aim for real distinction in one field.
  4. Put your energy into what you do well.
  5. Choose work you enjoy or have an aptitude for.

Lists like these make the book easy to revisit. I found myself reading them as questions about how I spend my time and how I work with other people.

When a busy stretch makes it hard to tell what deserves attention, there are worse places to start than one of these chapter recaps.

The Secrets of People Who Come Out Ahead

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