Okay, here is my list from the perspective of an employer and business owner. They are childishly simple, but the core things from my own development and mentors.
1. Don't whine to me about how hard your job is. Be an adult and tell me what you need (people, things or ideas) to be more efficient, more productive or to make fewer mistakes and let's find an answer. You're lucky. I don't have anyone I can whine to.
2. I don't care anything about your gender, race or age. If you're not the best person for a job, let's find someone better suited for it and find you a job that suits your ability and experience. That is half your responsibility. If we can't find a position or make one that contributes to the company, I have no job for you.
3. Everyone deserves a second chance.
4. I'll praise you in public and discuss ways to improve your performance to get you a raise in private. You will do the same when discussing other employees.
5. Don't think that managers or business owners don't know when you're being a brown-nosing politician. Use your creative energy for your job and forget about the politics.
6. You don't know everything. If you did, you'd be God. I don't know everything either, so tell me about problems before they get over your head and let's get some collective wisdom and ideas from people who can help to solve it. That includes the most junior person on the line, not just supervisors or managers.
7. Take the time to teach younger and newer people what you know and why we do things the way we do. How without the why is for insects. Encourage them to ask questions because some of those questions and puzzled looks can mean we might be blinkered.
8. Be reasonable. I'll be flexible about the time you aren't here if you're flexible about the time you're needed, even if that is a weekend or evening. It's the work that needs to be done, not the hours. You're not in prison serving time.
9. I'm not your daddy. If you have personal problems affecting your work or others, talk to your manager and maybe we can help you solve the problem. Maybe we can't. Don't wait until your manager has to talk to you about it.
10. Never listen to an accountant tell you how a business should be run. They can tell you where every line on the P&L comes from and many helpful things about financing and cash flow, but they usually aren't very good at changing the numbers on those lines.
11. Have a sense of humor and remember that work organizes your life so you can have a life. It's a means to an end. Be proud of the project or work you have accomplished and move on to the next one with that experience under your belt.
12. It's the people who do the heavy lifting, the grunt work, the daily work who keep businesses running, not the hotshot "idea" person who never finishes anything. The pulse of a business is learned by talking and listening to them.
I warned you that they were simple. Sorry if I bored you to tears...
