Learning how to discover the secrets of high performance. Why do some people get called "rock stars" at work? Learn from real rock stars. From David McLaughlin, author of Life at Full Volume: The 12 Principles of High Performance.

1. The Rules
Of Rock:
Learning High Performance from
Real Rock Stars
David B. McLaughlin
Includes Self-Assessment

2. 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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3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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!”

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. The Rules of Rock: Learning High Performance from Real Rock Stars
David 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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