RHODES

RULES
 “Sometimes father really
does know best.”

Those of us who grew up in the Rhodes house

learned from the best — our dad, Tom. And while

some lessons were learned the hard way, the

“rules” we learned then still guide our entire team

today. In fact, we rely on them every day— in

business and in life; good times and bad. So much

so, that we decided to share them in the hopes

they might resonate with you and your family, too.

Rule 1:
Always tell
the truth.
“And if you don’t know the answer, say that, too.”

This should be your guiding standard every

time. Honesty first prevents difficulties later— in

business, in relationships, in life. And when

anchored as your baseline value, honesty yields

the best result of all: peace of mind.

Rule 2:
Remember,
nothing is
more important
than your
reputation.
And if you grew up in a neighborhood like ours,

you know that everyone knows...EVERYTH I NG .

The days of prom are long over, but this simple

truth abides. Travel through life as though

everything you do matters, reflects on you, and

affects those around you. Because it’s true.

Rule 3:
Family
comes first.
By blood or by choice, family makes you who

you are. No one will be more loyal, understanding,

or loving when it counts. And when it comes to

those outside your clan, treat them like family, too.

Chances are good you’ll reap what you’ve sown.

Rule 4:
Talk less.
Listen more.
Give others the space to speak. Nothing is more

conducive to learning what someone else

needs — family, friend, or colleague. But don’t

stop there. Be absolutely present. Drop the

distractions and give your undivided attention

to whatever you do.

Rule 5:
Love what
you do.
Do what you
love.
It’s the simplest rule of all ­— but not always

the easiest to apply. It’s said that if you follow

your passion, everything falls into place. We

can’t guarantee your dreams will come true, but

we can tell you that loving what you do makes

the difference between living life and loving life.

We know. Because we love what we do.

Rule 6:
Just be NICE .
Sounds simple enough, but in practice we could

all use a reminder. “That kid you dismiss will

be your boss one day.” This was a favorite in our

house, and one that will always ring true.

Everyone deserves kindness, and you never know

who someone is, was, or will be. But if you treat

them with the Golden Rule, you’ll be golden, too.

Rule 7:
Do your
homework.
It’s the lesson that delivers time after time:

Be prepared. Research every angle. Walk in

with answers to questions you’ve yet to hear.

And take detailed notes. Writing it down makes

it stick. And sticking with it makes the grade.

Rule 8:
Know your
neighbors.
And your neighborhood. We’ve learned that people

make the place, and communities thrive when

people connect. Support, protect, and partner with

those around you. Building relationships builds

a better place to nurture the next generation.

Rule 9:
Play hard.
But
play fair.
And always know the rules going in. Life can

be tricky and not everyone plays on the up and

up. But staying on the right side comes with

its own rewards. Stick to absolute honesty, sound

knowledge and doing your best. Those who do

usually win in the end.

Rule 10:
Ask how you
can help.
It’s the first and last thing Tom reminds us to ask

each day. And it might be the most important of

all. Because we believe that without community,

without helping one another, life has a little less

meaning. And we each have something to offer.

We’re
The Rhodes
Group.
How can we help you?

TheRhodesGroup.com