There are rarely simple rules to follow that can be applied the same way across a variety of situations. Blanket rules are good for ensuring alignment of behavior with cultural norms but they rarely end up being truly one-size-fits-all.
One of the keys to success is knowing when to follow the rules and when to go a different direction. It’s not as easy as it would seem because sometimes it’s best to follow the rules, get a bad outcome and then let the follow-up fix the problems. Other times it’s best to accept a sub-optimal result because having easy to predict outcomes has significant benefits.
My own method of understanding when to color outside the lines involves predicting the reactions of those impacted by both the rule breaking and the result. There is usually a dichotomy where some are upset by breaking the rules and others upset by the result. Rarely do you make everyone happy. This part is hard though because you need to be able to understand people which is really hard for a lot of people.
To understand others you must first understand yourself. Introspection is scary. What really are your motivations? What drives you to do what you do? Why did you react strongly to that comment? Why do you talk more in this type of meeting than everyone else? Are these behaviors good, bad, sometimes good, neutral? It’s hard to judge yourself neutrally but it is great practice for understanding others.