How to keep the respect of your peers
It's been an exhilirating week to say the least and my excitement levels are sky high.
The magnitude of market opportunity in Atlanta and the ability for a bespoke marketing services company like Marketing Eye to provide small businesses with a complete outsourced marketing department is incredible.
When you move to a new city, the first thing you do is connect or reconnect with people you know or have met before. It's a great opportunity to touch base and to engage with people, get updates on everyone's lives and start off where you left off.
The magnitude of market opportunity in Atlanta and the ability for a bespoke marketing services company like Marketing Eye to provide small businesses with a complete outsourced marketing department is incredible.
When you move to a new city, the first thing you do is connect or reconnect with people you know or have met before. It's a great opportunity to touch base and to engage with people, get updates on everyone's lives and start off where you left off.
I have learnt a lot this week about people and its interesting to see how people view you from either close up or afar. One of the things people say is that I am "consistent" and that what stands out are my set of values and ethics.
So you can imagine my surprise when not one, but a number of people, asked me to ensure that I have little or no contact with a person who may have done wrong in the past. While I have long forgiven them, it was interesting how much people around me made it clear that it is important that I don't engage with this person. In fact, they have gone as far to say that they would "lose respect for me" if I did. Is it that Americans are more forward in what they believe in? Or are Australians just so laid back that we try to not let these things worry us. I really couldn't care less, but I do care about what people I like think of me and how they view me.
Now, the reason I am sharing this with you is because in business this happens too. You work with people and perhaps former employees who are not honorable or trustworthy and lack the same values as you. You may do it for money or because you see a business opportunity that is too good to refuse. But have you ever stepped back and thought about how others view you in this situation. Do your employees respect that you "suck up" to someone who has bad mouthed your company or stolen from you? Do your clients think that you are the company for them when you take on a new client that perhaps has a reputation that is not so desirable?
So often our personal lives reflect on our business lives and its important that if you do have values (and I hope you do!), that you stick to your guns and be consistent. People will always admire and respect people that are consistent and who have values that they uphold to.
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Melinda
25 Feb 2013Values and ethics that you uphold in your personally life should ideally be translated into your business life as well. However, it is always an uphill struggle considering the cut-throat corporate sector you may find yourself in, with rivalry rife and numerous 'grey areas'. The key is to stay true to yourself and to know where to draw the line. There is no point procuring up a facade only for it to start wearing away over time. A little bit of optimism, realism and some savvy street smart skills will get you a long way, without the need for compromising your standards.
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