When I first moved to Italy, I was troubled by how many people, especially women, in powerful positions treated their employees badly. It was as if there were some unwritten rule that said that to get ahead you had to be mean, that anything less made you look weak, and therefore less valid as a leader. It was discouraging as up to that point I had only had wonderful mentors in high positions to look up to and model.
Fast forward about ten years. None of those people are in positions of power. Cooincidence? I do not think so. My theory is that a global crisis gives markets a chance to clean up their act. That, and when there's no more money, the baddies magically disappear.
When you do the right thing, work finds you. People, especially now, want to associate with the goodies. There is good reason for this. When you don't put your own interests first, businesses prosper.
Are you honest? Do you treat your employees, colleagues, clients with honesty, compassion, and respect? Are your business practices fair?
Word of mouth is the most effective communications tool we have and it is free. All the advertising money in the world will not help you if you are a jerk.
If people leave the room when you enter it, suddenly in a hurry to be anywhere else in the world just because you got there, you are costing your company more than you are creating.
For more on this, read my favorite study of how employing baddies really ruins your reputation internally and externally. Read this. please
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