how not to do things
Sometimes the best ideas on how to run your business come from looking at unsuccessful companies. Learning what not to do can be just as vital as learning what to do.
With that in mind, one of the founding partners of Unlimited Mileage sent me an exemplary list of How to Lose Friends and Infuraiate People. Most of us have been guilty of at least one of these from time to time, but reading them together in this context is a wonderful wake-up call.
Some particularly salient points:
- Be stingy with your thank you’s. After all, they just make people feel like you should be paying them more money.
- Permit inequities and conflict to persist. Remember that you’re too important to deal with employees’ petty tiffs.
- Give people the illusion of empowerment. Tell them they have control over a process, and hold them accountable for the results, but then micro-manage the process to meet your pre-determined ends.
It's all about the people.
Doesn't matter how great your widget is, how much money you have backing you, if you don't take care of your people your business will never be as strong as it could be.
Good lessons to learn.
2003.06.29 04:45 PM