Seth Godin is a fine stirrer and I like this list a lot. Demonstrating strength
- Apologise
I remember years ago a staff member taking me to task for apologising to a client for something that, almost certainly was the client's fault and from which I was defending another client. First client took exception to being stepped on and demanded an apology. She got one, without hesitation or qualification. My staff member didn't get that the apology took off the table the form of the issue, leaving only the substabnce to be dealt with, that said client was, in fact, an asshole and a bully and needed to be controlled. - Defer to others
Best way to learn anything is ask someone else to help you, its a pretty good way to make other people feel better about the day. Being helped is OK, being thought able to help is much better. - Avoid shortcuts
Ack!, guilty. - Tell the truth
It's cost me more than one contract. But then, I have no debts, no mortgage and a big garden, I can afford to tell the truth. - Offer kindness
I hope so. Especially to those close to me. - Seek alliances
I'm not as good at this as I might be, partly because of 4. - Volunteer to take the short straw
- Choose the long-term, sacrificing the short
I have a little mantra for those who always want to pluck the "low hanging fruit" or "get some easy runs on the board", do the hard stuff first, the easy stuff is always going to be easy, but going from the easy to the hard just makes the hard seem even worse." Most people aren't interested. - Demonstrate respect to all, not just the obviously strong
Yep. Doing my best when I'm taking potshots at the strong. - Share credit and be public in your gratitude
One of my trustees once said to me as we stood at the back of a room while a politician took all the glory for our hard work, "you can get a lot done if you don't mind who takes the credit". Yes
Risking the appearance of weakness takes strength. And the market knows it.
My one disagreement. The market doesn't know anything. Look at the state its in.
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