DO UNTO OTHERS AS THOUGH THEY WILL ONE DAY DO UNTO YOU

"Mighty things from small beginnings grow."

John Dryden (1631-1700) British poet, dramatist and critic.

Which teaches us, or should, not to ignore what first appears to be small, insignificant, of little consequence, particularly other people.

We could be working for them one day.

NOW THAT'S REALLY STUPID!

"Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo."

H. G. Wells (1866-1946) British-born American author.

This applies equally well in our personal and professional lives, but for the moment, just think about how it relates to work.

Being honest, how many of your co-worker's ideas do you oppose because you didn't think of them first?

TELL ME WHAT IS, NOT WHAT YOU THINK WHAT IS

"Opinions are a private matter. The public has an interest only in judgments."

Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) German philosopher

We want answers. 

Moreover the "public" is not an anonymous collection of "other" people; it's all of us in every aspect of our lives.

Remember that the next time you find yourself wondering what your employees are thinking.

WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? WE ARE!

"That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part."

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) third president of the United States

Just as true in business where it's called "employee engagement."

Your employees may acknowledge you as being in charge but it would be much better if all felt as though they were.

WHICH ONES WHEN?

"Every good servant does not all commands."

William Shakespeare 

Late 16th/early 17th century British poet/playwright

If you are just beginning your business career you are likely saying, "Hah! I knew that."

If you are farther along, with employees reporting to you, you might be saying, "True, but do all my commands."

And if you are at or near the end of your career your reaction might be, "Yes, but the hard part is knowing which ones when."

I'LL (NEVER?) FORGIVE YOU!

"Like fragile ice anger passes away in time."

Ovid 

1st century BC Roman poet

Or should.

If you're still nursing a grudge, if not outright anger, towards someone else, to what end?

Doing so is childish.

SO, WE MEET AGAIN!

"We only part to meet again."

John Gay

17th century English poet and dramatist

Even when you neither want nor expect to.

Be careful what you say when leaving one company for another.

Your parting words could come back to haunt you.

The world is a small place.

A LAUGHING MATTER

"If I am not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there."

Martin Luther 

15th century German priest and scholar

Nor work for that matter.

Memo to the boss: Lighten up! 

There's nothing wrong and plenty good about having fun at work.

Cold Hard Reality

"To aim is not enough, you must hit!"

German proverb

This does fly in the face of all our exhortations to our children that doing their best was more important than winning, doesn't it?

But at work?

Either you do or you'll end up not doing somewhere else.

What Do You Really Think Of Me?

"The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages"

Virginia Woolf

Early 20th century British novelist

Are you concerned about what those below you, your peers, and those above you at work think about you?

You should be and not out of ego or to be liked.

You need them and they you if you are all to succeed.

I'll Never Forgive You

"Everyone should keep a mental wastebasket, and the older he grows, the more things he will promptly consign to it."

Samuel Butler

17th century British poet

I propose a minor but I believe critical change to this.

" . . . the more things he should promptly consign to it."

We all hold onto too much, particularly perceived slights.  

What's the point?  Let the small stuff go.

What's In It For Us?

"When a match has equal partners then I fear not."

Aeschylus

5th century BC Greek dramatist

The implication being, one should fear when there is not equality.

For a contract to be valid the law requires benefit to both parties.

It is logical then that there must also be mutual benefit in business relations including those between managers and employees.

Win win or all too often it will be lose lose.

I Feel Your Pain?

"Those that will not hear must be made to feel."

German proverb

Maybe should be but how often will that happen, particularly in business?

Making people "feel" what they cannot "hear" is a lot more difficult than doing the reverse.

Undoing Mistakes

"Sometimes you must be cruel to be kind."

English proverb

If you find you've hired the wrong person, as cruel as you might feel, let them go.

Sooner Or Later They Will Be Heard

"A populace never rebels from passion for attack, but from impatience of suffering."

Edmund Burke

18th century British political writer

If your staff has grievances, hear them.

How Can I Help You?

"Masters who sacrifice for servants will receive the gift of loyalty."

Proverb

If you've never thought about what you should do for those who report to you, you should.

If not for them, for yourself.

Feared Or Willingly Followed?

"The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm."

Confucius

5th century  BC Chinese philosopher

As the boss you can easily be the latter, often without knowing that you are.

Try not to.

Everyone Thinks So!

"I guess the definition of a lunatic is a man surrounded by them."

Ezra Pound

20th century American poet/intellectual

You are a manager and everyone but one of your staff is convinced that one individual is wrong, the rest of them right.

While you understand why they feel this way, you privately wonder if she may be right, the rest of them wrong.

What do you do?

Carrots and Sticks

"There are two levers for moving men, interest and fear."

Napoleon Bonaparte

Late 18th/early 19th century French general

Just as in business.

Which do you use most often?

Which are you more likely to respond to?

Too Close To See The Value?

"Distance is a great promoter of admiration!!

Denis Diderot

18th century French philosopher

We do tend to admire those not close enough for us to see their flaws.

But it is your employees, the ones close to you, who will do the bulk of whatever it is you will accomplish.

Replace them if you absolutely cannot value them.

Reward them if you do.