Think Business is Cut-Throat?
Do you believe in angels? How would you like to employ “better angels” in your business?
Over the weekend, I read Win with Decency, a short book by Douglass and Lisa-Marie Hatcher.
Their premise is that you do business best by positive treatment of every individual and organization the business comes in contact with. This would include:
- Employees.
- Customers and clients.
- Suppliers.
- Contractors.
- Service providers.
- Your community.
- Shareholders.
- The “man on the street” – everyone else you encounter, however casually.
You may wonder at my listing employees above customers and clients. Aren’t customers and clients a vital concern of every business? Yes, absolutely! However, your employees will treat your customers and clients only as well as you treat them.
The Hatchers identify five human qualities which best accomplish this:
- Humility
- Empathy
- Vulnerability
- Gratitude
- Generosity
In the first five chapters, each discussing one of these qualities, they
- Define the quality.
- Tie the quality to business storytelling. (The Hatchers use business story-telling extensively in their coaching business.)
- Make the business case.
- Show you at least one way you can transform the quality into an applicable skill.
- Give you examples of who’s using the skill for better business. An example company they cite in Chapter 5 (generosity) is Chobani Yogurt. We discussed Chobani here about a year ago..
In Chapter 6, they wrap these concepts together to Win with Decency in a very human way. In this chapter they refer to Carol Dweck’s great work on fixed and growth mindsets, which we discussed here a few weeks ago.
Consider using these ideas to do better business. Of course, you’ll also foster better personal relationships with everyone involved.
