When talking to different groups of students and budding entrepreneurs, I am frequently asked, “Do you have any tips for those of us desiring to go into the business world? And are there any secrets to the trade?” Members of the Committee of 200 are often asked similar questions when we visit with business students around the world.
I almost wish I could tell them that success is easily found in a three-step process or that there is an underground club all successful professionals join to learn the secrets of the trade. For type-A people like myself, the biggest issue with business is that we want everything to be from A-B – as straightforward and simple as possible, but that will never happen in the business world and especially, not for an entrepreneur.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. The answers cannot be found in a contribution like this, but there are some tips that have served as valuable reminders through the years.
Find Something Worth Fighting For and Keep Your Standards High
This may be the only time someone may say this, but we can learn something from our favorite pop-music star, Lady Gaga, on business strategy. In her keynote interview during SXSW, Gaga, dressed in dreadlocks and what appeared to be a trash bag, said “I would give it all up tomorrow if I had to sell my soul. I will retire from the commercial market if I can’t be myself… Don’t sell out to this business. Sell in.”
While the statement was focused on the music industry, her message remains true for business. The best way to find long-term success and happiness is to find good intentions for getting into business and remaining true to those standards. If the reason is money, you will be missing your target and find yourself searching for new meaning five to ten years down the road. The key is to always find something that is worth fighting for and staying true to yourself.
Dress for the Job
Everyone has a dream job in mind. Children and young adults alike are bred to have an answer when people ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Looking back on my career, I have realized that the business world misses the important questions around what it takes to get that dream job. It is time to shift the conversation. Instead of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” ask people “What are you focusing on now in order to reach your goals?”
There will inevitably be a time in everyone’s career where they will not have the dream job, and the approach to that job makes all the difference. Two things are important when stuck in this situation. One, realize that it happens to everyone and you are not alone. Two, if you want to be the CEO, dress the part every day. This especially means when you don’t want to go to work on a Thursday morning or when the closet door is open and you are asking yourself “is it worth it?” to wear the more professional dress or tie. It is always worth it, but it isn’t always easy. A helpful tip is to remind yourself to dress for the job you want and the clients you are striving for.
Employees You Can Trust > Best Talent
Don’t discredit this statement. Companies and startups should be focused on the smartest and most talented recruits, but this only holds true if trust and similar values are already built as a foundation in that recruit. The biggest loss a company can have is from internal error. I have made this mistake in the past, and the damage control it takes to correct a wrong hire is not only costly, but emotionally draining as well.
Value Face-to-Face Interactions. Business is About Relationships
When the Internet is at your fingertips and cellphones are on everyone’s hip, is there a bonus to interacting with your co-workers and clients face-to-face? Always. When the glamorous high rises of corporate life and the conference calls are stripped away, the origins of business came from developing relationships with others to make life easier for those around them. Take the time to get to know the people around you and business will actually become easier. This means not only in the office, but going to lunch, flying to meet with them, and valuing walking to their desk to say ‘hi’ and see how they are doing with their work. An email cannot adequately display emotions or intentions like a lunch meeting can.
And last but not least:
Listen
For extroverts, like me, this is often easier said than done. However, the most productive meetings I have ever had required that I ask the right questions and truly tune in and listen to what the others person has to say. Not only will you get verbal clues, but, their body language will tell you a lot. Always look people in the eyes. It shows you care about them and are interested to hear what they think.
