Secrets to Success #2 – The Golden Rule
21 April, 2008, 9:53 am
In the first of this series we talked about why having a purpose, a passion to change the world can make you successful in business. But it doesn’t stop there.
Do you recognize the picture to the left? It illustrates one of Aesop’s fables about a Lion who was kind to a mouse and later was rescued by that mouse. If you know the story, you know it took a lot of work, but eventually the Lion showed kindness to the pitiful creature. This is close to what we are going to talk about today. Kindness comes back to you.
One of the most important things you can do in business is follow the golden rule. In other words, treat people the way you want to be treated. This is especially important in the internet world. Sometimes the anonymity of the internet makes it easy to treat people poorly because they aren’t in your store, or at your desk. This is an easy temptation to fall into, but it is wrong and it will cost you in the long run.
I personally know a few internet marketers who hide behind their anonymity to sell some worthless product to as many people as they can. I am ashamed to admit that I know them, because they are being dishonest and would never want other people to treat them like that.
When someone asks me for help in a social network, I help them. If someone asks me to look at their blog and give them some feedback I do so. I don’t do it because I hope they will do me some kind of favor in the future (that would just be selfish). I do it because I probably can help them, and I would want someone else to help me if I needed it. 
I don’t really believe in karma per se, at least not some eastern spiritual form. But I do believe that built into the system is some inherent – what you do comes back to you – thing. It won’t always come back, to be sure, but one out of ten is a powerful percentage.
You see, if you help a bunch of people out, some of them won’t even say thank you and they won’t ever look at your site again. Some of them will say thank you and the STILL won’t ever look at your site again. But some will come back and tell others how helpful you are. They may subscribe to your blog, and even send your content on to friends and associates. These people make it all worthwhile. But you shouldn’t do it just for them or you won’t be successful. you MUST follow the Golden Rule in business so you will be the kind of person who takes care of people.
Here is the bottom line: If you are the kind of person who looks out for others, others will look out for you.
- Secrets to Success #1 – Change the World
- Business Etiquette In the Internet Community
- Secrets to Success #3 – I KNOW I Can
- A Quick Twitter Tip
- Did the Christians Get it Right? or not?
One thing I would add to your statement of helping others is time permitting.
I’m a strong believer in the Golden Rule and try to follow it at all times, but I’ve come across situations where people needing help simply couldn’t be helped in the time I could allot to the problem.
The above applies to people who e-mail directly or who are seeking help in public forums. (Sometimes they don’t understand that people are volunteering their time to help out and have false expectations.)
So, the Golden Rule go both ways; when asking for help, be mindful of the person’s time and limitations.
~ Teli
Teli, Thanks for your comment! You are absolutely right of course. Everyone has to live their own life and perform their own work as well.
thanks for helping me clarify my own thoughts
oooh – I haven’t thought of Aesop’s fable w/ the Lion and the mouse in a long time!
Yet – perhaps – that story made such an impact on me when I read it as a 5yr old that makes me live by it.
I can’t tell you how many janitors, secretaries or otherwise not-so-obvious employees in the chain of command have influence over the decision makers who you are trying to do business with.
To me – if you treat everyone with respect – no matter what their status is – that same respect will come back to you 10fold. (not to mention, you’ll be brightening that person’s day, b/c not everyone thinks like that…)