I was in a department store shopping for a dress shirt some time ago and happened to see a book that caught my eye. How to Be a Gentleman is a short, simple book that teaches us what we already know, but forgot. Dress well. Practice manners. Listen twice as much as you speak. Say “please” and “thank you.”
Often times we are so busy with the daily grind that we forget the basics. We forget how to be gentlemen. All it requires is a friendly reminder (the book above is an excellent refresher).
Getting Back to the Basics
Sometimes we get off-course in business, too. In our haste, we sometimes forget how to act. I have always thought of businessmen in very much the same way I think of gentlemen. Handshakes. Principles. Honesty.
Yes, business is about making profits, but it’s much more important to do something you love. To make a difference. To do something your children will be proud of.
Businessmen don’t abdicate responsibility by saying “I just work here” – they take responsibility and show initiative. They choose not to complain, because complaining doesn’t do anyone any good. Real businessmen take pride in their work, and make sure it’s done right. They truly enjoy what they do.
I think it’s about time we got back to the basics of business. I think it’s about time we acted like businessmen (and women).
There isn’t a book titled “How to Be a Businessman,” but maybe there should be.
Brandon, how do you write such engaging posts? :) I love reading those little ettiquette books from time to time myself! Revisiting basics is something we all need to do to rejuvenate ourselves and focus on the big picture. We get so focused on details (“Am I tweeting the right thing?” “How should I improve my customer service?” “How can I manage my team?” “What’s the best way to present these comps to the client?” “Is my SEO bringing results?”), which are all IMPORTANT parts of the picture, yes …
… but when we focus on the reason we got into the business anyway, we revive that love and passion and when you’ve got love in it, everything falls into place. Your enthusiasm is contagious and your devotion incorruptible.
Of course, if you revisit the basics and find you are still unhappy … maybe it’s just time to “break up” and move on. Either way, always chase love first and profit second.
@Havana – Thanks, you’re too kind!
I completely agree… if you’ve gotten back to the basics and still don’t love what you do (for few months, not just a day) then maybe it is time to move on to something else. I feel another blog post coming on… :)
No problem. I really liked the post. :D
Actually, realizing that I was unhappy, returning to basics, and examining WHY I was unhappy set a foundation for me to review and evaluate my current business plan and figure out where I want to go instead. Now to actually set aside time where I can devote to doing this review .. :P