Trust nobody
Or trust everybody?
Rule #1:
You may know the story of the shopkeeper who decided it was time to teach his young son about the business. He told him to climb up the ladder to the top shelf, then jump down into his arms. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch you. Trust me.” The boy jumped, his father stepped back and watched him crash to the floor. He looked at his distressed son and said, “That’s Rule #1. Trust nobody.”
But he was wrong. That’s no way to run a business.
You have to trust everybody. Until they prove otherwise. Even in a retail business where the two groups of people most important to you – your employees and your customers – may be stealing from you. After a few bad experiences, it’s easy to become cynical and distrustful. Causing them to feel the same way.
Don’t let it happen. You want to be liked, respected, and trusted. So do they. We all want to do business with people who have the same values, beliefs, and attitudes.
Keep positive and trust that employees will show up on time and do their jobs responsibly;
that customers will treat your staff with respect, appreciate your products and services, and pay their bills when due; and your suppliers and business partners will meet their obligations and deliver as promised.
It’s more fun and more profitable for everyone if we play by the rules and trust each other.
That’s Rule #1.
Be better. Do better. Be an enlightened entrepreneur.
Del Chatterson, your Uncle Ralph
Learn more about Enlightened Entrepreneurship at: LearningEntrepreneurship.com Read more of Uncle Ralph's advice for Entrepreneurs in Don't Do It the Hard Way & The Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide to Business Plans - 2020 Editions.
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