Dad believed the measure of a human being is, in large part, how they treat the people who can’t do anything for them. The Colonel said, “People will be watching you. They will measure your character by the way you treat those who report to you.” It’s easy to treat people well if we want or need something from them or if they are perceived to be in a higher position than we are. However, how we treat the rest of the population—those who report to us or who are lower in the organizational chart—is what really defines us.
When I first joined the National Speakers Association, I was relatively green and eager to learn the ins and outs of the speaking business. NSA was founded on the premise that, as we help each other get better, the entire speaking industry gets better and grows as a result. During my first six months in the association, I met many people who had achieved what I was hoping to achieve. Some dismissed me entirely as not worth their time, while others saw me as a rookie target and were eager to sell me their consulting services on how I could become a million-dollar speaker. Luckily, there were fewer of those than ones who genuinely wanted to help me. Those who really took a genuine interest in me, with an authentic desire to help me build my potential, eventually shined through. One speaker, in particular, had been in the business for over 25 years. She offered her time, expertise, insights, contacts, and marketing resources to help me build to a level where (theoretically) I didn’t need her anymore. She has never expected anything in return. Of course, we have become very good friends, and I will always need her in that capacity. I respect and admire her a great deal.
Now that I have achieved a portion of the success I aspire to, emerging speakers often approach me, wanting to “pick my brain” and ask questions. While I know my time is valuable, I always take the time to offer whatever wisdom I can. I gauge how I treat the “up-and-comers” based upon how I was treated and endeavor to make them feel valued while giving freely to help them build their own success. Furthermore, many of those who initially dismissed me now want to get to know me better and build collaborations or partnerships. Fortunately, I now have a solid indication of how they will treat smaller-fish clients and session participants who, perhaps, have no further financial opportunities. Because of that, I pick and choose who I respond to very carefully.
How you treat those who report to you and those who seemingly can do nothing for you is a measure of your character, and people notice.
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.