Everyone who works does business, whether employees or employers, blue or white-collar workers, entrepreneurs or investors. That is why it should come as no surprise that the principles of business success can be translated to your success–whatever your profession may be. Here are six ingredients for success that anybody can use for their advancement.
1. People before profit
Compare the conniving salesman who pressures you to buy that pricey item you don’t need with a salesperson who seeks your interests in picking a more relevant and economical product. It’s obvious which one you will keep going back to! Any actual business must be profitable (i.e., the bottom line). However, many companies and individuals make a huge mistake when they fail to value every relationship in their line of work–clients and company personnel. When you or your business decide to do this, you will be noticed, promoted, and become even more profitable!
2. Quality isn’t expensive
The flip side of “people before profit” also means you care about the service or product you are supplying and, if you’re employed, your boss too! It means you aim for excellence, which might often be overlooked but is crucial for the success of any business or career. You can’t beat the reputation you build because of the high-quality work you produce. Indeed, neglecting quality is an expensive option.
3. Lead your people
Leadership is in extremely short supply everywhere you go. When you decide to be a good leader, whether leading a team of 500, your family, or just the cat at home, things change for good. Leading is the very opposite of reacting. When you decide to lead, you will stand out as being different. That initiative you show is what will take your company and your career forward.
4. Embrace failure
Nothing great is ever achieved by those who fear failure. That is true of any area in life, whether it’s about the courage to ask the love of your life to marry you or take your company to uncharted territory. Failure is perhaps one of the most outstanding teachers we can learn from, especially when we make sure to bring along perseverance to the party. This has got to be one of the most seemingly counter-intuitive secrets of success; befriending failure gets you on the fast lane to success!
5. Make everything better
Ever heard this one, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? That right there is the ingredient for mediocrity and losing out big time, especially when competition is the game’s name in your business (and which industry isn’t competitive, really?). You must continually improve your domain, work, and job, even if it’s working out fine the way it’s been for years. You will need to watch out; people generally hate change–especially when it seems like they will have to work more–so you must employ a lot of tact, diplomacy, persuasion, and sensitivity in such situations. But what are you waiting for if it’s just you in the picture?
6. Enjoy life; enjoy success
Many people think success is about being profitable. As we have seen, it isn’t. If you want success in your job or business, strive for success outside of work. You may know someone who seems to have it all but is never happy or satisfied. Stress and sadness can kill. So never lose sight of the most fundamental aspects of life: love, health, and joy. There is not a single cent out there that is worth sacrificing those things for.
