Our founder and President, Ken Stoppel, shares his experiences and advice.
Here’s Ken’s Metaphor for Success #11:
If I could choose three words that epitomize a preferred code of honor, in conducting business, or interacting with those in our inner circle, those words would be…. Honesty, Dignity, and Respect.
With all due respect… Unless I’m missing something… Correct me if I’m wrong, but…
As stated, we all make mistakes. That’s how we learn and get better. When you find fault with what someone has done, or said, do so with Honesty, Dignity, and Respect. Believe me, in professional circles, “what goes around, comes around”. In other words, if you are openly harsh with someone, it will likely come back to you in greater numbers. In my experience, whether you’re correcting someone, terminating someone, or simply disagreeing with someone, you can do so with Honest, Dignity, and Respect. Additionally, when you are in that situation, you can almost always diffuse a difficult moment by using one of three phrases to preface your message, “With all due respect… Unless I’m missing something, or… Correct me if I’m wrong, but…” All people will be right some of the time, but no one is right all of the time.