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How to Deal with Someone You Do Not Like

How to be Honest About Yourself in Business. Part 3

In the previous post in this series, Erik described a jaw-dropping experience that happened at the recent IT Nation conference. Keynote speaker, Marcus Lemonis, star of the CNBC reality show, The Profit laid his life and soul bare in front of thousands of leaders in the IT services industry.

To read about how and why he did it:

Click here for Part 1: How to be Honest About Yourself in Business.

Click here for Part 2: Brutal and Honest Truths about Being a Powerful Leader.

Two Angry Business Man Agruing Talking, Businessmen Chat Sitting Office Desk Concept Communication Problem Flat Vector Illustration

Everybody has somebody they like more than others in their place of business. But what about those people you truly don’t like? And what if they work for you?

Keynote speaker, Marcus Lemonis, star of CNBC’s The Profit, asked the audience this question:

“If you have someone working for you or have someone inside your business that you wish did not work for you, please stand up.”

Stand up…and address the problem

About half of those in attendance did. (I did not. I very much love my team).

He said to those who were standing, “I’m very much ashamed of you! How could you have someone working for you that you don’t want…and you aren’t doing anything about it?”

He paused and stared directly at those who were standing. He continued, “My question to YOU is WHY?”

Marcus explained that it’s our duty as business leaders to understand how the people who work for us are doing and how they impact the team.

The job you NEED to do

“If you’re standing right now, you have some work to do.”

To those in the audience who were standing, Marcus issued this challenge:  “Go back to your group and tell the story of what just happened here in the last five minutes.”

He told the people standing to admit to their team members that they had been one of the people standing.

He advised them to:

  1. Apologize to their team
  2. Take ownership and explain that the situation was allowed to develop because you, as a leader, let it.
  3. Commit to building a situation where greater honesty can take place.
  4. Start over with that person. Chances are, with this insight, you’ll develop a much better relationship and they’ll respect you even more.

Reaffirm that culture is critical

What I heard at the conference was an affirmation to me that the work we’ve been doing with our culture, here at Mavidea, is on track.

Sometimes, people will tell me that we put too much of a priority on these types of issues. I’ve always disagreed with that.

We’ve always believed in having a healthy business. And having that kind of business depends on having a healthy relationship within each Mavidea team and between each Mavidean.

It was refreshing to hear someone as well respected and within the public eye as Marcus address this.

3 takeaways for building a healthier culture

  1. Ask yourself how well your team knows you. And be honest with yourself. Have you shared what you’re scared of? Have you shared information that can help them connect at a more emotional level with you? I’m not advocating that there isn’t a limit to what you share, but there’s probably some opportunity to improve it. If they can understand that you’re a human, then you’ll have an opportunity to have a better relationship among the employees at your company. And that translates to more horsepower to drive your business.
  2. If you have someone you don’t want to work for you, it needs to be addressed. You’re the leader. It’s your responsibility to develop healthy relationships with everyone on your team. You need to ensure that they’re producing what you expect and you’re clear about the standard you expect for their performance. If someone’s name comes to mind as you read this article, take care of it today. Everyone will benefit from that conversation.
  3. You’re not alone. Being a leader can be a lonely thing. In that audience, I witnessed as thousands of people realized that there are many other people with the same struggles, the same tragic past and unhealthy feelings. Lots of other people are struggling with the same stuff every day. Don’t be ashamed of the past and the things that make you the person you are today. Use them to make a positive impact on your business and a positive example for the other people on your team.
  4. A BONUS: Remember, you never know when, by dealing honestly with this kind of stuff, you might have the power to change someone’s life. Or save someone’s life. Always. Do it.

A final note on my experience with Marcus Lemonis at IT Nation

What I’ve described in these three articles is just a brief snippet of what transpired at the IT Nation event. Please go see Marcus yourself if you get a chance to get the full experience.

For me, it was one of the most raw and moving experiences I’ve ever witnessed.

And I’m not alone. Some people said it was the best speaking experience they’ve ever been a part of. It’s because the thoughts he shared are so important to what we need to do in our businesses.

Stay in touch with future conversations

I post here on the subject of company culture several times a month. To stay in touch, please subscribe. And I always welcome your comments. You can send them to me here.

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