"Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can't be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them."
There is one thing that is impossible to reproduce or copy no matter who our competitors are, and that's being genuine. Nothing beats it.
Branson relates this to the key to success in running the Virgin empire he created. As he said, "caring about people is important." Somewhat of an understatement? Not really. We hear it all the time and yet very few get it or practice it. To be effective it must be real - it can't be a strategy. It's not something that can be turned off or on at will.
One thing that most people know is when someone is showing genuine care and interest in them and when someone is putting on an outward show for their own benefit.
Branson's right about the fact that you can't be a good manager unless you really like people. And he's also right that when you care about them you birng out the best in them.
He also reinforces this message across all his companies and those that run them.
In the end, bringing out the best in our people is something that can't be reproduced by anyone else. It's something unique to our businesses and those we serve.
Something I've noted throughout the years is when you genuinely care for people, whether it's customers or our workers, it's surprising how forgiving of our mistakes they are and the chances they give us to serve them over and over again.
Don't underestimate the part of human nature that likes to be liked. It covers more mistakes than anything else and brings results beyond anything I can think of or have seen.
Other Richard Branson Resources:
Richard Branson's Virgin Success
Thoroughly postmodern billionaire
Richard Branson's latest adventure will take Virgin into space
Richard Branson - Life - Philanthropy - Money
Richard Branson, Business Personality
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» You can't be a good leader unless you generally like people. from BizzBites.com
"Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can't be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them." [Read More]
Tracked on: April 30, 2007 8:57 PM | Permalink to Trackback