The respect with which Buffett treats his employees is characteristic of how he approaches all his relationships.
This is one of the vastly underrated characteristics that usually fly by someone's thoughts. After hearing it most will say something like 'yea, yea, now let's get to the important stuff.' They are dead wrong!
Most people wouldn't hesitate for a second to confirm that treating people with respect is important, yet the majority through their actions of course counterdict it.
A good way to learn this is simply look at the way someone handles really ignorant stuff. Anybody can be respectful to someone that has knowledge of a subject or whom themselves are respectful. That's not a hard thing to do for even a very bitter person.
But when you get the really dumb stuff and peopel with agenda bringing up things, it's there that the difficulty of 'respecting them in spite of it' comes in.
It simply can't be overstated the importance of how we treat people. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it can come back to haunt you when unscrupulous people attempt to get you back for how they perceive you've treated them.
This is one of the reasons why Buffett has been treated very easy by the media, as he doesn't really rock too many boats, and he makes fun of himself when they attempt to get under his skin or bring up controversial subjects. That has changed a little lately with his input on taxing people that are productive, but usually he doesn't enter into these types of arenas.
Respecting people, regardless of their views, is an powerful trait to have. That doesn't mean we can't disagree with or reject their ideas, it's the separating of the ideas from the person, and still treating them with respect which is the key here.
In business leadership it is becoming an increasingly important ability to have and develop, as a polarizing world is emerging around us.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) and Warren Buffett are respected worldwide based on this very principle.
Other Buffett Resources:
MSU students have special visit with billionaire Warren Buffett
Sticking to what you know Core businesses
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We talk about respect a lot but when the time to finally practice it comes, we suddenly get amnesia. You're right in pointing out that it's pretty easy to respect someone who is on a higher or equal ground with you. That's why anyone who respects even those beneath him or her has definitely earned mine.
Posted by: Jen, writer MembershipMillionaire.com | January 9, 2008 1:59 PM | Permalink to Comment