Two tips I learned from 30 years of business warfare.

This is a short blog. Which is ironic because it took me 30 years to learn what I share here.

Read carefully please. This will save you a world of pain.

When things are going well, when then results are good, when it seem you can do no wrong, be sure you don’t get taken in by your own bullshit. We are never as good as we think we are. And be careful too, not to surround yourself with yes-men, sycophants, and brown-nosing acolytes, who feed you what you want to hear and seduce you into complacency and arrogance. For it’s just at that time that the biggest fall is imminent. Self-satisfaction is what stifles growth, innovation, risk, and hunger.

Equally, when everything goes wrong, every decision seems to backfire, and your dreams are crumbling, do not believe you have no talent just because at that moment others around you are not able to recognise it. Before you write yourself off as a failure, as wrong, as mediocre, as ‘not up to it’, just check you have not surrounded yourself with deadbeats, dingbats, drop-kicks, and doomsayers, who bring you down and stunt your dreams.

That’s it.

Maintain perspective.

On yourself.

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UK recruiters! The Savage Truth Tour is back! London and Manchester in April 2014. ‘Remake. Remodel. Future Proof Recruitment’.

And the rest of you, stand by. Tours of Australia, NZ, South Africa and Asia, are planned for 2014. Details to come.

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Comment by Tim Spagnola on February 25, 2014 at 10:22am: Sound sound advice Greg! Not only for recruiters and HR folk, but all professionals. I hope there was not too much pain along the way, but great insights and reminders that all can appreciate.

Comment by Keith D. Halperin on February 25, 2014 at 1:03pm: @ Greg: "And be careful too, not to surround yourself with yes-men, sycophants, and brown-nosing acolytes, who feed you what you want to hear and seduce you into complacency and arrogance."

I can't speak for British businesses and organizations, but if American businesses and organizations did that, the economy would likely take a major it, as everyone who makes money off the GAFIS (Greed ,Arrogance, Fear, Ignorance/Incompetence, and Stupidity) of the people in charge would have to find some other means of support.

Cheers,

Keith

Comment by Greg Savage on February 25, 2014 at 4:19pm: @ Keith, Wow, that is a dismal picture you paint of American biz leadership Keith! I hope you are exaggerating little for effect. As for British businesses and organisations, I cant speak for them either. I am from Australia

Comment by Keith D. Halperin on February 25, 2014 at 5:24pm: Thanks, Greg: Dismal- not at all! If you're one of the 0.1% who essentially own the country, things haven't been this good (controlling a greater shear and increasing share of wealth and income) for you since the 1920s. You wrecked the economy, cost millions of Americans their jobs and homes, and not only did noo one go to jail, many of you continued to get fat bonuses.

I saw the UK Recruiter's notice, so thought you were a Brit.- no offense! ;)

As far as Australia:vs. the US:. while you have Gina Rinehart. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gina_Rinehart), we have the Koch Brothers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_activities_of_the_Koch_brothers) and MANY more, and they're very well organized (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_for_Growth, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Crossroads, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council)

Cheers,

Keith