PMC Thought #7: Heart of Success' Law No. 6: Keep the Common Touch

Oh boy! Am I excited or what?!  After a very long time, finally, I have the time and the opportunity to continue this series.  We are now on Law No. 6 of our featured book from Rob Parsons.  Let me repeat that law no. 6, :Keep the Common Touch.

In this chapter of the book, Rob mentioned a lot of anecdotes about people who never forgot to keep the common touch no matter where life had taken them.

What is the "common-touch" then?  Let Parsons explain it to us.  He said, "Remembering the common touch involves not taking ourselves too seriously, and making a habit of treating people with dignity, whatever their status in the Company.  When we practice this, we discover some rather fascinating benefits.  First, we will meet people on their way up the ladder.  The head of the sales will remember how you dealt with her when she was a fresh-faced junior.  Perhaps even more compelling is the fact that if ever you are forced to make your way down the ladder, it's best not to bump into those you stepped on, but are now on their way up.  In short, you will make fewer enemies, but even more important than that - you will carry people with you as you try to implement your plans and strategies.  People will give the benefit of the doubt more easily to those they respect and even simply like.  And we should never forget how vital the goodwill of the 'foot soldiers' is to the success of any Company."

I think you will agree with me if I will say that every now and then there are people who, because they walk with kings, forget who prepare the food they dine at night.  I am speaking figuratively and literally here.  What people of high status commonly forget is that it is the people at the bottom who serves as the base, the foundation.  Imagine any structure, what will happen if the foundation is weak?  As it gets higher and as more and more are adding up, it will eventually collapse.  I think, the people on top should consider this very carefully.  You cannot reach higher if the base is weak and hollow.  These are the people that the organization needs to be constantly minded of.  These people we often see as nameless faces are the ones who can make or break every organization.  It could be the security personnel who watches over your Company and your property at night.  It could be the staff who keeps your office clean so that every morning, when you start your day, you will have everything in place.  It could be your secretary, your assistant, who keeps records of all important meetings so you won't miss them.  It could be the lowest person in your chain of command, the one who does all the menial and "dirty" jobs for you so you can achieve your goals.  Never lose your common-touch with these people.  You may never realize it, but they can be as important as you are in your organization.

Now, let me share this poem (with emphasis on the last stanza) as a reminder for all of us to keep the common touch.

IF by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son! 

PMC Thought #6: Heart of Success' Law No. 5: Put Your Family Before Your Career

"Too often those of us heavily involved in the business world are in danger of losing out on our most important asset - our family" - Sir Tom Farmer, Chairman and CEO of Kwik Fit Holdings.

Of all the laws contained in the book Heart of Success, the first and this one are my favorites.

In this chapter, Rob Parsons discussed about the current environment for those individuals in the corporate or business world who are trying to make it to the top.  This chapter is also, if not, one of the longest.  Here, Parsons deal share a lot of stories and experiences about people who are trying to ahead of the race.

I am sure that you are not unfamiliar with stories of people trading hours and hours at the office or doing business thinking that they are doing it for their families and loved ones.  As Parsons said,

"We live in a society that so often measures our success by what we own, the kind of house we live in, the car we drive and where we can afford to go on holiday.  But we do well not just to ask the price of these things, but the cost - how much extra time we have to work to pay for them."

Indeed our time on earth is limited.  How are you spending your time in here?  How much do you spend with people who matter.

Let me share with you my own life story and that of the many who have labored at the expense of their relationships.

I worked for four years in the biggest professional services firm in the country. It is an environment where competition is high and expectations exceeds the height of the office building.  Maybe that's because it dedicated itself to hire only those that excel in their college days or in the licensure examination.  To cut the story short, I was one of the people who would report to work on weekends, stay awake at night and skip holidays for the sake of work.  My birthday falls during the so called busy season.  Even if I would like to take a leave and spend it with my family and loved ones, I have no other choice but to report for work.  My family missed me during those important days of my life.  And I missed it even more.  It matters to me.  The sad thing was, there were times you thought you've worked hard but your hard work didn't seem to be "hard" enough.

When I moved out of the firm more than a year ago, after four years of hard labor, do you think the firm missed me?  Yes, it is true that I earned every experiences and technical knowledge that I needed to land a higher paying job.  And I am thankful to the firm for rubbing off on me such kind of prestige, carrying its name in my resume.  But one thing I know, the firm didn't and won't even miss me.  I will be surprised if it's door would even remember me.  There are lots of young and more brilliant individual out there waiting to get in to its doors.  Why would I matter, especially now that I've left?

Rob Parsons asked, "Why would we live like that?  What amount of money or power would lure us into an existence where we have an incredible standard of living but such low quality of life?  What drives us is the illusion of the race."  Parsons continued, "Reality is the Olympic marathon runner, getting up at five in the morning to endure darkness and cold as he pounds the roads in training.  It is the forsaking of time with family, or friends, or entertainment, because of the immediate future the race must be all... And as he runs the  streets he dreams of the moment when he ascends the winner's rostrum and holds his medal high as his country's anthem is played."

"Now imagine the unthinkable," Parsons said.  "Imagine that the training was for forty years... But at the very last moment an official comes and says, 'There is no prize.  There is no medal.  The winner's rostrum was an illusion.'"

Before you came to the end of that 'forty-year-preparation' for the imaginary winner's rostrum in business and in work, weigh your priorities.  Are you really working for the people you love?  Are your really spending too much time at work so that you could have quality time with your family? For whom do you really work?

Parsons, also shared this story about a US business who went to small fishing village in Mexico.  Let me share it with your the shorter version that I've found from the internet.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City , Los Angeles , or even New York City ! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting, " answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

With just the hint of twinkle in his eye, the fisherman said, "Senior - are these business degrees hard to get?"

Sorry for the long post today.  I told you this is one of my favorite chapters.  There are lot more to learn in that chapter especially on the "Executive Briefing" section but I can't write it all down here for I have other 'relationships' I need to attend to (wink).

So if you are interested and you want to know more, I suggest you get the book.  It'll be worth every penny you'll invest.

"A man should never neglect his family for business." -Walt Disney

I do not say that you should not work hard.  What am I saying is just know your priorities.  And most of the time, it is the relationships that we often neglect.  Why?  Because we know that if all our suppliers, customers, employees, employers, creditors leave us, our family will still be there for us.  

To Your Success in Life and in Love,

J. Roy

Author of The Five Successful Ways To Fail (Things You Weren't Told About Success)