Years ago, a client asked me to help get an article written about their company in a major newspaper. When I approached that newspaper’s business writer, he said, “No.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because they’ve snubbed us for years when we’ve tried to cover them,” he replied.
My takeaway? Relationships matter. How you treat someone matters. How you regard others day in and day out MATTERS.
A wise mentor posted a saying behind his desk and I copied it: You can measure the value of a person by how they treat someone who can do nothing for them in return.
When executives call for help to get out of sticky–often embarrassing–situations, I have to probe deep in the past to ask about their relationship with reporters, colleagues, employees and others. Those answers help immensely in predicting how fast their ship is sinking.
The better approach is to not shoot holes in the floor of the ship in the first place.