Latest news with #peoplebusiness
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The People Business
The most successful entrepreneurs I know are all in the same line of work: the people business. I don't care whether you're a master plumber, a car dealer, a real estate broker, or a dentist managing multiple offices. If year after year, you're meeting uncommon success, you've honed the secret of the masters. You insist on only win-win outcomes. Meeting and surpassing the needs of everyone with whom you do business pays dividends that rival any you'd gain in the stock market. There's no better advice I give than to consistently impress people with what you're able to do for them. Make no exceptions – not for your clientele, your employees, your advisory team, nor your own family members. Wow them all, and then step back and watch what happens. It took me years to fully understand this notion and put it into practice. Not many get this concept right out the gate. Nearly everyone is taught to first look out for themselves. After all, abandoning our own needs is futile. I don't know anyone who wants to be a professional doormat. But isn't that funny? So often, a doormat is the first image that comes to mind when thinking about always doing right by others. However, if you feel like you're at risk of becoming a doormat, then you're not in the people business. I specifically mentioned win-win outcomes at the start. If you're a successful entrepreneur, you have to be one of the winners in every equation. There can be no losers. At the close of each transaction, everyone walks away happier as a result of the deal. Want to be the best game in town? Then your reputation must prove it. Nobody besides you unclogs drains faster, sells cars with better warranties, closes home sales with more favorable terms, or installs dental crowns that last longer and look and feel flawless. Such distinction isn't simply good business; it's mandatory for those who want a spot at the top. Sounds too simplistic? Realize then that you're not only focused on winning over customers – you must continually win over your employees just the same. After all, you need your staff to be exactly like you: eager to please, and hungry to win. That's why I interview every employee my company hires. If their eyes don't light up when I discuss these principles, they don't get an offer. I can't risk hiring a lethargic employee, not when my staff comes to work every single day like I do, enthusiastic about smashing goals and winning over clients. They won't put up with a lazy coworker, and I wouldn't ask them to. Perhaps not surprisingly, all of my business advisors exhibit this same principle. I refuse to associate with anyone who smells remotely unscrupulous. It's the kiss of death, the antithesis of the win-win outcome. Each expert in my inner circle works in harmony with one another, everybody in their respective lanes but in constant communication so as to address concerns as they arise. Nobody feels left behind, and we all give credit where it's due. Some onlookers downplay the significance of harmony in the workplace. They chalk up success to mere chance rather than effective cooperation. In their unfortunate misunderstanding, they do themselves a grave disservice. Collaboration is key. You can't possibly get where you aim to go without it. Nobody knows enough nor has enough hours in the day to go it completely alone. Neither can you claw your way to the top. If you try, you'll be seen as an enemy of the people, and the ones you've clawed over will eventually hunt you down. Only by your reputation and accompanying track record will doors open for you. You don't create the path. The path reveals itself to you the more effectively you engage with others. When embarking on your mission, don't lose your humility. You will mess up. Failure is inevitable, but it won't be the kind of failure that ends your career. Instead, it'll be the kind that propels you, yielding newfound clarity on how best to proceed moving forward. More than half the journey involves learning from your mistakes. A brief word of caution: Be especially mindful of what type of mistakes you allow yourself to make. Forgetting an important detail is a lot more forgivable than being dishonest. Never let your mistakes revolve around bad character. The same goes for your associates. Make no allowances for unethical behavior. If you're brand new to this way of thinking, it can be a bit overwhelming. I equate it to drinking from a firehose. There's a lot to take in, yet you can only process so much in one sitting. The great thing about the written word is that you can revisit it as often as you like. So if what I'm illustrating seems insurmountable, remind yourself that anyone can adopt these principles with sufficient practice. The way to success is rooted in logic. Create sufficient value for others, and they'll likely return the favor. You'll not only win their loyalty, but you'll earn good press. The best advertisement is when your clients sing your praises. Naturally, you'll do the same for your associates, considering that you insist on only working alongside the best. Hopefully, you can now see why it's called the people business. It's about much more than trading goods and services. It's dealing in good faith, high esteem, and absolute trust that the right people usher in the best outcomes. You know this to be true. You have ample evidence of what happens when people are less than dependable. The ball gets dropped, deadlines are missed, and resources dwindle. We've all experienced such madness. The way out? Resolve to take the lead. Expect no one to change until you do. If you're stuck, then look to others who appear to be thriving. Take notice of their work ethic, their attitude, their refusal to complain, and their unwillingness to settle for mediocrity within themselves. It's a tall order for anyone just starting out, but know that it's not a race. It's a daily practice. Conserve your energy. You'll notice an infinite array of outside forces intent on stripping you of it. Develop a daily routine that preserves your sanity, and stick to it. Your success is largely determined by your vitality. Figure out how to maintain it. Here's a hint: tend to your basic needs first. Don't depend on others to do that for you. They have their own well-being to manage. Hone those fundamentals, and then watch what type of people you naturally attract into your life. When you're a perpetual uplifter, when you consistently light up a room, you become a magnet for the best and the brightest. Highly successful people tap you on the shoulder to collaborate with them. They need you just as much as you need them, and the synergy that results generates untold future success. It all makes perfect sense. Hardly anyone disputes the importance of work ethic, craftsmanship, cooperation, and a positive attitude. What most fail to account for are all the distractions that exist to steal your attention and make you forget that you're first and foremost in the people business. If there's one thing you should protect even more than your reputation, it's your focus. When you control your focus, you control your mind. And when you control your mind, you control your mood and subsequently, your ability to uplift those around you to establish rapport among the very people with whom you most wish to collaborate. Disclosure: Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 200 Broadhollow Road, Suite 405, Melville, NY 11747, 631-589-5400. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Northeast Private Client Group is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. CA Insurance License #0B36048, AR Insurance License #741545. Submission#: 7937217.1 Expires 5/2027 Material discussed is meant for general informational purposes only and is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon only when coordinated with individual professional advice. By providing this content Park Avenue Securities LLC and your financial representative are not undertaking to provide investment advice or make a recommendation for a specific individual or situation, or to otherwise act in a fiduciary capacity.
Arab News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
The optimism of young Saudis is my own daily dose of energy
If there is one thing I have learned from more than five decades in business, it is that to really succeed you must be in what I call the 'people business.' Prioritizing people has always been the cornerstone of how I lead — because when you put people first, everything else falls into place. It is the key to inspiring, managing and motivating those you work with every day. As an American working in Saudi Arabia for the past seven years — the people I have had the privilege to work with have been simply extraordinary. The warmth and hospitality, the professionalism, the enthusiasm and the desire to succeed has been far beyond my expectations. I can honestly say that it has been the greatest honor of my career to work with so many young, super-educated and passionate Saudis. And when you consider that the average age of our Saudi team at Diriyah is 31, their energy and dedication is a huge motivating factor for me 24 hours a day. From the beginning, my philosophy has always been, 'There is only one Diriyah,' and I am proud to say that it has been embraced throughout the Diriyah Company organization — at every level. The people we serve within an organization are noble individuals and must be treated with dignity and respect Jerry Inzerillo We always need to remember that the people we serve within an organization are noble individuals and must be treated with dignity and respect. Because when you do that — we all serve with our hearts. For many of the amazing young men and women we employ, working for a large-scale development company like ours can initially be overwhelming. That is why, from the very beginning, we established strong training principles designed to help individuals grow — not just as professionals, but as people too. This foundation has helped drive their careers on a steady upward path and, over the past year, it has evolved to include international opportunities through collaborations with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the London Business School. Since arriving in the Kingdom, I have always been amazed at the hospitality and the welcome I have received. It is something I see everywhere I go, and I know that is a sentiment shared by millions of international visitors arriving in Saudi every year. Any preconceptions about visiting this wonderful, undiscovered country disappear the moment they arrive and start to meet and engage with the wonderful people of this nation. At Diriyah, we have hosted hundreds of heads of states, sporting superstars and other luminaries in recent years. For me, what truly highlights how special Saudi Arabia is today is seeing visitors walking through Diriyah. Relaxed, curious, exploring and wide-eyed with what they are discovering around every corner of At-Turaif or walking along Bujairi Terrace, the newly opened Zallal or staying at our beautiful Bab Samhan Hotel. Sharing that same sense of wonder I had all those years ago, when I first saw how much untapped potential Saudi Arabia has and what it can offer to the world. My message to all is that to succeed in life — both at work and at home — you need to serve with all your heart Jerry Inzerillo These visitors and I have met so many young Saudis who are passionate, fired up and energetic about the transformation of the nation and the rich opportunities on offer thanks to Vision 2030 and the energy shown by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. I have often joked with colleagues that the optimism and positivity shown by these young Saudis is my own daily dose of energy. One thing that is very close to my heart — and a message to the incredible people I work with — is that we always need to remember that service is nobility. And it is something we have a duty to pass on to the next generation, who will continue to shape the future of a country that is advancing more rapidly and progressively than anywhere else in the world today. My message to all is that to succeed in life — both at work and at home — you need to serve with all your heart. There are no shortcuts, and it is important to remember that, in life, you ultimately get out what you put in. And finally, when it comes to our Diriyah team — I always ask them to remember that we are building something extraordinary out of the 300-year-old birthplace of the First Saudi State. A place that is to the Kingdom what the Colosseum is to Rome and the Acropolis is to Athens. All are welcome. Please come visit and see for yourself. 'There is only one Diriyah.' • Jerry Inzerillo is the Group CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
