I got an interesting call recently from an executive recruiter who was checking a reference on a guy I used to work with. We were both senior-level managers at the same company for several years. I hadn’t seen or thought much about “Bob” since I left the company a long time ago. But as soon as the recruiter mentioned his name and asked me what I thought, I had an instant reaction. What an [insert noun describing posterior body part here]. I remembered reaching out to Bob a number of years ago with an email and getting, how do you say in English, blown off? Which wasn’t a surprise when I reflected on Bob’s demeanor at work.

I didn’t tell the recruiter that Bob was a jerk (you thought I was going to say something else, right?).  I did note that Bob had a strong intellect but  no humility; was very focused but had no people skill; could produce great work alone but with others, not so much. Which could all be a perfect combination depending on the job, which in this case was the chief operating officer of a large company.

So what’s my point?

Life is long. Will my appraisal be meaningful as Bob seeks his next job? Probably not. But it would not have cost Bob, and it will not cost you, a dime just to be nice to people in your business dealings. One day you will meet them again, or someone else will ask them about you, and perhaps their viewpoint will be the one that tips you to a huge success, or to be passed over. 

Use your emotional intelligence to get people to support you, by supporting them whenever possible, and being courteous. I have reached out a hand to assist hundreds of colleagues, friends, and acquaintances over the years, and I’m sure so have you. My effort comes back to me ten times over. Some people describe me as “a really nice guy.” I used to not like being thought of as “nice” because it sound boring. The older I get though, the happier I am that many people think I am nice. It makes me feel good to be nice, and I  know that, because I try to be nice, people reach out to help me when and ask, and even when I don’t.

Tags: career management, emotional intelligence

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Should young people in their Thirties or even Twenties buy franchises?

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that franchisors are targeting young franchisees to replace the old fogeys Baby Boomers who are nearing retirement age. The thinking is that younger franchise buyers, if they can raise the capital, will have have more energy and a fresh vantage point from which to attack a business plan. The naysayers include franchise experts like The Franchise King of Ohio, a franchise broker, who says to the youngsters:

 “You just don”t have enough business management experience under your belt, yet. You have not enough stress yet. You have not experienced enough in the business world. It’s nothing personal.”

Wow! What’s that about? My feeling is: bring ‘em on! I think young entrepreneurs are amazing. In my own franchise network,  there are  “kids” like Claudia and Rodney, a wonderful couple in their Twenties, who are tearing it up selling smoothies and leaving no stone unturned looking for new business. In my coaching practice, I have thirty-and-younger clients who are smarter, more aggressive, and more resilient than you’d think given their years. When I was a bit younger, at 42, I was president of a company whose CEO was around 28. He sold the company for $750 million a few years later. I worked for another 20-something who’s promotional products company is now doing $25 million+ a year in sales. And have you read the Crains NY Business Top Entrepreneurs list? Look at those pictures–some of those guys (and gals) don’t look like they shave yet. And remember Bill Gates and Michael Dell–both started their businesses in their dorm rooms.

Whether a young man or woman starts a franchise business or some other type of business isn’t the point. Younger people (I’m 52 now, so I think I can say this with some authority) have a view of the world that is entirely different from the Boomer generation. They are less patient, more collaborative, less hierarchical, as a rule less materialistic, more environmentally conscious and in many other ways a breed apart. So sorry fellow old timers, you can no longer credibly say that the youngins can’t do it bigger, better, faster and cheaper than wise old you.

Tags: entrepreneurship, franchise

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