Working from home, actually, working for yourself, means that sometimes you lose perspective of how people work. You go inside yourself and you find your own way of working and expect people to follow suit.
It’s hard.
Part of my ethos is to “hustle with heart” which is all about finding ways to do business and carve out a good career without being, well, to put it bluntly…an arsehole.
Just think about shows like The Apprentice, I love these shows but absolutely hate how they portray women in business. Business doesn’t have to be all high paced and a struggle with who can shout the loudest. There’s a place to do business, which combines refinement and good manners – ergo, my version of hustling with heart.
Here are 20 ways which you can do business with charm…
1. Wait before replying to any negative emails or online comments. Take your time, cool down, even sleep on it but wait until your head is clear before shooting off a response.
2. Be honest with people.
3. Be the kind of person you’d want to work for.
4. Show gratitude for projects and to those you work with.
5. Quit being jealous, this will only harm your own ambitions.
6. Aim to be part of a solution, not the problem.
7. Under promise and over deliver – always.
8. Encourage and support others.
9. Know your shit. Keep up-to-date with what’s going on in your own industry.
10. Work out your own business ethics and let them guide any decisions and choices you make.
11. Step out from behind the computer once in a while; make that call, attend that meeting.
12. Never take calls, reply to emails or send texts when you’re in a business meeting (actually, this could expand to when you’re out for lunch or meeting a friend too – in a nutshell, it’s rude).
13. Try to help others whenever you can.
14. When emailing or texting, remember the recipient is human and consider your ‘tone’.
15. Sometimes you have to tell people things they don’t want to hear, do so kindly and constructively.
16. Accept compliments and celebrate your achievements with grace and modesty.
17. Remember your performance is a reflection on you, is it your best work?
19. Be kind, be inclusive and always remain engaged.
20. Never take yourself too seriously.