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Aggressive Small Business Marketing & Advertising
Big thoughts, ideas and how-tos for aggressive, fast-growth businesses and the entrepreneurs who fuel them.
Business Disaster - “Yes (Wo)Man Incest”
Posted by Michael Cage on Tuesday, March 30, 2004The always excellent A Penny For... tipped me off to a blog by Mark Cuban, the wildly successful owner of the Dallas Mavericks (among other things.) He did an excellent post about The Passion of Business and the Business of Passion. Well worth a read. There is one thing in particular I want to comment on:
When that happens, you have done your homework and are confident in your position, and when I don't listen, raise your voice. Figuratively, literally, I don't care. I don't see decibels as a sign of disrespect. I see fear to communicate a needed message to me as a sign of disrespect.
As an entrepreneur becomes more and more successful, the people you surround yourself with become that much more important. Being able to get an objective opinion -- particularly when it differs from yours -- it an outright necessity. Without it, you can suffer from what I call "Yes-(wo)man Incest." Basically, this means not getting in fresh ideas and insights on how to maintain and adapt your business because everyone is busy in a contest to exclaim how fabulous you are. The results ain't pretty.
What Cuban talks about must be factored into hiring, and it is also one of the best reasons to cultivate a Mastermind Group (a la Napoleon Hill in the classic Think And Grow Rich.) I'll give the 5 second summary -- a Mastermind is a group of people with complimentary skills and goals who get together to bat around ideas and help each other on a regular basis. I'm involved with several, and there is nothing more valuable in my business life or my evolution as an entrepreneur.
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