D.I. COLUMNIST
The Real Deal
I
with Tommy D'Aprile
recently attended a seminar on
business owners and their success. I
would like to translate this seminar in
short form to you. Many of you own
companies or race teams and are overseeing
many people. Now let me ask you this ever so
challenging question: How do you serve your
employees? Now many may say, “Serve? My
employees should serve me!” If you answered
that way, I can probably tell you the general
attitude of your company employees.
I went to a tire store one day and the gen-
eral manager came out to meet me. I told him
what I was looking for and he was quite friendly and eager to help
me. As I went outside to wait for another guy to show me the tire, I
witnessed this very kind and polite manager demean his employees.
He talked down to them and made it a point to devalue them.
As the scolded employee headed my way with the tire, I told him
how grateful I was that he was helping me. We struck up a nice con-
versation and I asked him how it made him feel to be treated in such
a way. He responded very bitterly and stated how he could not wait
to find another job where he was treated like a human being and not
a number. I quickly responded and told him how valued he was and
if the manager could not see that, it was the manager’s loss. He was
very appreciative.
About that time, the manager came over, almost brushing the
worker aside, again devaluing him, and said, “I can have these tires
put on for you right away.” To this I responded, “No, thank you.”
When he asked why not, I responded by saying, “I don’t feel comfort-
able doing business at a place where segregation and power are so
evident.” The puzzled look on his face was priceless, especially when
I told him it was he who I was talking about. He didn’t even see it.
He thought he had to have this tough-guy attitude to get things done.
The only thing he got done was lose the respect of those around him.
The employee took the tire back inside while giving me a smile and
mouthing the words “thank you.”
Not only do we see this in the workplace, we see it in some of our
race teams. Big money and being a team owner does not just magi-
cally give you respect – you must earn it. We all deserve to be treated
with respect and in turn respect others as well. You’ve heard the say-
ing “treat people the way you want to be treated.” Now can you put
it into practice?
A man named Carl, the CEO of a large, successful company, was
asked, “How are you so successful?” This man’s answer? “I serve
those that work for me.” The best leaders in the world have always
been the best servants. How you serve those around you daily will
determine how productive they will be for you. In other words, peo-
ple like to be treated with respect and in turn most will work harder
for those leaders who are genuine and truly care for their team of
employees. Pride will bring a person low and usually leads to com-
plete defeat of not only the person, but the company as well. A pride-
ful, arrogant leader will be his own demise.
So, those of you who are in a position of leadership, ask yourself
if you are leading by example or force. Are you truly interested in
the best for those that are working for you or is it all about you? You
see, the bottom line is important in business, but if the bottom line
is causing you to hurt others and demean them, you may have to ask
yourself if it’s all worth it.
If you’re one of those pound-your-fist bosses to get everything
done, you might find that a little compassion and kindness will be
more productive while saving your hand from hurting from all the
pounding. People will work harder when they feel valued and if you
don’t believe it then give it a try. The choice is yours to make.
Email Tommy at
[email protected]
June 2019
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