Last night I read this in “The Way Of Men,” a bestselling book by author Jack Donovan:
“A man once said, ‘If I allow a man to steal my chickens, I might as well let him rape my daughters.’…”
Strong, brash words, but words nonetheless some that go someway to hammer home the perceived power of being formidable.
… And a sentence that only goes to back up the tactical advantage that generally comes from having a reputation for…
… Strength.
… A willingness to fight.
… And an appetite for never negotiating on standards.
See in my experience, and in this game, if you give most an inch they will take a mile.
It’s why customers, employees and competitors must be ruled with an iron first and under a banner of zero tolerance.
… Especially when it comes to crossing hard lines that you draw in the sand.
Because here’s the thing about lines, and other peoples behaviour when you let them cross them by giving the benefit of the doubt…
The line moves.
… And once the line has moved it’s impossible for it to move back.
Meaning every single inch that you lose, and every single inch that they gain – becomes the new normal.
Or in other words, think of it like this:
The value of an unpaid invoice is IRRELEVANT.
… £1 or £100,000, the line moves.
The size of the task left incomplete is IRRELEVANT.
… One tool left out or all of them, the line moves.
The level of lateness is IRRELEVANT.
… Five minutes or fifty, the line moves.
Nit-picking – maybe.
Vital for mine and your success – you bet.
See there’s a funny thing that happens when people see first-hand that you are fearsome and refuse to let the little shit slide.
- They respect you.
- They’re loyal to you.
- They relinquish their power to you.
… PLUS they stop their bullshit games of trying to bend you over the barrel at any chance they get.
Making the bottom line, and your mantra for money this week, the fact that your standards, and your ability to fight for them, regardless of how big or how small the breach, is what separates the men from the boys.
Because trust me…
… As this new economy emerges, if men like you and I let don’t stand up for ourselves, our standards and what we believe – you can bet your bottom dollar that neither will anyone else.
Make More. Provide More. Be More.
Charlie Hutton
