Letter on the Third — October 2024
Dear Datamax Family,
The amazing thing about our company is that every one of us brings an individual, unique perspective into the workplace daily. Malcolm Forbes, publisher of Forbes magazine, described it this way: “Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.” Not unlike a bridge that connects two independent landscapes, the secret of success lies in “bridging” our biases to achieve shared goals.
That is where Datamax Principle #7 comes in: “Respect the Ideas and Opinions of Others.”
Respect begins by being open-minded.
When we talk about what it means to “Respect the Ideas and Opinions of Others,” in many ways we’re talking about open-mindedness. An open-minded person (or department) doesn’t just create a positive atmosphere for his or her colleagues. An open-minded person solves problems and presents ideas that propel us forward.
When presented with new ideas or a change in process, resist the temptation to immediately say “We can’t do that.” Sure, it’s very possible that we can’t, but we have to do our due diligence. If we fail, we fail forward. However, we never grow without being open to new ideas from our colleagues.
Show respect by listening.
One of the ultimate signs of respect is simple listening. It’s a tell-tell indicator that you value what the other person is saying. When meeting with your peers, avoid interruptions, ask open-ended questions, and demonstrate understanding and respect by showing empathy for their position. Remember that the life of a service tech is different from that of an administrative rep, delivery driver or account manager – and that’s a GOOD thing. The best way to begin understanding one another’s perspectives is by listening.
Remember: It’s OK to “Respectfully” disagree.
Not everyone agrees with my decisions all the time, and that’s perfectly fair. Remember that we always have the right to disagree, just as long as we make a decision based on the good of the entire organization. As we grow as an organization, your opinion is encouraged. Whether we agree or not, we don’t move forward without considering it.
Around 30 years ago, when as a group we began building the content of The Little Blue Book, #7 came out of the desire to be more open-minded as an organization, and thinking beyond the interest of each of our own departments. I think that sentiment is just as important now as it was then. Our culture depends upon bridging our biases to achieve shared goals and thinking independently together.
The Best is Yet to Be.
Your Raving Fan,
