61.

Make Friends with the Gatekeepers

“Gatekeepers” are those people who are sometimes derisively called “the little people”—the security guards, janitors, secretaries, and assistants in any organization. It's critical that you treat these people with the utmost respect. I hold a doctorate in organizational leadership, and my studies with and experience in organizations have shown me that it's essential to treat everyone in an organization well, because everyone matters.

Suppose you've developed a business relationship with a vice president at POP industries. I'll call her Julie. Because you're a snob, you've always been dismissive of Julie's assistant, Matt, when you've spoken to him on the phone or visited Julie at the office. After all, he's just an underling! Besides, you don't think Matt notices.

Wrong. Matt does notice.

One day, you hear about a job in Julie's department. You know the job is meant for you—but you must get in to see her that morning. So you call, and you reach Matt. And Matt—whose entire sphere of power involves granting or denying people access to Julie, and who has been dying to pay you back for all the insults and slights he's received from you for the past year—says that Julie is in an important meeting and can't be disturbed. So she never learns that you're interested in the job, and it goes to someone else.

Be kind and respectful to everyone you work with—or will work with some day. Not only is it the decent thing to do, it makes good business sense.