"I came here to win a war, not play your politics."
"In Mordor, they are one in the same."-- Talion and Celebrimbor, Middle Earth: Shadow of War
Many people overlook the personal aspects of running businesses, organizations, and even their own lives. The number of times I have heard people talk about "Focusing on the grind," or something similar tend to imply that you can ignore others as long as you're "Putting in the work."
This is a recipe for failure. Even in some of the most competitive and elite groups in the world still have petty politics to deal with. In the military, it might mean getting in good with the supply and logistics guys. In the civilian world it could mean befriending other business owners or the people in "low places".
The fact of the matter is you should not be a jerk because "that's how you get what you want." The fewer bridges you burn the more options you have. It takes a lot more skill to shift others around and maintain those relationships than to treat everyone as if they are expendable.
Being able to work with others has two major benefits. The first is it helps keep you under your own control. Being in control of yourself and knowing yourself allows you to be able to ensure the integrity of your own behavior. This allows you to diagnose where the issues are coming from in an interaction. It could be you, it could be them, it could be both of your. But you won't know that without knowing yourself first.
Second, it allows you to have better opportunities. Wheeling and dealing favors, skills, and other things allows you to expand. You may not have the skills to do something, but you know someone who might. This leads to a path of reciprocation for everyone involved. It also helps you build a team in a more group business endeavor.
This is the basic aspects of networking. Leveraging other's abilities and resources for mutual benefit. The hard part is that this requires a lot of discipline, because a few bad interactions can destroy a relationship quickly (especially if it is only professional).
Be sure you're not being a jerk, even in your smallest interactions.
Think about it.
The Irreverent Gentleman
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