For years the phrase “it’s not personal, it’s business” has irked me. Does being in ‘business’ provide a free pass to treat people unfairly or unprofessionally?
Last I checked, we’re people all the time. Not only when
we’re at home, or with friends, or out on the town. And if we’re people all the
time, do we not deserve to have others treat us respectfully all that time? I’m
not saying that businesses don’t have the right to make difficult or unpopular decisions,
such as letting someone go from a role, firing clients, or providing difficult
feedback. Of course they do, and those situations will always exist. However,
when those happen I’m hopeful business leaders, as many do, think not just
about their needs but about the impact on the people involved and how to
provide clear, direct, and fair communication.
So maybe the new phrase becomes:
“Yes, it’s business, but I’m
going to treat you like a person.”
