Most of you know that next week is AdWeek, but did you know it’s also my birthday?
I will be 24 years old. Many of my colleagues are surprised when I tell them how old I am, mostly because I have been in the biz for over 4 years and have held Director or VP level titles at 3 internet companies. Personally, I think age does not matter in the online marketing world – especially when you are hidden behind a computer and a phone – but what does matter is maturity.
Since I have literally “grown up” working in the online ad industry, I know how important it is to work hard to become a well-rounded and mature sales person, media buyer, account manager or boss. Unfortunately, there are some people in this industry that I feel will never grow up. Recently, I have encountered an overwhelming amount of immaturity articulated by people in our industry. Now, I don’t want to name names, but I think it is important to highlight some of this immature behavior so that you can look out for it:
Immature behavior #1: rudely enforcing a non-compete agreement with a past employee just for the sake of making the person’s life miserable and/or for keeping up appearances.
Path to maturity = Myopic thinkers! - look at the big picture not only the very near term. If someone left your company chances are they were unhappy, so they took a new job that makes them happy. Happiness will motivate them to rock important jobs later. Don’t enforce non-competes for the sake of it - it might end up biting you in the...
Immature behavior #2: running an online forum where some of the articles are based on half-truths or blatant/intentional/hurtful lies.
Path to maturity = Using public forums to spread rumors, half truths and innuendos might get you notice, but will end up costing you and your biz more then it's worth.
This is a business not a high school popularity contest. Focus on your biz - be true to your word and you will earn respect and admiration from your readers.
Immature behavior #3: spreading false rumors about an employee (who left the company for a better job) in front of current employees, while trying to get investors to invest in or purchase the company. Whew!
Path to maturity = It’s a small industry - bad mouthing anyone, might make you feel like a "big man" in the short term, but when you come down from the high you will find you’ve lost the respect and trust of your current employees (which could hurt your acquisition attempts). Try to contain your feelings. A strong, silent leader is more powerful than a whiny, resentful one.
Immature behavior #4: lying to a client or a potential client just to close a deal.
Path to maturity = Lying to close a deal is extremely short sighted. It will light the match that will burn your contact list. Even if you intentionally ignore morals and ethics - why lie to a client for a $5,000 deal, if a good relationship can yield 7 figures over a year? It’s just bad biz. Honesty is the best policy.
We all read about frequent mergers and acquisitions - if you thought the industry was small before, it’s only going to get smaller. Your greatest asset is your reputation; tarnish it and you may as well change your career (new company names will only fool some people some times).
For those of you who encounter immature behavior, try to beat them – not join them. There is a lesson you will learn when taking the higher road. Hopefully, we will all learn that lesson sooner than later.
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