Management

Duped! How Not To Get Screwed Over In Business

Unhappy

Getting screwed over in business is something that happens with surprising regularity. Experienced people in business are opportunists, and although they will rarely break the law, they’ll often do things to take advantage of your inexperience and enrich themselves in the process.

Here we’re going to share some lessons for what to do – and what not to do – to avoid getting screwed over in business. Take a look at this advice.

Rule 1: Have Confidence

Hardened business people can smell a softy a mile away. Most of them cut their teeth on the school playground and learned a trick or two about getting what they want out of other people the hard way. They are Goliath, and you are David.

It’s a good idea, therefore, to find ways to build your confidence in business situations. Most of the time this just means believing that you’re actually good at what you do when you are. It’s about being authentic, being cool and winning over other people with your enthusiasm. Like on the school playground, bullies in business will steer clear of a person who has confidence.

Rule 2: Don’t Work With Idiots

They say that our aspirations are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. And so if you spend your time with a bunch of drama queens, gossiping and fighting all day, it’s entirely likely that they’ll bring you down to their level. What’s more, as the boss, you usually end up getting burnt a heck of a lot harder than they do, especially when they start threatening employment tribunals.

Instead of surrounding yourself with drama, surround yourself with dreamers and people who share your vision of success for the future.

Rule 3: Get Strategic

You’ve heard it said as a business leader that you need to be constantly thinking several steps ahead, like a chess player. And one of the areas in which thinking strategically is most important is in the area of trademarks. A good trademark lawyer will always point out that owners need to continuously protect their IP, not only from their competitors but also from their own employees. Make sure that you include clauses in your employment contracts that protect the firm from patent infringement if a key worker leaves. And ensure that you have terms that prevent an employee from contracting with another similar company for a specified period of time after they leave yours.

Rule 4: Don’t Lie To People

Lying in business might feel good in the moment, but in time it can really screw you over. Once a person knows that you’ve lied about something, it can be really hard to rebuild their trust. What’s worse, if you lied to them and it negatively affected them, they will seek revenge. That big contract you just signed with a partner business? They might renege on the terms, all because of their personal dislike of you.

Rule 5: Empty Your Brain From Time To Time

Meditation is an excellent way to help clear your mind and prepare your brain for new and helpful thoughts. Clarity of mind, startup mentor Jason Saltzman says, helps prevent you from getting screwed over.

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Beth Jones is a valued contributor to various CosmoBC.com blogs.

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