Copyright Rolling Stone
Hidden treasure is an exciting idea, which is why most of us love stories about it. Just think: the art collector who finds a masterpiece in a vintage store. The person who strikes oil in their backyard. The old Ferrari in a long-lost uncle’s barn. These stories are romantic. They’re fun. And they have that “wouldn’t it be great?” quality to them. But for business and organizational leaders, this theme doesn’t need to be the stuff of daydreams. Hidden treasure is all around you. Dignity, loosely defined, is the belief that all people have innate worth and value, and that it is morally right for this worth to be safeguarded and respected. Most people of goodwill believe in some version of this (which gives me hope for the future). Yet dignity implies a third thing that is often missed: if people have value and worth, then they have value and worth to contribute to their community. And more than likely, they have value and worth they could share with you. But, in the spirit of hidden treasure, do you know how to find it? Do you know how to unlock it? Let me share three case studies of ways that respecting dignity can unlock business success. 1. The Treasure Hidden in the Difficult Past When we see evidence of a checkered past, most of us are tempted to say, “next.” And Dan definitely had that kind of past. He had served time in prison, been released and was trying — one day at a time — to build a new life. Through an outreach program I helped with at the time, I’d gotten to know Dan as a dedicated program volunteer. When he’d been out of prison for a year or so, Dan launched his own lawn care business. And, at the time, I actually did need a new lawn service. So I did something that I know plenty of people would think of as a risky move: I hired Dan. And, yes, for Dan, this was very positive — he got support in starting a productive next chapter. But, as it turns out, it was actually great for me. Dan provided the best lawn care of my life. Visitors remarked about how great the grass looked, which, of course, made me look good. And isn’t that what all of us are looking for? Editor’s picks Follow the treasure map: If most leaders are overlooking people with a difficult past, what treasure awaits those who dare to look deeper? Sam was a young man from a village in a remote part of the world. He’d applied online for some virtual work I needed done. On a dozen metrics, Sam was an unconventional candidate for the role. But he was clear that he was dedicated, willing to learn and determined to do a good job. What he wanted was a chance. But I wasn’t convinced and wasn’t ready to hire him for the job I’d listed. There were just too many unknowns. So, instead, I gave him a small-scale trial run. “Sam, show me what you can do,” I said. The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify? Honestly, I didn’t know if it would work or not. I was prepared to be disappointed in spite of Sam’s earnestness and enthusiasm. Related Content But Sam did great. He nailed what I asked him to do. And then the next project. And then the one after that. And now, five years later, he is a trusted collaborator I rely on to make magic happen on short notice. What business leader doesn’t want that? Follow the treasure map: If most leaders only consider obvious candidates, what doors could open by taking seriously the interest of an unconventional candidate? 3. The Treasure Hidden in Long Experience I was asked to help a nonprofit sort out some governance problems they were having. It was going to be difficult work, and I was trying to solve a dozen intractable problems at once. Gerry was an older gentleman with a quiet, unassuming demeanor. He was a long-term volunteer who had been relegated to something of an emeritus role, which meant that people mostly smiled and waved and ignored him. He approached me and offered to meet for breakfast some morning. I really didn’t have time, but I was going to need to eat regardless, so I decided to go anyway. By the end of my short stack of pancakes, I had a completely different understanding of every one of the institutional problems I was facing. Gerry distilled decades of experience, observation and institutional knowledge into transformative insights over coffee and eggs. He gave me the inside track, which made success possible. What would you pay for those kinds of insights? Follow the treasure map: If most leaders are chasing the latest trends, what strategic insights await those willing to listen to the most experienced voices? Final Thoughts It has been said that the fundamental job of any business is to create value. But sometimes, the job is actually to find, discover and unlock value. And respecting human dignity allows business and organizational leaders to do so in ways that, frankly, few competitors are pursuing. When we give serious consideration to the idea that almost everyone has something important to contribute, we find everything from skilled practitioners to irreplaceable advisors who can empower real growth. The three stories I’ve shared are not about being nice. They are about surprising moments when other people solved problems my business truly needed solved. Problems that would’ve been solved less reliably, at greater expense — or, honestly, not at all — through more conventional channels. Trending Stories The ultimate road map here is simple but profound: Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Would you want to be taken seriously? Given a chance? Listened to? Then do that for someone else. When we do this, we very often find hidden treasure. But that’s no surprise; they don’t call it the Golden Rule for nothing.
