One Big Lesson About People And Business

One Big Lesson About People and Business

From the NYTimes Corner Office section

"Here's the most important lesson I learned: It’s all about the people you work with. Relationships really matter, and you need to get that right, both for your career as an individual and as a future leader. It’s the softer side that will get you every time if you’re not paying attention to it. It’s probably the biggest determinant of whether you’re going to be successful. Culture takes an awful lot of time and effort, and it can be destroyed very quickly, because it’s built on trust and respect. You’re respecting the individual and what they do, and you’re trusting them, and they’re doing the same for you. That doesn’t happen overnight. It’s like personal relationships." - Gary B. Smith, chief executive of Ciena