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« Previous Entry | Main | Next Entry » Networking | August 15, 2008 Posted by Clint Greenleaf at 5:14 PM I recently received a phone call from Tony Alessandra, the author of The Platinum Rule. Tony is a hall of fame professional speaker, a bestselling author, and is close friends with many of my friends. The first time we met was over the phone, when he called to let me know that I had quoted his book without his permission. Yikes. I own a publishing company -- I should know better. A bit of history. In 2000, I wrote a book called A Gentleman’s Guide to Etiquette. The book was published by Adams Media in Boston, and it was a moderate success. Since the book went out of print in 2005, I have reacquired the rights and plan to republish the book on my own next year. Anyway, in the book I mentioned “The Platinum Rule,” which is a smarter take on the Golden Rule. While the Golden Rule has us treating others how we want to be treated, “The Platinum Rule” gets us past our own ego and taste and has us “do unto others as they would have you do unto them.” It’s a brilliant concept that works. So, Tony calls me and says that I’ve made a mistake. But the way that Tony told me about it was wonderful. He started by introducing himself and saying that he needed some of my help. He was aware of my book and that it made no mention of him or his book, website, etc. He then asked me how we could best solve this error. Now let’s be clear -- I’m in the wrong here. No question. Tony had a ton of options at his disposal. He could have sent a harsh letter or had a lawyer send a harsher letter. He could have called and shouted at me. But his choice was not to cause drama and stress, but to find a winning solution. He was sure that there was a way we could fix this omission without too much trouble. After a few minutes of discussing our options, we came to the conclusion that since the book was out of print, and that I wasn’t currently promoting the book, we didn’t have many options. I admitted my fault and Tony was very forgiving. That Tony was content with that was incredible -- I made a mistake and he was willing to let it go. And his great attitude made it that much easier for me to find a way to make it right. That day, I decided to re-release the book and give him the credit he deserves in the new printing. I think he’ll find out about my plan when he reads this. Thanks, Tony, for being so understanding. So, when you have an opportunity to call someone on a mistake, remember Tony’s method. He didn’t pound his chest and tell me how great he is -- he worked with me to find a good solution. Now I’m spending my time telling everyone how great he is. If you can do the same when you’re right, you’ll probably find that people will bend over backwards to do right by you. |
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Great article. I know tony as well and it did not surprise me that he responded the way he did. he is a class act.
Hi Clint,
I collaborated with Tony three years ago on a busienss conference in Mexico. He is a true professional. Isn't it great when an author walks the talk?
Lisa Nirell
www.energizegrowth.com
Sounds like you handled the problem in a most professional way. Good counsel for the rest of us when we make our next mistake.
Brilliant. Handling difficult situations is made so much easier when the person you're dealing with is so understanding. The reality is that had he taken any other option within his armory it would have caused him more headache than he would have gained in compensation. Furthermore, by handling it the way he did, he's enhanced his reputation.
http://business-vs-technology.blogspot.com/
Amazing! Made for my very personal today. One more testament to the power of Nice, which so many people lack! Some would argue that being nice will cost you the respect of others... Think again if you are reading!!!
Two part reason for this note…
1) I’ve been reading through your posts and am really enjoying your insights. Thanks for taking the time to keep up the blog!
2) Would you be interested in receiving a copy of “The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work,” a newly released book by Jon Gordon? We’re interested in a review of the book or its concepts. I think you’d enjoy the premise of the book and some of the stats that Jon speaks to… such as how negativity costs companies $250-300 billion a year, according to Gallup. How various surveys say that 70-80% of people hate their jobs. And how more people die Monday morning at 9am than any other time. It’s really a book about developing positive solutions. This is not a bullet points, 10-step program book. It's a real story with characters and drama. Readers learn a ton in the process.
I work with Jon and since you are a thought leader whom I respect I’d love to get your feedback about dealing with negativity in the workplace and people's daily lives. You can check out more about the book and watch few short promo videos we’ve made by going to www.NoComplainingRule.com. There’s a part in the first one where the boss head butts an employee for complaining. It’s hilarious!
Thanks and please let me know if you’d like to check out the book.
Clint,
I know your father (he used my CRM system a few years back) and I'm business partners with Tony Alessandra (how's that for a small world?).
Tony's Platinum Rule is based on Carnegie's concept for "How to Win Friends and Influence People."
Tony simply treated you how you needed to be treated: He realized you made an honest mistake and collaborated with you to find a win/win solution.
I'm blessed to work closely with Tony; I get daily reminders to look out for the interests of the other guy and, as his mother, Margaret, taught us, to go the extra INCH!
Best of luck in your publishing business!
Scott Zimmerman
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