The Problem With “don’t Take It Personally, This Is Business”
The traditional advice “don’t take it personally, it’s business” can be problematic. He suggests that you simply write off your experience as the risks of professionalism, rather than process or learn from it so you can grow.
In the Harvard Business Review, Duncan Coombe discusses this concept from the perspective of industry leaders. He’s writing:
“Don’t take it personally” is at the heart of many corporate ethics scandals, from theft and accounting fraud to employee safety and environmental concerns. When leaders and teams embrace the thoughtless notion that “ this is not personal, this is business, ” they relieve themselves of their responsibilities as social actors, guardians of the planet, and protectors of the well-being of their employees, clients, and communities. .. For these and other reasons, it seems clear to me that if we are to fulfill our responsibilities and obligations as leaders – and our potential as leaders – we must take things deeply personally. Simply put, a dehumanized and impersonal workforce is more likely to mistreat its many stakeholders.
I think this can apply to any staff. When it all comes down to “just business,” it’s easy to lose sight of your spirit or passion. Instead of thinking about experience and how it affects you, your career is dehumanized and impersonal, as Coombe puts it.
At the same time, this does not mean that you should not respect boundaries. In fact, it’s about balance. You don’t want work to become so personal that it completely defines you, but you also don’t want “this business” to hold you back.
To learn more about this concept, follow the link below.