Power Play: Don't be a dick

Harsh? Sure. But true. Power Players know that the path of least resistance (oftentimes) is to act out: to be cruel, unkind and mean. To act like a child: or to be surly and a curmudgeon.

When you want to jump on top of someone and act in the most ungracious way possible, resist the temptation. Power Players know that's it's very difficult to take things back. Lash out in anger and it may haunt you for many years to come.

In short, don't be a dick. Nobody wants to do business, have lunch or even admit to knowing someone who behaves like a dick. Worst of all, it's a terrible slur on your reputation and something from which you never recover.

No matter how much you want to throw a temper tantrum, don't. Then you're just the person who acts out and behaves like a jerk. And nobody wants to play with that guy every again.

Entrepreneur, strategist and author Rose Herceg co-founded Pophouse, specialising in social forecasting, market research and business strategy in 1998 before selling it to STW in 2006.

Until recently Rose was strategy director of the STW Group, working across 70 companies on strategy, social forecasting, trends analysis and innovation. She is currently developing several online start-ups in media and media content.

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