Power Play: If it's free, it's dangerous

Whoever coined the phrase 'there's no such thing as a free lunch', knew what they were talking about. If something is free, odds-on it's dangerous.

Rarely do people give anything away for free. Even if there isn't a financial transaction attached there will be some other type of 'give' attached to the transaction. Random acts of kindness in business are rare.

Be careful when accepting something for nothing. You might think it's free but Power Players know there is a price tag attached somewhere else down the road. And if the giver of the 'free' isn't compensated in the way they would like the receiver will forever feel in their debt.

Power Players know that this puts them into a crouch position as the giver can at any time laud it over them. If it's free it's dangerous. Don't accept favours. Pay for head hours when you use them and if you need help make sure there is a clear financial agreement in place.

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.