Get All Access for $5/mo

4 Reasons Why Rudeness Leads to Business Failure Having a kind heart and giving it freely to others may be your greatest success of all.

By Zach Cutler Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

I've always been a very driven person, with big goals and bigger dreams. Like many entrepreneurs, I have a vision, and I'm able to focus on the end game as well as the process required to reach it.

Related: 4 Signs of a Terrible, Toxic Boss

But in focusing on the end game, entrepreneurs -- and I include myself here -- can be guilty of coming across as rude, in our haste to accomplish our achievements. We can lack patience. And this can lead to our intentionally or unintentionally disrespecting or disparaging others.

While the ability to keep our eyes on the end game is fundamental to success, as is our maintaining high standards and an appropriate level of impatience for getting things done, rudeness itself should be left out.

At the end of the day, success is broken success if people are hurt along the way. In many respects, having a kind heart and giving it freely to others may be your greatest success of all. Here are four reasons why rudeness leads to failure:

1. People will dislike you.

Even if employees obey your rude orders, or suppliers, customers or any other stakeholders put up with your aggression and unpleasantness, they will end up resenting you. And, as a result, they will likely not put in their best work for you. They probably won't put their heart into it, either, and without passion and heart, things become very average, very quickly.

2. Bridges will be burned.

If times change, or tables turn, and you are in need of help, you may find that the very people who might have helped you have since become alienated by your past poor behavior. Being rude is one of the ultimate ways to lose friends and allies – and without those, how can any entrepreneur be super successful?

Related: 6 Toxic People Who Are Hurting Your Success

3. Your poor behavior will constrict your creativity.

In many respects, being kind and giving to others opens our hearts and minds, which can lead to surges of creativity and "aha" moments. In contrast, however, being rude and always taking from others without giving back, often leads to the exact opposite. Creativity in business is vital, so entrepreneurs should be looking for ways to increase it, not restrict it.

4. You will lose others' respect.

Respect is a two-way street. People like working with, and for, those they respect. In addition, employees want to be respected back. But if they don't get respect from you, they won't respect you, either. The same is true for customers and other stakeholders. If you don't respect others, no one will respect you.

Related: 12 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People

For an entrepreneur, respect, compassion and the willingness to help others go a long way. So, start practicing these behaviors. Today would be an excellent start.
Zach Cutler

Founder & CEO, Cutler PR

Zach Cutler is an entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Cutler PR, a tech PR agency in New York and Tel Aviv. An avid tech enthusiast and angel investor, Cutler specializes in crafting social and traditional PR campaigns to help tech startups thrive.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This 20-Year-Old Student Started a Side Hustle With $400 — and It Earned $150,000 Over the Summer

Jacob Shaidle launched his barbecue cleaning business Shaidle Cleaning in 2021 when he was just 15.

Making a Change

Learn a New Language with This Fresh Approach

Read and listen side by side.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business Culture

Toxic Workplaces Burn Cash and Crush Morale — 7 Ways to Build a Culture Everyone Wants to Join

Having worked for almost two decades in the hiring industry, here are ways to create a company culture that will retain your top talent, save you money and help your business grow.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg Is Now the World's Second Richest Person, Behind Elon Musk

Meta's CEO jumped ahead of Jeff Bezos in Bloomberg's rankings this week.