Ильдар Хусаинов – The power of freedom (страница 20)

No matter what mistakes employees make, we must first assume that they want to do well and are making an effort, even if they are not succeeding yet. This mindset may clash with the views of many leaders, as we observe in our own company. Some employees who step into managerial positions often react sharply to others' mistakes, thinking, "What are you doing, you fool?" They genuinely feel frustrated by their colleague's failure. Therefore, the most important thing at work is to learn to perceive reality without negativity. This aligns with the teachings of many religions: eliminate negativity and learn to accept people as they are.

Congratulating my deputy – Karelina Lyubov Sergeevna on her Birthday. January 2023

Transforming one’s mindset requires significant effort from entrepreneurs. Often, entrepreneurial spirit can provoke passive aggression towards imperfection in others. It’s a paradox, but many talented people are critical of mediocrity and flaws. To foster a healthy entrepreneurial culture, it’s essential to value every person and acknowledge their right to be themselves. Leaders who fail to understand this will struggle; they will always feel unhappy at work because the negative energy of dissatisfaction will drain them. This is a channel that quickly consumes one’s energy. Sometimes, negative energy, like mild anger, can be useful as a catalyst. However, feeling internal discontent towards others is toxic energy that adversely affects both the individual and their environment.

Many entrepreneurs tend to believe they are the smartest and most capable, thinking that only they have all the answers while others know nothing. I admit that it was not easy for me to change my perspective on this. Now, when I contemplate something, I always add, “What if…?” What if someone understands this issue better than I do? What if my old beliefs are preventing me from grasping their viewpoint?

Overcoming ego is a serious challenge. It’s impossible to simply ignore it or negotiate with it; it’s an adversary that won’t give you a chance to win unless you consciously fight against it. Sometimes, I even remind myself of this intentionally.

Once I realized how important it is to admit that someone else might be right, I became more tolerant, and it didn’t make me any worse. Among leaders, those who have managed to conquer their ego stand out positively. They are kind, attentive to others, and open to different perspectives. They earn respect for this; they are reasonable and easily compromise while maintaining their integrity.

For a company to progress, it is vital to create a system where its parts collaborate with one another.

For business and for our culture, it’s important to believe that everything is going to be fine. I would even say that believing is not just important; it’s essential. Unfortunately, we often fear that things won’t work out, that something bad will happen, or that we won’t have enough resources, rather than believing that we deserve success and that we’re doing everything right. We tend to see threats and obstacles everywhere – it’s our default mindset. Many companies operate according to this principle: they are always prepared for things to go wrong instead of taking proactive steps toward achieving success. We need to shift our mindset to a more positive perception of reality.

The secret to my success in life lies in my ability to appreciate the little things, which helps me achieve greater things. I have a saying that I often quote myself: “Believe that anything can happen, and the best will happen to you.” In my opinion, there is profound meaning in this phrase.

The ability to take risks is a skill that can and should be developed. I believe everyone should go through a transformation process to master it. For example, I used to be afraid of taking risks. In my first book, I emphasized how difficult it was for me to make long-term decisions. Surprisingly, every long-term decision carries increased risk.

The expectation function plays an important role here – it’s about managing risks that can be analyzed and understood as part of the system. The function of faith is the ability to bet on your future. Many people say, “I don’t go to casinos.” I rarely visit casinos myself, but when I go to Singapore, Las Vegas, Macau, or Monaco, I always stop by one.

I’ve noticed that the ability to place bets reflects a willingness to take risks. It seems to me that anyone who claims they don’t take risks or make bets is mistaken. If you can assess probabilities and feel them, that’s incredibly useful. You need to be able to control the game process and understand how to avoid becoming addicted to gambling. This helps maintain your health, manage risks, and know when to stop. It’s like training your inner “muscle.”

Releasing emotions is an opportunity to understand yourself, your nature, and your limits. Many people don’t even attempt to do this. I want to emphasize that I am against exploring these limits through chemical substances. In fact, I’ve never tried coffee in my life. I believe the human body is too vulnerable to chemicals.

Those who have tried alcohol, coffee, or cigarettes even once often find it hard to stop. When it comes to personal health, there should be no compromises. I am absolutely certain about this. I categorize personal health into several areas because it is scientifically proven that alcohol, nicotine, and drugs are very dangerous, just like coffee. Currently, companies that continue to produce alcohol, tobacco, and coffee actively lobby for their interests. I believe that in a hundred years, as society evolves and new types of leaders emerge, we will move away from these substances. In the early 20th century, heroin was sold in pharmacies and it was considered normal to use it, but now we understand how dangerous it is. I am confident that society will eventually realize this. Let me explain why this is so important. Our thoughts, feelings, and overall health depend on how our brains function. The chemicals I mentioned have a significant impact on those functions. However, it's always worth experimenting, trying new business ventures, exploring new routes, and visiting new countries. Experiments are beneficial, and we should push our boundaries.

I consider risk management in systems that don’t involve chemicals or life-threatening situations to be in the realm of extreme behavior. Smoking and alcohol consumption are sometimes referred to as hidden self-harm. The issue lies in the sense of moderation: you understand that something is harming your health, but you don’t stop because it brings you pleasure. In doing so, you’re hastening your own demise.

There are aspects of death that are beyond our control and can be considered acceptable. But why take risks for the sake of fleeting pleasure?

We often focus on the moment, but in real business, we need to consider everything that lies beyond that moment – things that are difficult to control. Unless a person changes, their company won’t change either. It won't seek new markets or approaches because the entire system will reflect the personality of its founder. Therefore, when I make decisions – even when they are difficult – I always keep in mind what I want my company to be and recognize that I must change myself first. This is extremely important. This is the fourth global risk: the transformation of personality.

I strongly believe that only hardworking people can achieve outstanding results in their work, and I consider diligence to be more important than discipline. My typical workday lasts from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., which means I put in at least 11 hours a day. I also work on Saturday mornings. A clear routine is the foundation of success. You can't stop and think that everything that needs to be done is already accomplished. When you stop working, you stop creating new value. In business, it's crucial to keep innovating; otherwise, your company could stagnate or even fail in a year or two.

Being a workaholic is essential for creating new value. Many people are afraid of doing something that no one has ever done before, but there's a law: the goal you set must be several times harder to achieve than the previous one. This continues until you've achieved them all. For example, when we built a successful business in one city, it was a fantastic achievement. But we didn't stop there; we aimed for new horizons. Out of a hundred real estate agencies in Tyumen, only one dared to open a branch in another city – us. And we kept pushing forward. Among all the agencies operating in one region, we were the only ones to expand our operations nationwide across Russia. Later, we took our business to the international level, where we began competing with tens of thousands of companies. At the next international stage, we found ourselves competing with only a handful of companies comparable to us in size. We earned that position. Great achievements are often easier to attain because there’s less competition. Just imagine the effort and risk involved in that journey. Our constant drive for new challenges has always pushed us forward, and this requires a willingness to take risks.