Five pieces of traditional business advice that need another look

SG: This is one that my beliefs have changed on over the last 10 years. When I started in my career, I always paid a lot of attention to what I wore. A great leader I worked for, Chris Callaway, used to really encourage us to get the most up-to-date and coolest ties and I followed his advice for a long time. My feelings have evolved a bit since then. I still like to dress nice, but I also believe as a leader in a servant mindset, I don’t want to be overdressed. Of course, this can vary depending on what industry you’re in and the activity you’re doing on a particular day. If you’re meeting with clients, you might want to dress up a little bit more than if you’re simply in your office with your coworkers.

SG: As times have changed, this isn’t as important considering many people work remotely or opt for flexible schedules. Personally, I used to go to the office at 6 a.m. but I realized doing so didn’t make me a better leader. It would sometimes have a negative impact on my team because other people would try to beat me into the office. I will admit that I like the idea of people starting their day earlier and putting the time in, but I have learned over time that it doesn’t ultimately matter. One caveat is when you’re first starting at a company, you want to show up as much as possible. As you progress, maybe that can change, but being present and visible in the beginning is really important. You want your team to know they can count on you!

SG: I do agree with this. Ultimately, business is about making money and taking care of your customer. You can be passionate about doing a good job but it’s important to learn how to separate passion from emotion. Passion can be a long-term driver for success. Emotions tend to be fleeting and can often do more harm than good. Always try to keep things in perspective.

SG: I tend to agree with this one. I know it happens, though. My main issue with sharing salaries with coworkers is that it can create unnecessary tension. Just because you have the same title as someone else doesn’t mean you have the same skill sets, and different people provide different value to the company. Essentially, there are drivers that determine differences in pay, and by simply sharing what you make with someone else, you might not be getting the full story.

SG: I think friending in your organization is a company cultural decision. If your colleagues are the type of people who will take what you post online and bring it into the workplace (positive or negative), I probably wouldn’t engage with them on social media. However, if your company wants to be fun and inviting and cool, and if they understand that your social media presence and business presence are different, it’s probably OK.  LinkedIn is generally a safe bet. Other social networking platforms you may want to take on a case-by-case basis.