In my life, I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with best-in-class, wealthy businessmen who function in a realm untainted by pettiness, greed, anger or negativity. It’s almost as if they exist within some rarified current that flows above any earthly vices — yet is the guiding light that directs their worldly business affairs.
When I think of these men, qualities such as honor, integrity, trustworthiness, courage and humanitarianism come to mind. Each individual brought his own style and personality to the mastery of four key elements common across many business dealings: character, time, emotional energy, and money.
Character.
George was a close friend of my father’s. He came to this country penniless, yet two decades later was a multimillionaire many times over. When people cheated him, he smiled and softly said, “Well, we just won’t deal with them any more.” When partners with whom he’d funded a business complained because they wanted a bigger piece of the pie, he reflectively nodded and spoke with compassion: “Well, they’ve just forgotten where the money came from.”
George never got riled. He seemed to clearly see a person’s character and selected his associates accordingly. He was humble but wise, intelligent but innocent, clever but impeccably honest. Throughout his rise from poverty to wealth, he radiated the ultimate dignity and strength.
I also had the pleasure of knowing Henry, a multibillionaire. I once had the opportunity to sit with him while he met someone for the very first time. I don’t believe Henry knew anything about this man prior to the meeting. They talked very little about business. It seemed as if Henry was naturally getting a feeling for the man as they spoke. The man was not aggressive, and he certainly wasn’t what we call a Type A personality. He was extremely respectful but not meek or fearful as he spoke with Henry. The man seemed more committed to the value his work offered the world than to the…