They’re highly successful, wealthy individuals who run internationally acclaimed businesses and brands. Their billionaire status makes them worthy of aspiration, and highly alluring to the common professional. But what are their pet peeves, and what do they have to say have to say about us, the semi-successful? There are lots of lists and publications that tell us the qualities that billionaire’s admire, the traits that got them to the top of the corporate chain. The things that make them tick however, aren’t as widely available, which is why this list should provide clues about the habits they disdain as less-than-billionaire-worthy characteristics.
Popular Corporate Pet Peeves of Billionaires
- Making excuses instead of delivering results. The wealthy don’t allow things like the Euro crisis and economic upheaval to stop them from profit strategising and maintain excellent business performance. Billionaires have admitted that the thing that tops their list of professional pet peeves is business owners who make excuses for their brand’s soft spots. Take Apple’s massive growth trajectory throughout the international financial fallout over the past few years, how to explain their success in the midst of global economic crunch downs? Work tirelessly towards innovation and take advantage of each and every predicament and market it towards your advantage – that’s the metal from which billionaires are made.
- Life work balance. Billionaires have listed the concept of “life work balance” as one of their biggest pet peeves. They champion statements like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” and “YOLO” (you only live once), working harder for longer to make sure their competitors don’t out-hustle them. Individuals like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Marc Zuckerburg have left their mark on society because they’ve drilled it into the public and corporate space. You don’t get there by working a 9-5 day job, with extended lunches, and a penchant for browsing news sites instead of working.
- A lack of determination. If your ambition precedes your determination, success is a long-shot. Don’t sulk in the corner when you get rejected or denied. Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz was told that consumers didn’t like the taste, name or packaging of his energy drink by market researchers and he went on to create a market where there previously was none. Mateschitz isn’t the only billionaire who heard no before they paved the way to their success.
If you identify with any of the following behaviours, you should know that you’re taking yourself out of the running to become a billionaire – by their standards anyway. It’s time to step up your game. Because while the pet peeves of billionaires shouldn’t sway you to give up on pursuing a career that makes an impression on the rest of the world, it should make you more aware of the stumbling blocks that could counter your efforts automatically.
Bella Gray is a corporate blogger based in Brisbane office space. A maestro of tips and strategies for navigating the workplace, Gray is the perfect go-to-gal for all your business solutions.