Do Unto Your Employees

“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” — Zig Ziglar

One day, an employee and I were talking about diet and how it impacts your success at work. “You have to take care of yourself,” he said. “If you’re not eating well, you won’t have the energy to be at your best each day, and over time, that can affect your overall well-being.” Likewise, a difficult boss, colleague, or work environment can take a toll on your health. There is a growing body of research showing that a negative work environment—especially a poor relationship with a supervisor—can have a lasting impact on mental health.

This piece is really about the opposite—the power of a positive workplace and its impact on well-being. As Mike and I continue our “research” on diet, I feel better and better.

Mike shared that he had lost weight due to sepsis earlier this year and was struggling to gain it back. I asked him if he had ever tried soul food. He looked at me and asked, “Can you gain weight eating soul food?” After laughing out loud, I assured him that he could. Since then, we’ve had ongoing conversations about different cuisines—soul food, Mexican, Asian—spicy foods, complex flavors, and everything in between.

Somewhere along the way, Mike became a friend. His health and well-being became important to me. I’m happy to report that he’s doing much better, and with summer approaching, our conversations have shifted to BBQ.

I recently read The Like Switch by Jack Schafer. In the book, he emphasizes the importance of being present—showing up consistently and making people feel good about themselves. His “golden rule” of friendship is simple: make people feel good about themselves, and they will feel good about you. He breaks it down into proximity, frequency, duration, and intensity. In other words: be present, be consistent, spend time with people, and make those interactions meaningful.

In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie shares a similar idea:
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
Carnegie reminds us to take a genuine interest in others—use their name, remember details, and be encouraging.

In Good to Great, Jim Collins introduces the idea of “the window and the mirror.” When good things happen, ineffective leaders look in the mirror for credit. When things go wrong, they look out the window for blame. Great leaders do the opposite—they look out the window to share credit and in the mirror to take responsibility.

There’s an added benefit to that approach. When you share credit and create positive moments for others, they reflect that energy right back to you. That kind of connection lasts longer and runs deeper than anything rooted in ego. The return on that investment can carry your entire tenure—or your entire career.

Think about the best leaders you’ve had in your life or career. How did they interact with you? Chances are, they made you feel valued, respected, and supported. That’s not by accident. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it takes intentional effort. Wherever you fall, the focus should be the same—support and encourage the people around you.

A mentor once asked me, “How do you hope people would treat you if you were on the other side of the table?” That question has stayed with me throughout my career. If you found yourself sitting in the boss’s office because of a mistake, a misunderstanding, or because things didn’t go your way—how would you want to be treated? We all make mistakes. People understand accountability, and most don’t resent it. What they do appreciate is when it comes from a place of encouragement and support.

One day, a student stopped me during a classroom visit and said, “Mr. Brown, do you ever think you’re where you’re supposed to be? You should be here forever.” I let her finish and thought—that was one of the best compliments I’ve received in my career. I thanked her, gave her a fist bump, and walked out absolutely moved.

So ask yourself: how do you hope to be treated when you’re on the other side of the table?

The answer is simple—and it applies to all of us:

Treat people the way you would want to be treated.
Be present.
Take an interest.
Show that you care.

When we do that, we don’t just build better relationships—we build a better place to work. Because the way we treat each other matters more than we think… and people remember it longer than we realize.

Be the reason someone wants to come to work tomorrow.

You are welcome to become a part of what we are building at the Lone Pine Unified School District. Visit our website, see what we have to offer—you might be a great fit. We’re always looking for people just like you.

William A. Brown
Superintendent/Principal
Lone Pine Unified School District