Do you have be a good human to become a successful professional?

I can tell you first hand that NO you don't have to be a good human to become a highly successful professional. I come across many, many individuals that are highly accomplished in their work roles, yet are complete failures as people in my opinion. It's a dog eat dog world in many professions unfortunately and nice guys always finish last according to most. In my opinion, being able to have a balance of both drive, ambition AND solid morals and ethics is of course the ideal scenario, but it just isn't always going to cut it I'm afraid. I try to maintain a presence of both ideals, but at times I too have to exercise a negative side just to be heard or acknowledged among others. Such is life.

I think those who reach at the top develop some peculiar habits and traits and I feel that once they are on the top they become somewhat cynical, may be due to the responsibilities and nature of their job and not due to their own choice. When leading an Organization or when one is in control of an organization, the person tends to develop some kinds of abnormalities. However, those who keep their ethics intact, while scaling the heights are loved by one and all. There are some real gems who make a balance between their peers and subordinates and give due respect to all of them. I for one try to remain a good human being and do not part with my modesty, whenever I deal with equal level persons at my work place or with my subordinates. I feel success in life should not ride on your head and you should not forget the ground realities and your friends and colleagues, who helped you directly or indirectly to climb the ladder.

In my perspective successful professionals are those who are good at thier job and are respected by the people around them. This respect is not earned by being rude and concieted but by earning it with one's ethics and morality. Unfortunately, a lot of people are driven into this self centred, arrogant nature of competetiveness, thinking that it's the survival of the fittest. The success they achieve here is temporary. Further more this has a bearing and rebounds at them at some point of time. Also this can get detrimental to the growth of the individual in his company. Most professional companies today go through a process of evaluation wherein the feedback of the co-workers is given a lot of importance to. A colleague of mine in my previous organisation who fits a perfect example of the type that you had described was given a couple of warnings by the management before he was asked to leave. He was good at his work, but constantly rebuked his colleagues and subordinates. I would most certainly say that I would be a good human first and then strive to become a successful professional.

Ethics and morality are undoubtedly the basic necessary qualities to be a successful professional.And while being a good human one has to be very firm in implementing a plan that he think is good for the company.If a person wants to be in the good books of everyone he will not be liked by everyone at the end of the day.It is impossible to please everyone. So the successful professional will have the real Satyam and pure humanity as his traits.

Hi dear well to me A good human can be a good professional, but sure not necessary that a good professional is good human tooo and u r right, to become a good human is difficult and important as compare to good professional take care

A good professional doesn't come over night.It takes years of studying, good will and other factors that make a good human.You can't succeed in life without good will and without having a good relationship with the people that surround you.Of course,along the way it may be necessary to do some things we don't like but that is human nature.In order to go forward ,we have to make some sacrifices,weather we like it or not.

when one becomes,suceessful,they become heady and forget their humble origins and the ones that helped them to be successful.according to me that is very wrong and they seem to have made more enemies than friends,so they are not able to enjoy their success.

I would think that you would have to FEEL that you are a good human to feel successful. Others though my see it the other way around. If you are not liked by others, I don't think financial and worldly success will make you very happy. - Derek

Well you know that all depends on how you define success, but I truly do believe that what comes around goes around and the people who take the wrong "shortcuts" in life will probably pay for it somehow, someday. Similarly, those of us who refuse to be bought or to bully their way through life will profit in the end. Character First!

Hi mimpi! Well, unfortunately not everyone feels like you and I do! Alot of professional people don't care who they step on to get where they want to go! They don't care if they are liked or not! In fact, some of them enjoy being disliked! I have met many professional people who are miserable and I don't think they care less how people feel about them. I worked for alot of attorneys and they are some of the nastiest people around and I can tell you that they don't care how anyone feels about them. They are mean and unfeeling and don't care if they walk all over their staff or their clients! As long as they get what they want and make money that's all they care about!

Hi mimpi!Good discussion...It depends on how you define success, after all true success is measured by one's basic values and how well respected he or she is. I don't think true achievement is just about a successful career and high earnings, those things are meaningless without morality and respect from peers. A person in a professional field will not always please everyone and one of the requirements of the position is not just about winning popularity but respect and that will not be achieved without good values, ethics and morality and a sense of justice.

I guess both ethics and morality plays some important role in our daily lives to becoming a successful person. These are like the qualities or characters that a successful person should have. I guess that unethical people will also end-up in the wrong foot-hole and stuffs like that. Spiritual qualities are also important plus many other factors more, i guess.

I do love your discussions Mimpi, they make a person think. I believe the the foundation to a successful life are those of empathy, ethics and morality; however, when a person is climbing to the top of a career sometimes these values are sidelined to get a head. In some big business it is about who you know or step on that can rise you to the top over being a good human being. So I guess a person really has to question their motives for this so called success. Are you really successful in your professional career if you sacrafice the basic: empathy, ethics and morality? How can a person like themselves, love themselves if they are always hurting others or feeling the need to compete to get ahead? If you are sacraficing being a good human being for the sake of getting ahead, then just what are you really successful at?

It's true that ethics and morality are two important things to consider if you want to be a good human being. But then, sadly most professional does not mind considering these two characteristics. We just have to look around and we will surely see professionals who does not mind working out of their ethics and morality just to reach the top of their professions. A lot neglect to follow rules and regulations set by their specific professions just so they could get ahead of others. This is a sad truth that our century is actually facing. I guess we have to make ourselves conscious if we would rather be a good human or we want to be successful in our professions.

I think that total, real success is done with a heart. A person may reach financial success but I do not consider that successful, only one who has money. When you burn bridges and hurt people along the way, Karma will get you.

Hi Mim, Have you ever heard of those who want to make it to the top have step on and over people to get their. These are the people you are talking about. They did whatever they had to to get where they are. The human factor didn't have a part in it unless they were busy kissing a$$. They have no values or integrity. Their purpose is to make it to the top at any cost. The people with values and integrity are the people working for the ones climbing that wicked latter. Very sad.xoxoxo leenie

Hi mimpi! I am in management where I work at and I am here to tell you that a person with ethics and morals make more efficient supervisors than those who don't have these qualities. People tend to want to work harder and put more of themselved in to their work when they have a manager they respect and know will treat them fairly. Of course people have to work for those who are not moral but it is only their body you have and not the most important thing which is their mind. It may seem at times that morals and ethics aren't taking you as far or as fast but it is a steady and well built path that will lead to a strong place.

Hi Mimpi!I agree with you that morality and ethics are important in certain proffession.When you are a teacher its something you teach by setting examples.So you have to be humble and a good person.For a doctor too it is important to be patient.I hate going to the doctor who puts on airs although he may be an expert in his field.We always like going to a grocer if he has a pleasent smile.But in certain cases it dosent make any difference whether one is humble or not ,for example a writer or a tailor.One goes for the best tailor or beautician irrespective of how he/she is by nature.

I think it is necessary to be good human to be successful in our profession. Good human can be successful at every phase of his life. It is not limited up to his profession. Hence a good human can any time became a good professional with good professional knowledge.

Well define successful? If you think bein successful is getting loads of money and fame and posistion then "No you dont have to be a good human". But if you define successful as commanding respect and loyalty from people working under you above you and with you. Earning love from people who you work with then Definitely "YES you have to be a good human being". And please note the difference between good human being and dumb human being. A good human being is also clever and will also be aware of people who manipulate him and make use of him for thier selfish purposes. Hope this answers your question