Don’t Be a Dickhead: Why Respect and Integrity Matter More Than Anything

Alright, listen. We all know the world of work can be tough at times — targets, expectations, deadlines, goals, calls, and endless emails. But here’s the thing: none of those matter if you’re a dickhead. Yeah, I said it. It Doesn’t matter how talented you are; if you treat people, like rubbish, you’re going nowhere, and will be found out sooner or later by your colleagues, boss, clients, and suppliers. – So Don’t be a dickhead!

In digital marketing or any industry, really—skills get you in the door. But how you treat people? That’s what keeps you in the game and moving forward.

1. People First, Every Time

It’s easy to get lost in the numbers and deliverables, but here’s a truth bomb: people and relationships come first. Behind every email, phone call, meeting, or project is a real person. And if you can’t treat them with a bit of respect, understanding and humility, it’ll come back to bite you (as it should). People remember how you make them feel, not how quickly you turned around a report.

Respect people. It’s not hard.

We’ve all had those difficult moments and conversations, and that comes with the territory of business. Recently, we had some objections to a video our wonderful partners at Wander Films were making for us. I had some objections, and Chloe Clover (legend) exemplified exactly how I would treat someone too, she called me, listened and empathised with my concerns, addressed them head-on and with understanding, and helped me see why certain decisions had been made, and why I was incorrect in my thoughts. We ended up with a mind-blowing video and a great relationship. Now look at what that was; it was just a 5-minute phone call with mutual respect and understanding. It’s not difficult!

2. Be Yourself—People Can Smell BS

Here’s the thing: people can tell when you’re faking it. Being authentic (I know the sickly term that everyone is tired of hearing from “LinkedIn Experts”) is your superpower. Just be yourself—drop the corporate mask. If you mess up, yes be professional but own it. If you don’t know something, admit it. People trust you more when you’re real.

This is something I had to learn to do and be comfortable doing, but it’s something I engrain into all of my team. We’re not perfect; we all make mistakes, and that’s how we learn and grow. But as a boss and team, I/we have your back as long as you have ROAR and our client’s best interests at heart in what you’re doing. Own your mistakes, let it hurt, because it’s important that it pisses you off, but learn from it, own it, and move on!

3. Integrity Isn’t Optional

Shortcuts are tempting, right? But don’t be that person who’s “dodgy” to get ahead – As people who’ve been in business see you coming a mile off. Integrity matters. Keep your word, don’t throw people under the bus, and do the right thing even when it’s tough. Over time, you’ll build a rep as someone who can be trusted.

I’ve built my business and hopefully a good reputation on this!

I have two great examples of this from some valued friends and partners:

My first example of this was with my now good friend James Higgins (top bloke) from our partners at 32West, when our PR campaign at the time in his eyes wasn’t quite right, he made the decision to pick up the phone and advise that he believed the timing was wrong, and to go again at a later date, and that it would have more impetus and impact then. Right away I feel considered, valued, and that the project is in safe, experienced hands that he and his team care about the person, business, and outcome, and not just them getting paid – Integirty!!!!!

Another great recent example of this was a call from Andrew Auton (top bloke), from one of our web partners at Team Valley Web, who called me personally to advise they’d had an inbound call from a firm we used to work with a few years ago, and to see what the situation was, and to see if they were ok to engage with them to avoid potentially stepping on toes etc… This simple 2-minute call tells me everything about how he and his firm operate (which i did already know but it reiterated that- with care for partners and integrity. And rather than chasing an easy extra few £ in the shadows, they’ve maintained a relationship, kept a client, won a new client, and will continue getting referrals from us.

4. Respect Builds Teams

If you’re in marketing, you know it’s all about collaboration. That only works when people feel respected and heard. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you’re a nightmare to work with, no gives a shit and will switch off. Mutual respect makes everything run smoother. Plus, you’ll enjoy your work more and build better relationships when people aren’t walking on eggshells around you.

5. Deliverables Aren’t Everything

Here’s the kicker: no matter how good your work is, if you treat people like crap, make them feel stupid, or devalued it won’t matter. Your skills and performance will only get you so far. Long-term success comes from building real, human connections, and building a rapport with trust, and ease of communication.

People will forget the details of a campaign you worked on in time, but they won’t forget how you treated them.

6. Being A Good Person and Doing the Right Thing = Personal Growth

When you treat people right, you grow as a person. You build patience, empathy, and self-awareness—all traits that make you better at your job, no matter the sector or role.

Bottom Line: Don’t Be A Dickhead!

At the end of the day, success isn’t just about smashing out deliverables and hitting KPIs. It’s about relationships. Be respectful, be a real person, work with integrity and don’t be a dickhead. It’s that simple.

Work like this, and I’d either love to work with you or employ you!