Success has a way of attracting attention. When someone builds a thriving business, achieves impressive financial results, or becomes recognized in their industry, we naturally want to know how they did it.

We look at their strategies, decisions, habits, and attitudes, hoping to discover something we can apply to our own businesses.

And there's good reason to do that. Other people's experiences can teach us a great deal.

But as we explored in When Success Teaches You the Wrong Lesson, impressive results don’t necessarily mean every decision behind them was sound. Nor does it mean that everything about someone’s approach to business is worth following.

Success tells us something about what a person has achieved. It doesn't necessarily tell us what kind of person they are.

And that distinction matters when we're deciding whose example to follow.

What Are We Actually Admiring?

Imagine two entrepreneurs in the same industry.

One has built a rapidly growing business, attracts considerable attention, and is frequently asked to share the secrets of their success. They're persuasive, confident, and exceptionally good at attracting new clients.

The other runs a smaller, profitable business. Their growth has been steady rather than spectacular, and they don't receive nearly as much recognition. But they have earned the respect of their clients, employees, and others who have worked with them over the years.

If you were looking for someone to learn from, which entrepreneur would attract your attention first?

For many people, it would be the first. Their achievements are more visible, and if growing a business is our goal, then their experience seems particularly relevant.

But suppose you learn that this entrepreneur frequently makes promises their business struggles to fulfil, dismisses legitimate client complaints, and has no concern for their employees’ safety.

Does that change your opinion?

It probably should. Not because their business achievements suddenly disappear, but because you now have a more complete picture of the person behind them.

Their marketing strategies might still be excellent. Their ability to recognize opportunities might be worth studying.

But would you want to adopt their approach to dealing with people?

That's where we need to distinguish between admiring someone's results and admiring the way they achieved them.

Success Can Influence More Than Our Business Decisions

When we see someone as successful, we may unconsciously give them credit for other qualities we haven't actually observed.

Psychologists call this the halo effect. A positive impression in one area influences how we judge someone in others.

In business, financial success can create that positive impression. We may assume that a successful entrepreneur also has sound judgement, strong leadership abilities, and admirable principles.

They might. But success alone doesn't establish those qualities.

And this is where we can get into trouble.

If we place someone on a pedestal because of their achievements, we may become less willing to question their behaviour. We might excuse actions we would otherwise consider unacceptable, particularly when the person presents those actions as necessary for success.

We may even begin to believe that questionable behaviour is simply part of what it takes to get ahead.

But achieving results and exercising good character are not the same thing.

Look Beyond the Results

Character isn’t always obvious from the outside, particularly when we’re seeing only the version of the person they’ve chosen to present.

Instead, character is often revealed through patterns in how they behave, especially when their own interests are involved.

How do they treat people who have little to offer them? How do they respond when they make a mistake? Do they accept responsibility, or consistently find someone else to blame? Are their principles still relevant when following them becomes inconvenient?

None of these questions can be answered reliably from a single interaction or an isolated story. People make mistakes, and even someone with strong principles won't always make the right decision.

But patterns tell more of the story.

And while we may never know everything about someone we admire, paying attention to those patterns can help us form a more balanced judgement.

It also helps us recognize that someone doesn’t have to be successful financially or have a sizeable business to have something valuable to teach us.

An entrepreneur who quietly builds a dependable business, treats people fairly, and consistently honours their responsibilities may offer lessons that aren't as sought after—but are no less important.

Choose Your Examples Carefully

Learning from successful entrepreneurs doesn't require us to admire everything about them.

We can appreciate someone's ability to grow a business without endorsing how they treat their employees. We can learn from their marketing without adopting their attitude toward customers. And we can recognize their accomplishments without assuming they are trustworthy in every other area.

The important thing is to remain thoughtful about what we're learning and why.

Because when we decide whose example to follow, we're doing more than looking for strategies that produce results. We're also being influenced by what those people demonstrate about how business should be conducted.

Success leaves clues about what someone has accomplished. Character leaves clues about whether they're someone worth following.

Both deserve our attention.

Something to Think About

Think about someone in business whose success you admire. What do you know about how they achieved it, beyond the results you can see? And are the qualities you admire in that person the same ones you'd want to develop in yourself?

At Ready Set Grow, I believe entrepreneurship is about more than achieving impressive results.  It's about developing the knowledge, judgement, and confidence to build a business that reflects your values and ambitions.

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