Stu Ellman, a friend and mentor, wrote a post last week titled Respect where he discussed the importance of being respectful of others whether you're successful or not, VC, entrepreneur or other.

As many of you know, I share the values that he espouses in this post.  In fact, his post reminded me of two posts that I had written awhile ago that I thought were worth re-posting here.  The first post included below is a list of the top ten ways a VC should interact with an entrepreneur.  The second is a list of the top ten ways an entrepreneur should interact with VCs.

Both posts set high bars for behavior.  On the VC side I find myself constantly striving to live up to the list and I know there are many entrepreneurs who (whether they have read my blog or not) seek to meet the standard laid out for entrepreneurs.

Here they are:

Top Ten Ways In Which The Best VCs Interact With Entrepreneurs

1. Be respectful of entrepreneurs and their efforts – remember that they are changing the world.
2. Handle sensitive information carefully.
3. Be forthcoming if you are evaluating competitive opportunities.
4. Be honest about your intentions.
5. Respond as promptly as possible.
6. Help entrepreneurs when possible regardless of whether or not you intend to invest.
7. Ensure that entrepreneurs share in the upside.
8. Be an active board member.
9. Pursue the exits that are best for everyone around the table.
10. Support the entrepreneurial community.

Top Ten Ways The Best Entrepreneurs Interact With VCs

1. Only contact VCs that invest in your type of company (e.g., sector, stage, etc.).
2. Be honest about your intentions.
3. Be patient with VCs.
4. Actively share information.
5. Do not take rejection personally.
6. Do not harass VCs (they’re people too).
7. Focus on the success of the company; check your ego at the door.
8. Be open to feedback and new ideas.
9. Do not sully the reputation of a VC simply because you did not like their decision.
10. Build relationships with VCs.