Business Wisdom: Words to Manage By

Didn't You Use To Believe . . .

2013-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

"How many things served us but yesterday as articles of faith, which today we deem but fables?"

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

16th century French philosopher/essayist

Your superiors, clients, peers, direct reports, literally everyone you work with, looks to you for consistency of thought.

It's ok to change your mind.

Just be sure to manage how and how often you do so.

What You Do, Not Reasons Why You Didn't

2013-05-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

"It's no use saying "We are doing our best." You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary."

Winston Churchill

20th century British politician

Excuses you give your boss explaining why something didn't get done are only that.

Excuses

You are paid for accomplishments.

Are Things Really That Bad!

2013-05-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

"Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbors."

Rudyard Kipling

Late 19th/early 20th century British writer

Did you ever work for a manager who was unnecessarily pessimistic?

Don't be that manager.

Any Opinion On This?

2013-05-17T14:07:00.002-07:00

"Taste has no system and no proofs."

Susan Sontag

20th century American author

Keep this in mind the next time you attempt to "prove" your point about something that is a matter of taste.

Particularly in business.

More To Those Who Do More

2013-05-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

"No eulogy is due to him who simply does his duty and nothing more."

Saint Augustine

4th century theologian

Nor significant raise or certainly promotion.

Do just enough and that's what you'll get in return.

No Attack No Chance

2013-05-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success."

Henry David Thoreau

19th century American naturalist, poet and philosopher

And often our failure.

But make no mistake about it, ultimately leap we must do.

Indy car race driver Takuma Sato succinctly sums it up with his racing philosophy, "No attack no chance".

Youth Be Served

2013-05-15T16:38:00.002-07:00

"Men over forty are no judges of a book written in a new spirit."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

19th century U.S. poet, essayist and lecturer

If you are over 40, and a manager whose company sells to younger consumers, think about this.

What Do Your See?

2013-05-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Everyone takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world."

Arthur Schopenhauer

Late 18th/early 19th century German philosopher

Your vision and that of your managers may be the reason your company accomplishes so little.

Crazy Or Eccentric: A Very Thin Line Of Difference

2013-05-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

"The world thinks eccentricity in great things is genius, but in small things, only crazy."

Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

19th century British politician

And since most great things begin as small things, the task of every manager is to determine which they are dealing with before it is apparent.

Who Knew?

2013-05-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

"They are so knowing that they know nothing."

Terence

2nd centrury BC Roman playwright

Do you know what this means?

I Can't Be Wrong

2013-05-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

"How can what an Englishman believes be hearsay? It's a contradiction in terms."

George Bernard Shaw

Late 19th/early 20th century Irish writer

National pride, such as that expressed by Mr. Shaw, is not the only form of self-delusional thinking.

The more you believe anything the less open you are to alternative views.

Not a good thing.

But Does It Have To Come To This?

2013-05-09T14:27:00.003-07:00

"When it becomes more difficult to suffer than change, then you will change."

Unknown

And often well before.

Much change occurs regardless of how much you suffer.

What Will You Do First?

2013-05-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

"To him who is determined it remains only to act."

Italian proverb

Good advice to all seriously considering starting their own business.

But understand, "acting" includes having first planned what acts you will initiate.

Anything less is just blind wandering.

The Future Apple Of Our Eye?

2013-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Not what I have but what I do is my kingdom."

Thomas Carlyle
18th century Scottish philosopher

Apple has cash but it remains to be seen if they can continue to do as they have in the past.

And on that rests their future.

How Much Time Do You Have?

2013-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Time cuts down all, both great and small."

Unknown

In other words a lack of time is no excuse for failure, we all have 24/7 of however many days we live on this earth.

Use yours wisely.

Hai?

2013-05-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Understanding does not mean agreement."

Unknown

Not in any language although it can be more of a challenge in some.

For example the Japanese have a tendency to say "hai" (yes) to what is being said to them.

At best their intent is "yes I heard you" not "yes I agree".

There is much, much more to communication than simply talking.

The Real Test

2013-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

"A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner."

English proverb

As good a manager as you might be during good times, you won't know if that is good enough until bad times.

Stop Learning, You're Through

2013-05-01T14:09:00.002-07:00

"Education is our only political safety. Outside of this ark all is deluge."

Horace Mann

19th century American educator

Not just political safety, business safety too.

If your company stops learning, which is to say your employees, it, them, and you will be overwhelmed by the deluge of ignorance.

Never stop learning.

A Fortunate One?

2013-04-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Fortune truly only helps those who are of good judgement."

Euripides

5th century BC Greek poet

A not so subtle way of saying you make your fortune or luck.

More than not I believe this is true.

If you are "fortunate" you've probably earned it.

If Only . . .

2013-04-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing assured to mortals."

Horace

1st century BC Latin poet

Well, there is really, taxes and death being but two examples.

But you get the idea.

The less time you spend wishing things would stay the same the more time you'll have working to make them what you want them to be.

The Power Of Need Over Want

2013-04-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

"Nothing has more strength than dire necessity."

Euripides

4th century BC Greek poet

Keep this in mind when considering the validity of your "can't miss" business idea.

Most of what we come up with will fail this test.

The more people need rather than want the better.

This Isn't What I thought It Would Be

2013-04-25T11:24:00.002-07:00

"If we do not change our direction we are likely to end up where we are headed."

Chinese proverb

Which is not a bad thing as long as where we are headed is where we want and need to go.

Unfortunately that often isn't the case.

Be certain of your destinations (goals) before you invest time and money trying to reach them.

Understand?

2013-04-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

"The language of friendship is not words but meanings."

Henry David Thoreau

19th century American naturalist

Substitute "communication" for "friendship" and you have a very important lesson in business as well.

Far more critical than the words you speak is the assumed meaning of those words.

What you think you've said is often not what is heard, and when that happens there is no communication.

In Due Time

2013-04-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Nothing can be done except little by little."

Charles Baudelaire

19th century French poet

Accepting patience as a necessary part of progress has always been difficult.

And in these days of instant/always on, even more so.

The Emotional Light

2013-04-22T11:47:00.001-07:00

"There can be no transforming darkness into light and apathy into movement without emotion."

Carl Gustav Jung

Late 19th/early 20th century Swiss psychiatrist/psychologist

Emotionless effort gets you nowhere worth going; you need emotional effort to achieve most any goal worth achieving.