The Business Philosopher

"Philosophy always requires something more, requires the external, the true, in contrast to which even the fullest existence as such is but a happy moment."

Soren Kierkegaard

19th century Danish philosopher

Isn't that the essence of what business managers strive to achieve?

At Some Point You Just Have To Laugh

"I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation."

W. Somerset Maugham

20th century British playwright/author

Did you ever notice how happy and accepting many elderly seem to be?

They appear to have accepted this quote as true and a goal worthy of achieving.

Now, how to do this before we get old, particularly in our business lives.

We Won't Be Like You

"The new organization is edgeless, permeable, amorphous . . . constantly reforming according to need."

Unknown

This sounds like something a new generation person would say to demonstrate how they are different from all generations gone before them.

And there's a slight implied bias suggesting that the new way will be the better way.

If so, great, we can all benefit from new and better ways.

However before concluding that is so I'd like to hear how this "constantly reforming" organization intends to manage itself.

Our Own Jailer

"The chains of habits are too weak to be felt, until they are too strong to be broken."

Samuel Johnson

18th century British author

Not always a bad thing; there are good habits as well as bad.

But you know what this refers to don't you?

Averages Are Made Up Of Differences

"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal."

Aristotle

3rd century BC Greek philosopher

Because it can't be done.

You can treat unequal things and people the same but that doesn't make them equal.

How's your promotion policy?

Become The Best!

"We are citizens of the world.  The tragedy of our times is that we don't know this."

Woodrow Wilson

28th president of the United States

And we are still today in all things and none more than business.

As "motherhoodish" as it may sound, the only way to protect ourselves from foreign competition is to continually out perform them.

  

What's In It For Us?

"When a match has equal partners then I fear not."

Aeschylus

5th century BC Greek dramatist

The implication being, one should fear when there is not equality.

For a contract to be valid the law requires benefit to both parties.

It is logical then that there must also be mutual benefit in business relations including those between managers and employees.

Win win or all too often it will be lose lose.

Let Me Tell You Something

"To talk without thinking is to shoot without aiming."

English proverb

How much of what you say is poorly aimed?

Shoot To Kill

"If you shoot a king you must kill him."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

19th century American essayist/poet

Not only true of kings but of CEOs and other managers as well.

If the challenge really matters to you, by all means go ahead with it.

However be prepared to leave, you may not survive.

Think (But Not Too Much) Before You Act!

"Reflection makes men cowards."

William Hazlitt

18th century British essayist

You need to reflect before taking action but too much thinking about what might happen and you may not act at all.

How do you balance the two?

Which Dog Will You Work For?

"Don't mistake pleasure for happiness. They are a different breed of dogs."

Josh Billings

19th century American humorist

Your career may bring one, sometimes both, occasionally neither.

Make sure you strive for the one you need as much if not more than the one you want.

Duty To Others

"A sense of duty is useful in work but offensive in personal relations.  People wish to be liked, not to be endured with patient resignation."

Bertrand Russell

19th century British philosopher

But since personal relations are important in business, how do you separate the two?

You don't.

Duties can be accomplished without "enduring" those you perform them for, patient resignation or not.

I Promise . . .

"Words pay no debts."

William Shakespeare

16th century British poet/playwright

Your promises to do specific things by a specific time are a form of debt.

Try not to default too often.

I Didn't Because _______

"An excuse is worse than a lie, for an excuse is a lie, guarded."

Alexander Pope

18th century English poet

Not always; some excuses are honest explanations for failure.

But I'm being kind.

All too often they are a lie.

But What If They're Right?

"Love your enemies for they tell you your faults."

Benjamin Franklin

18th century American statesman/inventor

Not everything they say about you is true.

Only that which is.

Behind the Veil Of What Might Be

"It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit."

Antoine Rivarol

19th century French writer

"Mystery", "enchantment"; not likely words you associate with your job are they?

Particularly not when you think about your career "pursuit".

But why shouldn't they be?

What Are You Building?

"The boy gathers materials for a temple, and then when he is thirty, concludes to build a woodshed."

Henry David Thoreau

19th century American naturalist/poet/philosopher

Sooner or later compromise is a part of all our lives.

Better later than sooner.

Made Of Sterner Stuff?

"Such as we are made of, such we be."

William Shakespeare

16th century English poet/playwright

In business as in our personal lives, just as true for our companies as ourselves.