THE ENTERPRISE 2.0.1 is the 1st non-political, business & life oriented edition—"Timeless Truths"

NOTE: THE ENTERPRISE 2.0 is the non-political, business and life oriented version of THE ENTERPRISE. 

Where politics and public policy are mentioned or involved are instances when those are hopeless intertwined with the business principles being covered.

 

I PROMISED I’D START FROM MY ROOTS IN BUSINESS, AND LIFE, AND HERE GOES. (THE ENTERPRISE 2.0 = TE2.0)

My general idea is to start with how businesses (and organizations) begin, and follow the steps that lead them to succeed and grow. There are many lessons in nature that I’ll call on to help illustrate my points. I’ve written so many columns and posts, that I’m likely to repeat things that I’ve described before. That’s OK. Some experts say that until you’ve heard something seven times, you really don’t grasp and remember it. (I’ll try to avoid repeating things more than seven times.)

 

TIMELESS TRUTHS

Most of these are "timeless truths." No matter how the technology changes, the earth is inhabited by humans—who only change very slowly—if at all. Thus, human behavior is at the core of many timeless truths. There are also core principles of leadership, and management that are so fundamental, I consider them timeless truths. 

 

As I write editions for TE2.0, I will use many of these truths as the fundamentals—the underpinnings of my writing and premises on which it is based. I will also cite, quote and excerpt from, and sometimes expand on (or update) parts of my 12 business books. 

 

If the truth below is marked “Lesson," it’s explained further in my latest bookRocketships & Parachutes—365 Lessons to launch and land your career (https://tinyurl.com/mariottiR-P) There are a lot of "timeless truths" in its 365 lessons. Everyone so far has been very happy with it. I hope you’d get a copy —and review it—feedback is very valuable.

 

Twenty-five Timeless Truths

1. Lesson: Integrity is like virginity; you either have it or you don’’t.
2. Walk your talk, because if you don’t, people will stop believing you and trusting you.
3. What goes around, comes around. (If you behave and treat others badly, “you’ll get yours” in return—someday.)
4. There's no such thing as a free lunch—in life, business, or in government. (Anything “free” is paid for by someone.)
5. Government was created to work for the people; not vice versa; intended to do the limited range of things people can’t do alone.
6. Lesson: Nothing good comes easily. Hard is good; if it was easy, someone would have already done it before you got the chance.
7. Lesson: If you really need something, you’ll pay for it, whether you buy it or not.
8. Lesson: You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
9. Lesson: Always tell the truth, but not every truth needs to be told.
10. Lesson: Facts are inconvenient things. They don’t change in the face of assumptions or opinions.
11. Figures don’t lie, but liars figure. Beware.
12. To solve any problem: 1) understand and define it; 2) then solve it. (Not vice versa.)
13. Lesson: There is no substitute for personal discipline and accountability.
14. Lesson: The customer may not always be right, but the customer is always the customer.
15. Business is a game where the score is kept in money.
16. Lesson: Everybody has a boss—figure out who is yours.
17. Lesson; [In business] Cash is like oxygen. When you run out of it, you die.
18. Lesson: There is no substitute for being ready.
19. Lesson: When opportunity comes knocking, take it. You might not get another chance.
20. Lesson: "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." —B. Franklin
21. There are very few rotten people, but "it only takes one rotten apple to spoil the whole bushel."
22. Lesson: The people who were present when problems arose are seldom the ones you need to fix the problems. 
23. Lesson: To make significant change, you must change significant people.
24. To have a partner, you must be a partner.
25. Lesson: Do the right thing, you’ll know it when it comes along.

HOW DO BUSINESSES (AND ORGANIZATIONS) GET STARTED?

Someone recognizes a need, that is going unfulfilled. It might be for a product or a service or some combination of those. Once a need (or a want) recognized, someone is likely to try fulfilling it. When that happens, the creator usually tries to exchange that product or service for something else of value. Long ago, they might barter it (trade it) for something they needed (like food, etc.). As time went on, currency (money) was created as the universal form of value to exchange for products or services. 

 

Commerce began and small, often one-person businesses were born. When the demand for whatever was created exceeded what the initial founder (creator) could supply, s/he enlisted others (sometimes family members) to help deliver more. If outsiders were needed, they were compensated with something of value (perhaps livestock or crops or many other things. Finally currency in the form of promissory noted evolved into money (Often a promissory note worth value from some issuing government entity.) Businesses aimed for profit—to get more value than they gave, but some chose to be non-profit, simply satisfied to exchange equal value.

 

Entire books have been written about this kind of topic, but this is enough to get us started. 

 

At times, when an unmet need is recognized, totally new products or services are devised to fill that need. More on that idea later. 

I’ll also add more Timeless Truths to the list in future TE2.0 editions, as they seem appropriate.For now, just read and think about them and imagine all your experiences in which you found them to be true (or not?). 

 

Does the accelerating advance of technology change these much, or at all? Absolutely. The issue is how? Perhaps the pervasive reach of communications devices allows easier, faster and far-reaching communication, but does it really change what is being communicated? Yes and no. 

 

The words may be the same but absent the expression and body language of face to face, or even voice to voice communication, the new electronic version become less personal. It is also far easier to offend or irritate someone without realizing it—because there is no immediate feedback to how the words written came across different than intended. 

 

Arguing via email or text is a really bad idea. It gets ugly fast. Emojis somewhat evolved as a (poor) electronic substitute for the missing body and facial language and feedback. Read aloud what you type into the device and imagine you were saying that to the person opposite you. How would that turn out? Not so good, right? The fix it and try again. 

 

Text and email are efficient—fast and asynchronous (the two parties don’t need to be present at the same time as the communication occurs). That’s a benefit, and a risk. However, until a personal rapport exists, be very careful.

 

What is the central element of these timeless truths?Human behavior.

Let’s stop now, to let you think, before continuing.

 

Best, 

JOHN

 

PS: To those who long for the old version of THE ENTERPRISE, if you see this and send me an email, I will your name will remain on a list to get something like that. This presumes enough of you ask for it. If you don’t want the old one, (which will be very infrequent and only when critical issues are dominating the conversations,)withinsay so, and I’ll delete your address.