“Philosophy teaches us how to act, not how to talk.”
- Seneca , (d. 65 AD), Stoic Roman philosopher
Did you have that picture of the philosopher sitting idly by, still and silent, simply thinking?
“Our philosophy here at Pat’s Magical Widgets is that every customer leaves happy.” Until the customer tries to negotiate a really good price. Or until the customer posts on social media about a damaged delivery or a rude employee. Or until the customer is 118 days late on their bill.
Our philosophy must not be a picture. It’s gotta be our own Marvel Movie, with a cool-as-hell soundtrack and a killer cast. (A random aside: Who would you cast to play you in the movie? I’m thinking Hugh Jackman (or Huge Ackman in Night At The Museum.)
While I am still a “growth guy,” I was a “turn-around guy” for years, and I hate the parts where people’s careers are redirected harshly, but I miss the buzz of instant gratification when the people and the business grow quickly.
That’s helped me realize that I have a turn-around mentality. A philosophy to turn things around until they’re “right.”
A few times in my career, I’ve been criticized for taking a turnaround approach to a more established business. I’ve been told that “change can’t happen that quickly here.”
Philosophically speaking, your organization can handle whatever you’ve prepared it to handle. If you’ve prepared them to finish, your team won’t throw up on itself in the 4th quarter. (Sports analogy – oops). The attack from the flank won’t rattle your platoon if you’ve prepared them to know where the enemy is at all times. (Military analogy – I’m on a roll, right? Just toss in a dating analogy and…. Um let’s move on…).
Philosophy = action. What do our actions all day, every day, tell the world about our philosophy? How will they know what we believe in if we don’t show it, live it, and breathe it?
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