Today’s thought comes from the Dalai Lama’s meditations on young people. He says that from a very early age we need to learn to get on with people and to help them. And he goes on to say that we should learn not to hold grudges.
Apart from the obvious idea that business is all about helping people, and that it does kind of help if you can get on with them too, there is an important message in the advice not to hold grudges. Holding a grudge means assuming that because someone behaved badly once, then they will continue to do so at every interaction.
In business, it can be very dangerous to assume that someone’s past actions will be repeated. Disregarding a competitor who has been ineffective in the past can mean they sweep by once they get their act together. Discounting a supplier forever just because they let you down once before can mean you miss out on their new, perfect-for-you, offering.
And assuming that competent employees will remain so regardless of what’s going on in their personal lives can leave you badly disappointed. As can relying too heavily on partners who have been good for you so far.
I’m not suggesting you have to get all cynical and assume nobody is ever consistently good, or all Pollyanna and assume nobody is ever consistently a waste of space – just that you must always be prepared to re-evaluate other people and businesses if you are to find the best ones to help you get where you want to go.
I bought a neat little book recently - "365 Dalai Lama" - as the title suggests, it's a daily thought from the Dalai Lama. My plan is to use each thought as the inspiration for a blog - and linking the fluffy woo-woo elements to real-world solutions in business and life.
