I was having a business discussion recently and was expressing my disappointment that for some people in the organisation what was being said was not reflected in what actually happened. I quoted from the Bible, Mathew 7:16 ‘You will know them by their fruit.’ I am not at all religious; when I was a teenager my family lived with my grandfather who was a Church of England vicar. In my late teenage years and early twenties, I was his carer, I therefore have a good knowledge of the scriptures. I find a great deal of wisdom in them.
The wisdom is almost two millennia old; however, I find it is still relevant today because it is about human behaviour and human interaction. Understanding human behaviour and human interaction is key to business success. It is important in managing staff, getting effective sales messages across to potential customers, dealing with customers, having effective relationships with suppliers and in some instances regulators.
Reflecting on that business discussion I realised that I have learnt more from my grandfather than I have through the formal education system. That taught me about things, my grandfather, through the Bible, taught me about people. School taught me English and how to structure sentences, it did nor teach me about the power of words and the pictures they can paint.
“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”
===========
Business Thoughts 