Business is fired at managers point blank

David J. Abbott

“Life cannot wait until the sciences may have explained the universe scientifically. We cannot put off living until we are ready. The most salient characteristic of life is its coerciveness: it is always urgent, ‘here and now’ without any possible postponement. Life is fired at us point blank” said the Spanish philosopher,  Jose Ortegay Gasset.

In a universe whose size and complexity we can’t fathom, why we do we think the world of our ‘starship enterprise’ is so important? Looking inwards at our internal universe, what is the impulsive irrational emotional part of our behaviour that risks sabotaging our career success?

Is there a difference between knowledge and wisdom? Can one just read a few books, perhaps get a diploma or degree, take an online course, watch a few YouTube clips and become an effective manager?  In today’s world, knowledge has become bordering on free. Yet Solomon like wisdom, and insights remain elusive. What can’t you learn on the internet, accessing it from that rectangle in your pocket? An AI program like Chat GPT will give you an intelligent, balanced answer to many management problems. Yet, the gap between facts and data, and genuine perceptive understanding persists.

What percentage of time do things go according to plan? Response to that question that is revealing of a manager’s personality and experience? A diplomatic response may be to look at it on the basis of a normal curve, or to say, things go according to plan roughly half of the time. Really? Yes, you can Google to see how things ought to be in a text book ideal world. But what happens in the ‘always important and urgent’ category has messy inevitable surprises.

We see the world of business not as it is, but as we are. When you are full of energy, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to face a new day, with a few good news successes, one has the confidence to tackle daunting problems.   Yet, when beaten down, having been yelled at by the boss, with the all the energy of a flat battery, with all the endless stream of impossible demands, the world looks gray and bleak. Yet, what has really changed in the external reality? Probably nothing. What has shifted is the manager’s perspective. As within, so without.

Funny how we think the world revolves around us. Our universe is estimated to consist of 2 trillion galaxies, that is 200 billion systems of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity.  Outside of her tiny orbit, does anyone know that Sarah, the CEO, with her pressing management problems even exists?

Shifting from the big picture to the universe of the human mind.  Dr. Steve Peters, the British psychiatrist has an interesting way of explaining our thinking process, popularised by his fascinating 2012 book The Chimp Paradox where he has a working model of the human having 3 brains, the chimp, human and the computer. The ‘chimp brain’ being the emotional, impulsive, always urgent, upfront, sometimes aggressive ‘protecting ones turf’ ego driven part of our thinking process.

These chimp like quick judgements, need to be tempered with our ‘human brain’, the more rational logical part of our thinking, along with our fast working ‘computer brain’, that keeps track of everything. All three have to work in consort.  Paradox being that the impulsive chimp brain can be one’s best friend or mortal enemy.

Peter’s writes about what he calls ‘the stone of life’, values and the truths we hold close to our heart. He wisely points out: life is not fair, goal posts move, there are no guarantees, and everything that happens comes and goes.

Disappointments are tough, but they need to be kept in perspective, happiness can be found in many ways, and every present moment is precious. In the final analysis, in an ‘always urgent’ no postponements business world:  it’s the way we deal with ‘point blank’ problems that gives us peace of mind.

David   dja@acatalyst.co.ke  is a director at aCatalyst Consulting.