Truisms are more or less like soothsaying, in generic terms. When it comes to business or a profession that has a wide reach, truisms may sound clichéd as well. But then, they happen to be true, all the time and every time. There is no disputing that.
A few things like ‘a leader drives business’ is a truism that we probably know as much as we know the theory of evolution. We know men came from monkeys and businesses came from their leaders who always worked hard. In business, vision is as important as pragmatism and sometimes truisms can actually show the way, where there is no light yet.
Provide a service or product that people want to buy – well, there can never be any other absolute and ever-relevant truth than this one. Whether it is
This truism can never be dated. It is certainly the most applicable truth of all times, no matter which company forays into the market and survives. Sometimes, when you think in the Indian context, a truism is something that exists in every line of work philosophy. Corporate houses call it ‘professionalism’ and ‘business truths’ that apply across ages and business models.
Business truisms don’t just extend to the nature of business or the manner in which it has to be run. For instance, to understand that a business will be making losses or is likely to underperform during the first year is something that is ‘understood.’ But it is never completely comprehensible unless someone undergoes the pain. In that case, trust and loss are two things that truisms can explain, but won’t be able to drive the point home.
A truism on planning is a direct derivative of the English adage – well begun is half done. Revisiting a plan, revising it and realigning it with changed goals make for an excellent atmosphere in which businesses will thrive. But this is known by businessmen who do revisit their business plans whenever the times are not so good.
However, there are a few truisms that have made good sense for emotional people whose ship would have sunk owing to having too many relatives around. This truism is worth being written in gold. It’s actually the writing on the stone. A friend or a relative can never be a good business partner – isn’t this something that every businessman has learnt the hard way? There are no relatives in business. That world speaks in only two words – profit and loss.
Statements on focused marketing, networking, having a trusted bank by your side, attorneys and friends – all things that keep the buzz going in the world of business – ring true ever so often.
But the value of truisms is lost because they are flat statements. Many a times, it is their timing that makes sense of the statement than the words themselves. They are those business adages that don’t have a body of their own, but will come to life through situations and challenges. They are to be applied to one’s own reality in specific situations and at crucial times when business decisions have to be taken without much supportive statements; truisms then serve as the guiding light.
Apart from that, there are those terse truisms that have emerged with changing times. Here are a few examples:
Company culture: It is directly related to the CEO. He defines the company.
Trust: It is the difference between a team with potential and team with performance. What really matters is what you will want to bank on, at the moment.
Pareto principle: Always. The ever-true 80/20 rule on sales, profit and revenue.
‘New’ does not mean better: Whether it is leadership or business plan or customer, new does not necessarily mean better. Haven’t you heard: Known devil is better than the unknown angel?
A successful business LOOKS successful: It sure does. When the going’s good, it shows in more places than one. And it is more evident to a person who is looking at it the first time than the one who visits the place every day. So, stop making extra efforts to ‘show’ success. After all, it’s already showing well.
Mistakes repeat: Success looks for new pathways. When you do something year after year, without giving as much thought as to its need and significance, success does not arrive riding on a white horse, clasping a shining armour. Just because it was done last year, one doesn’t have to do it this year, too, unless there is a need and a proper reason for it.