Sink, Swim, or Float...The Business Lessons

Entrepreneurship is an area of business unlike any other. Why do I say that?

No resume, CV or whatever you chose to call it is going to prepare you for what lies ahead when you decide to embark on business. No government support / lack of it is going to ensure / deny you success. When it comes down to it, it is how you take the "limes" life gives you and make it into something more palatable.

This economic environment is quite dynamic - forcing you to draw on creativity that you previous may not have known to even exist. Experience gained comes daily, since it is on these occasions that we are constantly faced with challenges which we've never really confronted before; and they are not going anywhere soon unless addressed by us.

So what do we do when faced with these challenges. Our approaches will determine if our business ventures survive or perish, whether we remain stagnant or gain traction. In short, what progress will we make?

Will we sink, swim, or float?

Guess what? Your attitude makes all the difference. It determines if you'll just "tread water" or succeed / fail. So how are you going to look at the situations you face? Will you seek solutions or dwell on the problems? Will you be negative / positive about the challenges you face?

You may believe that you have to face your challenges yourselves; while you are responsible, remember you are not alone.

Richie B. is a Business Consultant & Trainer with Blades & Blades Consultancy Services.

No Experience Required...

Throughout working life, there is always an emphasis on experience. Never mind the rush for qualifications, experience always seems to win in the end. We've often heard of the stories where experience and qualifications are played off against each other.

Thinking, as I often do, I realized that there are some things that require no experience to be successful. People advance in their careers almost daily with these attributes and they often stay within these careers for a long time.

What am I writing about? Here are a couple examples:

• Bad manners
• Disgusting attitudes 
• Poor work ethic
• Inappropriate behavior 
• Poor deportment 
• No dedication and commitment 
• Lack of hygiene 
• Unhealthy practices 
• No ethics
• The list can be endless

Yet even though these qualities are often discussed, they still find a way into our organizations though they are never shown on the workers' CV. We have highly advanced management education, still the ability to detect these characteristics before they enter the organization is elusive or these attributes have upgraded their stealth. 

It then brings into question, how these unwanted characteristics infiltrate our organizations so easily. Would love to get your thoughts and feedback.