October 18, 2010

Striking the Business Balance

Our views can be intoxicating.

We all have the ability to publish our thoughts through electronic means or personal interaction.

As the adage goes, if you and I always agree then one of us may not be necessary in the conversation.

There is a difference between having an opinion and being opinionated.


Someone who is opinionated rarely wants to hear the other side of the story or listen to evidence that may challenge their opinion.

opin•ion
\ə-ˈpin-yən\ noun
• a view, judgment, or appraisal formed about a particular matter.
• belief stronger than impression.
• formal expression of judgment.
• advice by an expert.

opin•ion•at•ed
\-yə-ˌnā-təd\ adjective
• unduly adhering to one's own opinion or to preconceived notions.

Take that and apply it to your business.

You know what you’re doing, it’s your business! You have worked hard to accomplish a lot. You drink, eat and breathe it so you are entitled to have an opinion on its results. But how close can you be before you become opinionated about your offering?

Opinions are crucial to move thoughts from ideas to action. You digest information and move. It's dangerous when we have a preconceived notion and simply search for evidence to support it and miss the better solution.

The drug companies do it with case studies when they throw out the participants that may skew the results. You witness it in the boardroom when the boss is clearly asking a bunch of 'yes' people simply to hear his great ideas parroted back to him.

For small to medium sized business owners, it can be a challenge when you are the only one in the boardroom. That is perhaps why it is often wise to ask for a second opinion.

knealemann

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image credit: byu
original post: march 2010
 
© Kneale Mann knealemann@gmail.com people + priority = profit
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