On the Benefits of a Business Education

On the Benefits of a Business Education

photo credit: jacky_oh_yeah

photo credit: jacky_oh_yeah

In 1986, when Russell Ackoff, a pioneer of management education, retired as Professor at the Wharton Business School, he was asked what were the benefits of a business education. With savage irony he replied that there were three.

  1. To equip students with a vocabulary that enabled them to talk with authority about subjects they did not understand.
  2. To give students principles that would demonstrate their ability to withstand any amount of dis-confirming evidence.
  3. To give students a ticket of admission to a job where they could learn something about management.

There’s Nothing Wrong With You

We all do it. It’s almost ingrained in us. We focus on the bad things people have said about us. The bad things we have thought about our self. In those words we see areas for improvement. Areas we can work on to be a better and happier person. We have been taught that the key to achieving our goals is improving on our weaknesses.

Why do we believe the bad things about our self more easily than the good?

We go to therapy to focus on improving our weaknesses. We do it so we can be happy.

But here’s the thing…the good stuff – your talents and strengths, what makes you, you, your ‘je ne sais quoi’ – it’s the key to your happiness. Because it’s what’s right with you that matters. It’s in exploring what’s right with you that you’ll find the joy you seek.

On the Benefits of a Business Education

30 Unanswered Questions

Creative Commons License photo credit: CarbonNYC

Creative Commons License photo credit: CarbonNYC

I got the idea from Dave Pollard author of the blog, How to Save the World. He got the idea from Beth Adams. Basically you sit for half an hour and write 30 thoughts/questions that enter your mind. It’s a fun exercise but beyond that I’m not sure what value it creates. I wrote my questions over Pho at my neighbourhood Vietnamese restaurant.

  1. What is the line between empathy and judgment?
  2. At what point did human’s start ignoring that they are animals too?
  3. Why do some people take pleasure in others’ pain?
  4. Why are people fearful of that which is different?
  5. Why do we want to feel superior to others?
  6. Why is the mainstream media so mindless and ill-informed?
  7. What causes someone to become more conscious?
  8. Do I deserve to be happy?
  9. Why do people think that they have to ‘work’ for happiness?
  10. When did ‘fun’ become a bad word?
  11. Why do people push their expectations on others?
  12. Why do some women glare at other women?
  13. Why do we focus on our weaknesses?
  14. How important is human reproduction? Is it necessary that I reproduce?
  15. Why do people wear sunglasses indoors?
  16. What makes someone love their life? Hate their life?
  17. What is the real colour of my hair?
  18. Does history matter?
  19. Why don’t we realize how insignificant this moment in time is?
  20. What/who caused the Big Bang?
  21. Where is line between crazy and genius?
  22. Why do people think love = sacrifice?
  23. Why do we try and change each other?
  24. Will we ever ‘wake up’?
  25. What is the next natural disaster to happen due to climate change?
  26. Why are people so f’ing lazy?
  27. Why is there no public recycling in the United States?
  28. Will there be any animals left when it is all said and done?
  29. What happened after this shot was taken?
  30. Why do most people think more about what they are putting on their body than in it?
On the Benefits of a Business Education

Shoot First, Think Later

Creative Commons License photo credit: monkeypuzzle

Creative Commons License photo credit: monkeypuzzle

How often is a movie filmed without first writing a script? How often is a book jacket designed without first writing the content?

A website is no different. It tells a story. One of the most common mistakes I find business owner’s make in their website development is creating the design before writing the content.

Your website content isn’t there to fill up your design space. Determine what you are saying and to who before you find a design to compliment it. The worst thing you can do is write web content for the singular purpose of filling up space. Decide what content is important first and then create a design that highlights and compliments it.

Your story, your purpose, your message is the best design inspiration there is.

On the Benefits of a Business Education

The Weight of the World

Creative Commons License photo credit: normalityrelief

Creative Commons License photo credit: normalityrelief

I had one of those days yesterday. One of those days where the sadness of the world seems to be weighing down on me. I expect you have them too.

On these days I wish I could turn off my beautiful gift for empathy. Sometimes I don’t want to feel everything so deeply. Sometimes I don’t want to hold the pain of others within me. Sometimes my own pain is more than enough.

There are so many terrible things I want to change but I know I can not for I can not single-handedly save the world.

I have to be happy with my contribution, authentically given.

And most days I am. But on the heavy days, the days that weigh on me, it just isn’t enough.