One of the greatest Greek philosophers among the trifecta of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Plato benefited from being Socrates’s ardent student and later enlightened Aristotle by being his teacher. Standing tall among the greats and setting up the ‘The Academy in Athens,’ Greece, Plato is one of the greatest philosophers to have lived. Apart from his immense knowledge in various fields and documented opinions of subjects of interest. Contemporary businesses have derived from the wealth of knowledge through inherent business lessons relatable to how businesses should function. Let’s explore the Top 10 Business Lessons to see how a philosopher from 2400 years ago remains so relevant to modern organizations and corporations!
- In one of the conversations, he tells how a traveler should take advice from those who traveled the path before on how the journey would be and other suggestions.
Lesson: In a business scenario, having an advisory board is crucial. While many may not agree with the concept, thinking it’s a waste of time and capital, since you have capable hands on deck for technology, running the business, etc., the takeaway is to find the gaps in the business that may not allow you to fulfil your potential, having an advisor can help you discover them.
- While explaining how learning is an art, like horsemanship will not benefit the horse or any other art but only the persons themselves. Hence, they care only about themselves.
Lesson: Your goal in business is to meet targets, earn profits and set standards. Do not fall into the trap of discussing with other business founders. After all, they are your competitors. Each will follow their own strategies. The takeaway is to focus on your business goals.
- As a ruler do not take all that is good and benefits for your own for being a master or ruler of states. They should never take advantage of their power and take up separate things for themselves.
Lesson: When you head a company, choosing profits for yourself and not considering your team for the efforts put in by them will eventually not result in a successful business. Your efforts to acknowledge everyone and take them forward with you every step of the way can ascertain gains for a long time. Being a team member is what you should take away from the above.
- When trying to convince people who don’t understand you, it’s better to leave them. You cannot put the proof of your intention into their soul to bring them around.
Lesson: You need to find who can believe in your intentions and statistics to convince the investors because fancy presentations won’t always work. The takeaway indicates that you need to learn how to find the right people who understand you and find it worthwhile to invest in your project.
- ‘Good men will not desire to constantly demand money for their work’
Lesson: Getting the best people on board for your organization as per industry standards, may come with the setback of earning the big bucks. They only stay back if you yield to their frequent demands of raising their perks. Pick out people who will enjoy being part of the organisation and growing with it.
- Trying to lead but not knowing what it means to be a leader will not be fruitful.
Lesson: As the head of the organisation, you often get into the loop putting your opinions across, however, you hardly put in the effort of listening. It is dangerous to ignore the people’s ideas or viewpoints which at times can be crucial for your growth and organization as well.
- Nothing great is easy
Lesson: Setting up a business is never a cakewalk; every step has struggles. Great leaders never had overnight successes. Finding your path and people believing in you and your idea can become a task if you are not passionate about what you have set out to do which eventually leads to success.
- Using more tools will not make you more skilled or a greater leader. The purpose lies in handling your men and paying attention to them.
Lesson: hi-tech technology cannot compensate for your people skills. Connect with your team and your customers. No software will ensure those interpersonal relationships are sustained for a long time. To build a successful enterprise the good old one-to-one rapport always works.
- Ignoring the timely signs of trouble or resolving it temporarily will not help keep the reign to be prosperous.
Lesson: quick solutions or allowing the issues to fester can spell disasters for an enterprise in the long run. You need to find well-thought-out solutions and not wait for the issue to go away on its own. There will be risks in business and changes that can hamper the smooth flow. The repercussions need to be handled in a smart way with lesser damage.
- Having wealth aplenty will not make the kingdom prosperous good leadership can guarantee the happiness of the subject.
Lesson: you may have had good investment and funds into your enterprise but if you don’t know how to manage it, the resource is a waste. Good employees and a worthwhile project handled well by the organisation can see the success of the investment and ROI.
Takeaway
Plato has influenced our thought process over the ages. In the business world, his knowledge of critical thinking, ethical conduct and self-awareness play a significant role in allowing new-age entrepreneurs to grapple with the changing environment while achieving success. Some of the chosen pearls of wisdom mentioned above can transform how you function and help you discover the best way to look into leading an organisation to a fuller potential.