Communication is a crucial topic. All social endeavors depend on communication: marriage, business, family, friendship, public safety, criminal justice, trade, etc. No human endeavor can progress without communication. In order to get anything done, agreements have to be made. The parties involved have to communicate messages to each other in some way. Therefore, agreements and contracts are fundamental forms of communication although they are not typically characterized in this way. How are those messages communicated? What messages are communicated? And, more importantly, are the communicated messages actually consistent with the goals to be achieved? The last question is particularly revealing since communication is often understood superficially mostly in terms of words. Therefore, different messages are often communicated. One thing is said, something different is done. Confusion results. Creating even more confusion and doubt—the diametric opposite of what is most desirable to communicate especially in business situations where trustworthy “branding” is more valuable, profitable, and desirable. Confusion creates mistrust, (i.e. self-doubt).
The goal of business from the perspective of the Shinsei Method™ is to increase profitability and efficiency. These two achievements are inter-related. To better understand these fundamental business goals (and for any endeavor where improvement is sought) it is helpful to see three primary goals for business. Profitability is the primary goal for business operations (the everyday practices of business). Efficiency is the second goal of business and effectiveness is the third. The desire for profit is the motivation for all business. It is logical to conclude that everything else in business derives from this fundamental desire. Therefore, communication, motivation, production, accounting, management, compensation, and every aspect of business are created to make business more profitable and hence more efficient. Few people would disagree with this logic. Yet, few people in business seem to truly live for this perspective in business. The practice of business is not about finding ways to keep things going as is. That is not improvement. That is a stagnant status quo. Unfortunately, this type of bureaucratic “status quo” mentality is ubiquitous and not unique to business. It is common everywhere. A civic-minded homeowner who wants to stop the deterioration of the community for the sake of family, safety, and well-being, is often pressured not to speak out against things like graffiti, suspicious activity, changes in zoning laws, or changes in property values. There is social pressure to maintain the “status quo” even to the detriment of the community. A hard-working student who wants to fully understand the concepts involved in hard subjects like mathematics, chemistry, or physics, is often pressured to be more “sociable” or turn classes into cocktail parties (sometimes literally) where people do not discuss the subject matter, but gossip. What message is communicated? The serious pursuit of erudition and insight? Or, a casual indifference toward learning?
The importance of seriousness in all things cannot be underestimated. However, seriousness—or the lack of it—depends on the values in place; and seriousness as a basis for effective communication (and effective leadership in business) is rarely emphasized or supported. But, how can anyone develop a level of competence or ability but through the consistent and serious application of diligence? It is a rhetorical question. There is no other way to develop effectiveness, efficiency, profitability and ability except through taking matters seriously, so seriously in fact that when work has to be done, when answers have to be found, when solutions have to be created, they can be. Competence is the result of seriousness. Therefore, competent communication is the result of seriousness. However, seriousness is value-driven and character oriented. An individual must take a matter seriously, and to do that what ever the matter is must be valued. Reasonable people do not laugh off serious matters, and business is a serious matter, not just because profitability is at stake, but also because many people from customers to employees (including their families) depend on successful business operations, which means profitable operations. This is always true. However, it is rarely emphasized in business schools or in the media, because they tend not to take character seriously.
Competence is the result of taking things serious over time: tasks, projects, concepts, and competence. If seriousness is not practiced in important situations, then people receive no training in how to be serious. It then becomes impossible to develop any respectable level of competence. Competence comes with the serious application of principle. In other words competence depends on dedication. To apply a principle requires a few things. It requires knowing the principle involved. It requires knowing that a principle must be applied. It requires knowing how that principle can be applied to a situation, which often requires the ability to extrapolate since all relevant facts are often not known. In addition, these all often require a certain level of self-trust (one of the three pillars of the Shinsei Method™), which in turn is developed through a serious and dedicated effort, which of course requires concentration. Therefore, concentration requires seriousness.
Business training tends not to emphasize the principle and how principles are interconnected. However, it is precisely this insight that makes experience so valuable. People who learn to solve problems over a period of time gain insight into what they do. However, they only incorporate that insight into future operations if they take that experience seriously. In other words, they value learning and experience. How is this achieved if a majority of school training propagandizes individuals to take learning—and thus experience and ability—lightly? This is easily seen in the way school programs are structure. Not to inculcate a lasing understanding, but to get students “through” programs the fastest way possible while touching on as many small points as possible. What does this approach communicate? The importance of practical ability and permanent competence, or superficial, short term effort? Moreover, if a long term commitment is required to develop or improve something, how can a high level of integrity be expected to develop? Again, integrity is a value-oriented, character-driven ideal that is developed over the long-term with a long-term commitment to develop it. Ability like incompetence builds on itself.
