Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

Pearl Harbor Day and its memory causes me to reflect on how even the most prepared people can be caught off guard.

The event that was Pearl Harbor, didn't come about because the armed forces of the U.S. weren't prepared, it came about because they were surprised by a country they thought they were in legitimate negotiations with. We know the results of that situation.

In business leadership and management, there is no way we can prepare for every possible contingency. The attempt would probably literally turn us psychotic, as we try to anticipate every possibility that could come about. No human being can do that.

A couple things we can learn from the Pearl Harbor tragedy is we have to know and understand those we're in negotiations with. Do they have similar values as we do? What's their reputation? Integrity? Is their word their bond? Can they be trusted? Should they be trusted? Have we done our homework with them? How have they worked with others?

These are questions we shouldn't be afraid to ask ourselves. The answers to these types of questions determine the way we deal with other companies, and whether we should in the first place.

In business we has to assume everything that can go wrong will go wrong, that keeps us in the proper state of being ready in all circumstances. In our partnerships with others, we need to we to know who we deal with and if they are predictable in their actions.

Predictability assumes a track record; something that can be measured. We need to be people who measure other companies: fearlessly. Of course companies noted for integrity can be trusted, but many can't.

This isn't to develop a cynicism, but to take note that everything isn't always what it seems, and a deal isn't in place until a deal is in place.

Preparation is a good thing, and indispensible, but in the end, knowing who we're working and making deals with is even more important.

No preparation will help if we are swindled or caught off guard by our competitors. Not everyone negotiates in good faith. Knowing the difference is vital to being a great business leader, and building a great company.