Business Lessons: 5 From The Bard

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Business Lessons: 5 From The Bard No master of theword, living or dead, sheds light on the concept of human behavior more eloquently thanthe Bard, William Shakespeare. With an unquestionableability to pinpoint man's ambition, revenge, lust, desire, and need, the Bard createsfigurative blueprints for how to manage the ladder rungs to success, leadership andpassion in your career. Being able to use a sharp-tongued wit or the utterly demandingpresence of silence as Shakespeare does in his writing can and will place you in theposition you demand and desire. It is a matter of timing and knowing when and how to pickyour poison. And much like the characters in Shakespeare's plays, success comes invarying forms and we can draw a number of business lessons from his writings. In As You Like It, a rather melancholy Jacques lamented the following: "Allthe world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; And one man in his timeplays many parts." He gives advice with these words that the reader should take toheart. Playing these many parts (including that of silent yet active listener) will, attimes, gain you the most traction as you make your vertical move. With Jacques'musings in mind, another of Shakespeare's characters, Polonius, from Hamlet,gives his son Laertes some sound guidance as Laertes traveled off to school. This counselestablishes a baseline for young professionals and executives finding their way in the new, volatile and unpredictablecorporate world. What follows are five valuable business lessons fromShakespeare, embedded in a father's pearls of wisdom delivered to his son in one ofShakespeare’s timeless masterpieces. 1- "Give thy thoughts notongue"

Basic as it may be as far as business lessons go, keep in mind the ideaof thinking before you speak; it looms large when you are just starting to feel your waythrough your career. You must pick your battles wisely and with caution. Know youraudience, when you have one, and cater to their needs, not your own. Remember, early on inyour tenure at least, to check your ambition at the door unless ambition is paramount inthe job's requirements or expectations. 2- "But do not dull thy palmwith entertainment of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade."

Stay away frommisguided individuals in the workplace who thrive on negative gossip. Attempt also to steer clearof office politics and maintain constant focus on your objectives (once you actually knowwhat those objectives will be). Do your job, but also be flexible when good opportunitiespresent themselves. In the words of another language master, hip-hop mogul andprep-revolutionist Pharrell Williams, think "boxlessly." Shakespeare has three more business lessons… Continue Reading

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