Business, Education & the TEAM

Most of us have had one realistic dream in business, and that’s to excel in our education and getting laid a big fat paying job in government or being a manger somewhere in Roseau (ok, well maybe just a few of us). But along the path to qualification enlightenment, all of us share some very bad habits from as early as grade 4.

Try to remember what it was for you at school. The fundamental rule was “Don’t make mistakes”. You got 30% in English, then you’ve failed. You failed Common Entrance, you failed CXC, and you certainly won’t get that BMX that was promised if you don’t get first place in class. Emotionally, school teaches you that making mistakes is bad and that you are stupid. Alone, you strive for academic perfection, and in school, the straight A student is at the top of the world. Many of us never allow ourselves the opportunity to experience the magic in a mistake, only through our mistakes do we evolve. If we had not tried for several weeks to obtain our driving license then we would still be taking the bus or walking. Now that we have it, there is a whole new world out there; convenience, fete, and a lot more bills.

In the real world, the people who make the most mistakes indisputably make the most money, and the people who make the least mistakes make the least money. Dominica’s investment risks are so high that our very own are scared to return for good. But look at the businesses in Dominica, the successful have found niches that we should have grabbed (because to often I hear Dominicans saying “look at dem just making all de money, taking all de business”). The Dominican bred investors (Business owners) are taking risks, creating new opportunities, setting new standards, and most times out witting and out performing the big idea investors that, come in, and, walk out.  And all this time getting you jealous by making loads more money.

Have you noticed, the people who do the least work always seem to make more money, get more recognition and move up the cooperate ladder. While you write reports, multi-task, innovate revenue generating and saving schemes, and still you won’t get invited to the dinners or get a higher salary. I am sure there is a colleague at your establishment who thinks he/she is the gift to the establishment, always knowing it all and forcing to do it all. You can usually spot them after all these years still sucking up to the teacher (the manager). These people create disunity and a less productive environment.

Many persons have a hard time being successful Entrepreneurs or even just starting of, that because they are taught; don’t trust anyone, don’t take risk, look for security and do it on your own. Doing it on your own is failure. Very few companies in Dominica are practical about “THE TEAM”, its very well sung, but rarely adopted in spirit. So far the two companies I see as team focused are C & W and AUTOTRADE, the latter is especially encouraging. I suggest the next time you are there, observe how they interact with you and each other, in my opinion that’s an applauded team.

At school, I was a very cooperative student, but of course at school that meant cheating, followed by punishment, and usually being branded worse than being stupid. Desperately, you need to be successful together, taking the risk together, and looking out for each other. Donald Trump says, he has the best lawyers and accounts on his team. Without the super support of his supper qualified team he is really just average, but still a risk taker.

Some food for thought “If everyone in Dominica has the same answer of who discovered this island in 1492, then we all take knowledge for granted”.