It's a simple question really developed from one of Donald Rumsfeld's immortal quotes:
"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."
Translated into something more tangible and relevant, we could ask: "where's the next customer coming from?" This would fall into the category of known unknowns, as we know that there will be a new customer at some future point, we're not sure exactly when. Similarly if there isn't one at some future point we know that the business will die unless it can survive on existing customers.
As a business leader, you are expected to know everything. That at least is the concept that a great many business owners believe. But how can you? The origins of your business may go back long before your time and even if you were the founder, the pioneer or the guru, it is impossible for you to know everything. If you concede this, it is not a sign of weakness. If you concede this and are happy to use the knowledge and experience of others to help you achieve your goals, then this is a strength. It is also one of the key steps towards becoming a business leader. If in the process of achieving your goals, through the knowledge of others, you help them to achieve their goals, then you are on the road to becoming a true leader.
There is a Chinese proverb that says:
"If you want one year of prosperity, grow seeds,
If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees,
If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people"
Successfully developing your business should not be a lonely journey. It should be challenging, exciting, stimulating and rewarding in every sense. If you have the right people working with you.
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