Be Informed To Spot Opportunities

Be informed to spot opportunities in business & life.

 

Learning business management becomes easy, when Sunny shows the benefits of being informed using a nun joke ...

Previous Story: Risk Management - Prevent Avoidable Exposure

The trio met at the College Auditorium again the next day.

CK had come prepared. He handed out a photocopy each to Sunny and Rosh of a one page summary he had prepared of the 37 page lesson.

"Just in case you forget things later," he started, "as I do, with time. I always like to have a short and sweet summary that I can quickly refer back to. It jogs my memory and I don't have to read the whole thing."

Rosh and Sunny were impressed. It looked like they were onto a good thing here. This group study thing could actually work. Division of labour could actually make them all more productive and efficient.

"I don't think I'm as good as Rosh," CK apologized, "at explaining things. But then he should be better than me anyway. He is a lecturer and has already had a lot of public speaking and concept explaining practice."

"You're among friends," Sunny encouraged him. "Stop beating yourself and start talking. You've come well-armed as we can already see. You'll be just fine."

Rosh nodded and smiled too, as he reclined on the stone slab in anticipation, ready to learn.

As CK had himself suspected, his delivery sucked. He just read on and on from his summary sheet, never once looking up at his audience during his monologue. There were no examples given.

But it was surprising how much ground he covered just from one sheet of paper. Obviously, he had worked hard on the content. Perhaps, the delivery of content was just not this thing.

"Yesterday," he finally concluded, "Rosh had explained Risk Management and its strategies. He had told us why relevant critical information should be shared with stakeholders. Information is needed to prevent unnecessary exposure and to manage risk."

"Today, we learnt that having access to the right information and communicating that information efficiently helps us identify and manage not only risk, but also spot new market opportunities."

"Knowing our stuff is important. Knowing our customer's needs is important. Keeping on top of what our competition and Government are doing is also important. Information can be very profitable, if it can be accessed and used in a timely manner."

"How?" interrupted Sunny, unable to take in any more pure theory. "Give some examples."

For the first time, CK looked up at them, surprised at the interruption. He thought hard, and seconds ticked by torturously slowly. Struggling to come up with something, his face started reddening.

"I just thought of one," Sunny sensed CK's growing embarrassment and deftly came to his friend's rescue, "about why being well informed is in our best interests. It helps us spot opportunities."

"A priest was driving along and saw a nun on the side of the road. He stopped and offered her a lift. Glad to get a respite, the nun got in the car."

"As she sat cross-legged, flustered from the walking and the heat outside, a corner of her gown opened up to reveal a lovely leg."

"The priest nearly had an accident as he turned to look at her while speaking, and caught sight of it. The nun noticed the reaction, and its cause, and wasn't entirely displeased. She stayed put and let her legs sway closer to his clutch stick with the gradual motion of the car."

"After a little while, the priest's fingers seemed to lightly brush against her leg as he changed the manual gears. The nun kept staring at the road and said nothing. The priest was flustered but quickly moved his hand away."

"Further on, while changing gears, his hand touched against her leg again, a little more firmly. There was no mistaking it this time."

"The nun looked in his general direction and prompted: Father, remember Luke 14:10?"

"The priest apologized, and forced his hand away quickly. They drove quietly for a while, but his eyes kept returning to her leg."

"A little while later, the priest's hand slid back onto her thigh from his clutch stick, as he changed the manual gears once again."

"The nun turned in her seat this time and looked him squarely in the eye."

"Matthew 7:7, Father!" she whispered.

Once again, the priest quickly moved away his hand.

"Sorry sister," he murmured apologetically, "but the flesh is weak."

"An uncomfortable silence reigned in the car, until they finally arrived at her convent. The nun got out, gave him a meaningful glance and went on her way."

"On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to retrieve a Bible and looked up Luke 14:10."

"It said: Friend, move up higher."

"Damn!" he cursed and ruffled up its pages in a rush to look up Matthew 7:7.

"It said: Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

"We might miss great opportunities," Sunny winked at CK, "if we don't stay informed. Information gives us power. It gives us confidence. To march ahead and seize the day. Yeah?"

"That's what I meant!" CK nodded, sighing with relief.

Next Story: Get Perspective