Contributed By:
Michael B. Brendan
Marketing Consultant, Business Strategist, "Infopreneur" and Writer
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Last month, I read an overly fascinating business book titled: Jewish Wisdom. for Business Success: Lessons from the Torah and Other Ancient Texts by Rabbi Levi Brackman and Sam Jaffe. I have extracted some of the takeaways from the book and I feel so excited to share them with you. I would be sharing some of these takeaways from time to time even as I am confident that you'd find them highly resourceful, useful and helpful for your decision making process, both in business and other life's endeavours.
I am drawing today's lesson from pages 202, 203 and 204 under the sub topic: The Middle Path Between Extremes. Enjoy the reading:
"When our emotional impulses are regulated by our intellect, we are able to easily follow what the great philosopher Maimonides called “the ideal middle path” and navigate between extremes of behavior. To get a proper perspective on what the middle path is and how it benefits every aspect of our business and personal lives, let’s sample what Maimonides describes in his book of Torah law known as Mishnah Torah. Maimonides begins by describing different distinct personality types. First he describes the bad-tempered person who is easily angered and always seems agitated and annoyed. Then he describes the opposite type of person who never gets angry and is always placid. He goes on to describe the prideful personality and its opposite, the person who is submissive and always compliant. Maimonides describes the ungrateful person and his or her counterpart, the person who is always appreciative even for the smallest thing and has no real desires or ambitions. Then there is the person who is extremely stingy, not spending a penny even on himself or herself. Their opposite number is the spendthrift. Maimonides notes that other personality traits, such as decency, cruelty, mercy, cowardice, courage, and so on, also follow these models of extremes.
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Quoting the ancient Jewish sages, Maimonides says that the right way is to follow the intermediate characteristics of each trait. In other words, one should adopt the characteristic and trait that is midway between the extremes. Maimonides states examples of character traits where this is vital. His first example is most important for all business and personal situations: when is it good for an individual to get angry? Obviously, a bad-tempered person who gets furious over small things is far from ideal. However, when the situation warrants it, or to make a point so that a particular action is not repeated, it is important to display anger. This point is incredibly important. If we get angry often, the anger loses its effect even at a time when anger is warranted. However, if we use anger sparingly, it will have the desired effect every time it is used. Any person who runs a business and manages others must learn this lesson well.
Maimonides also talks about giving to charity, stating that we should not be stingy nor should we be so philanthropic so we have nothing left—we need enough money to survive. This prototype can be used for every characteristic and trait—the middle path should always be followed, avoiding extremes on either side. The intermediate way is called “the way of the wise” according to Maimonides. The reason for this should now be clear. The wise person always filters his or her emotional urges through their intellect.
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According to tradition, Abraham taught his sons the middle path and expected them to follow it, as the Torah states (Genesis 18:19), “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” The Torah also states that those who go in this way will reach success: “. . . that the Lord may bring upon Abraham [who went in God’s way] all that [the blessings] He said He would do for him.” Clearly, the middle path between passion and cold intellect is what a competent businessperson should follow. As Atticus Capital vice chairman and partner David Slager, whom we met in Chapter 6, says, "You need a lot of passion for an investment. If you see a great investment opportunity and you are just intellectually curious about it you will not pursue it with the same alacrity as if you are emotionally involved in it as well.” However, Slager warns that the investment must primarily make intellectual sense. When the passion for an investment is filtered properly through the intellect, a good investment decision can be made. The same is true for any other business venture. A person can get very excited and passionate about a new business or career idea. However, excitement and passion alone could be disastrous if the idea makes no financial or business sense. But when the passion is processed through the intellect, the foundation for success has been laid.
INSIGHT FOR BUSINESS: Your businesses should always straddle the middle path between emotion and intellect. In addition, you should make sure that your business is well balanced in every other area as well. As entrepreneurs, you should make sure that your time is well balanced between maintaining old customers and gaining new ones. The concept of the middle path and balance is applicable to every aspect of your business.
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INSIGHT FOR LIFE: Anger is one the most important traits to keep in balance. You should only get angry when it is strictly necessary for making a vital point or stand on an issue. Anger loses its effectiveness if overused."
