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From time to time I take a visit to the dentist to get my teeth checked. I also happen to have a mentor who is not only an academic and business owner but originally a dental surgeon at heart (Dr Makoni). I have had enough teeth extracted from my jaws and from these experiences and visit to my mentor's surgery I draw out some interesting business lessons on how taking care of your teeth can parallel taking care of your business.
1. Neglect can cause teeth to rot - Regular brushing and dental floss will keep your teeth strong. Your business needs your attention daily. From time to time you can bring in a new CEO or Managing Director (new tooth brush). New brooms sweep clean and they have the necessary energy, intuition and determination.
2. Extraction may be necessary for completely damaged teeth. Extraction is only encouraged if the tooth cannot be filled totally because a missing tooth can deform one's face. In business, sometimes people are removed from their positions especially after giving them the chance to shape up, repeated warnings etc. Some positions are not immediately filled leaving those working to do extra work to cover for dismissed workers.
3. A regular dental visit is necessary - ignore that at your own peril. Also, when a tooth rots, there is need for urgent dental intervention to fill the cavities so as to save that tooth. In business, you need to cater for the repair, care & maintenance of your assets. Acquisition is not enough. Now that you have the business and the assets, you need to maintain them and give them the necessary care or risk losing them gradually.
4. Teeth that have deep roots are sometime hard or more complex to extract. Business foundations must be strong for the business to last. Take time to establish deeper, firm foundations and not rush to just have a business. Attend Business School and getting the foundations and values right. When difficult economic storms come, businesses that are well grounded will stand firm and resist the pressure.
5. Initial stages of development of teeth sees the coming and going of wisdom teeth. Business is built in stages, do not panic if sometimes it seems like you are starting all over again. Use the experiences from the initial business setup to help you establish a stronger business which will last much longer. Use the initial learning stages as "wisdom" collection stages. I have seen people who have restarted business about three or four times and finally hitting gold on the fifth. If at first you do not succeed, keep at it, try one more time.
6. The smallest bacteria can cause gradual rot on the teeth. Seemingly small issues like corruption, bribery and short-cuts can stand in the way of ethical business. They seem insignificant but after a few years of practicing them, when you check closely, such activities harden the conscience and hearts of people such that their collapse or demise becomes inevitable. Regular housekeeping keep your business strong and healthy (regular brushing, flossing and mouthwash). Perform HR audits to see if your staff is performing to capacity.
7. The teeth in the upper jaw cannot chew without complimentary effort from lower jaw. You can do more in business when you encourage teamwork than individual performance and skills showcase. A smile is not good enough with missing teeth. You need a whole set to complete it. The Incisor team in the forefront bite as a team, the pre-molar team does the initial chewing while the molar take on the food and really grind it into smaller segments. The teeth work in teams with the upper jaw moving in sync with the lower one.
8. Sometimes it is one tooth that can ground you with toothache, attend to it - You may have six departments performing well but failure to attend to one ailing department can affect the entire business. If one department decides not to follow given standards, your license to operate can be withdrawn thus affecting the whole production process. The one tooth can spoil everything just as one department can get a business closed.
9. Having all teeth is not good enough, are they white enough to make a good smile - You can have all the people you need in your business but if they are not in shape to give you a good profit it is not good enough. You could keep them since you probably have had some since the business started but they may still be an eyesore. Having teeth without food input leaves the teeth to be dormant. In business you need the right inputs such as raw materials in-order for plant processes to operate at optimum capacity.
10. Each set of teeth has a different purpose from the rest. Not all teeth can bite by virtue of the position on the jaw. Some teeth are frontal used to smile and bite and yet others take the chunk that has been bitten to process it for the next stage of digestion. It is a system which gets input, processes the input and produces a result. There they are different, both in shape and position, they are one united force. Celebrate individual's unique call and purpose.
About this Author
Rabison Shumba is a young African entrepreneur who has interests in Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture and Mining. He is also a motivational speaker, trainer and author. His book, The Greatness Manual and various online articles are tools for personal and professional development. Together with 100 other Career Experts, Rabison co-authored the 101 Great Ways to Enhance your Career. Rabison has a personal vision of impacting the lives of children in marginalized communities by creating platforms for career counsel and guidance, information empowerment and capacity building through the Greatness Factory Trust, where he currently holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting Executive Director. He is actively involved in the organization of career enhancement and guidance colloquiums to propel and inspire both young and mature professionals to greatness. His areas of expertise include strategy, leadership, personal and professional development. Rabison is married to Jackie, and they have two daughters. They reside in Harare, Zimbabwe. http://www.greatnessmanual.com or http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rshumba
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