Ten Things …
we can learn from history By Robert Ashton
I’m fast approaching the age at which traditionally, employment would cease and retirement begin. In the time it took for a farewell speech by your boss and a round of applause as you gratefully accepted a carriage clock or other memento of a long career, you would find yourself released from the nine to five routine to a life of golf and gardening. But while it is no longer assumed that you will retire when you
reach 65, there is no doubt that the older you get, the more you look back and the more aware you become of the cyclical nature of life. I’m currently researching my next book, and fascinated to discover that farmers worried about the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 with the same sense of impending doom as many view Brexit today. The context may change, but we have always swung between national optimism and the sense of foreboding that usually accompanies change we cannot control. So as we all look forward to a brighter future, when political
uncertainty and the pandemic have passed, here are 10 things I think we can usefully learn from history.
1. Stick to the point – Abraham Lincoln had a reputation for making short, pithy speeches. His Gettysburg address contained just 273 words and is often quoted by Americans today. Too many speakers, in particular politicians, waffle on without really saying anything. As leaders, we need to be clear and concise with a clear call to action whenever we speak or write for others.
2. Lead from the front - Nelson put his own ship at the front of the attack at Trafalgar rather than, as was the custom, safely in the middle of the fleet. The battle was won, although Nelson was fatally wounded. I’m not suggesting you endanger your life, but do advocate leading from the front. Remember leadership is not just about managing people; those first to adopt new technology often enjoy greater success than those who simply follow.
3. Spread your risk – As North America grew in the 1890s, and transatlantic shipping costs fell, 80% of the wheat used in the UK was imported. Farming here fell into deep recession with much land was taken out of production. Then in just three months, over the winter of 1916/7 German submarines sank more than a million tonnes of commercial shipping before it reached Britain. Growing wheat quickly become important again.
4. Don’t kill the goose – In the late 18th century the Government was
imposing import tax on tea at the rate of 119%. Back then tea was a luxury item, but such a high tax rate made smuggling attractive. Some 60% of the tea being drunk in Britain came in illegally. You
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might think you have a golden egg of a product, but price it too high and you will inevitably see more competition.
5. Read widely – Bill Gates is said to read voraciously. As a child he read science fiction, and then became one of the 20th
most successful innovators. Of course it’s always good to read around your own subject, but often the best penny-dropping moments occur when you are inspired by something completely unrelated to your day job.
6. Welcome rejection – As an author, I am very familiar with the fact that a book will be rejected many times before a publisher finally says yes. The inventor of the Xerox machine saw his idea turned down by 20 companies before one saw the potential. It is human nature to take knockbacks personally, yet there are often good reasons behind rejections. Remember that each one takes you closer to success!
7. Embrace failure – James Dyson is well known for his persistence. It is said that he built more than 5,000 prototypes of his bag-less vacuum cleaner over 15 long years before creating the machine that has made him a fortune. Sometimes we intuitively know that something is possible, and just need to keep trying to achieve success. It is dogged determination rather than talent that so often gets you through.
8. Showing is often better than telling – In the 1850s Elisha Otis had an idea for making lifts fail safe, rather than as was happening, plunging down the shaft when the cable broke. To prove his point he set up a public display in which an assistant cut the cable of an open lift in which Otis was standing. The audience gasped, his system worked and his company still leads the lift market today. Like Nelson, he led from the front, but unlike Nelson, lived to enjoy the fruits of his risk taking.
9. Grab opportunities – Talking of lifts, have you ever found yourself sharing a lift with someone you hope to influence? I once wanted Stephen Fry to write the foreword to a book, and chanced upon his having a quiet smoke on a London fire escape. I had prepared what I wanted to say and made a point of attending an event at which he was speaking. I only had two minutes alone with him, but he agreed to help me. Make the most of chance encounters.
10. Look for legal loopholes – I’m not suggesting you try to wriggle out of punishment for motoring offences, but I do encourage you to always read the small print. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson wanted to be a doctor, but in the 1860s the professional bodies only accepted men. Then she spotted that the Society of Apothecaries rulebook said ‘persons’ rather than men. She successfully challenged them, was admitted and allowed to qualify.
Another thing you notice as you get older, is that time passes
more quickly. A year is a smaller proportion of your life at 60 than it is at six, obviously! But with experience can come familiarity and over time complacency. We’ve all known people who refuse to listen to new ideas and claim to ‘have seen it all before.’ Please, don’t be one of those people!
Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd
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