BUSINESS IS THE GAME, NOT SCIENCE ...!

Saturday, October 10, 2009 As long as we are not yet familiar and fear to start a business, usually arising in our minds is: "learn!". The choice may be a way to take the program to be an S2 and an MBA, or take as many seminars and training.

Or it could also learn from and serve a business Begawan. I wonder, have selaraskah such line of thought to what happens in reality? Let's examine.


Most of us do business because they want to succeed, and become rich. We thought, how nice and wonderful if we can be as successful and as rich as Bill Gates or Donald Trump. According to public opinion in general, they are the successful people who in truth. They are the business figures of his achievements made many people obsessed.

So do not be surprised if the experts were trying to tap and learn everything there is in people's success, hoping to transfer the values of its success to other people who also want to become a successful figure. They argued that: "Leaders are made, not born".

Furthermore, all the football actions undertaken by these businessmen, collected, sorted, and analyzed. From the analysis made theories. Result, there was a variety of theories of success in the packed material "business knowledge", the discourse of professionalism, knowledge of leadership (leadership), and so forth.

Ordinary people did want to find ways that can help them to quickly achieve success. Such living railroad followed just going to drive people arrived at the gates of glory.

However, is it true that if we want to become a successful figure - more specifically a successful businessman - have to travel filled with theories such success?

From the existing records, apparently not. Many of the actions undertaken by world business leaders do not reflect that their success is due to learning seriously in the business of science, professionalism and leadership theory. Not even the knowledge economy, theories of financial freedom, science, marketing and so forth. Also, not because they are diligent in following the success of seminars or workshops on business strategy.

On the other hand, many business leaders turned out to be people who just do not like learning, school lazy, and just wanted to play it. Boro-boro take seminars or workshops. Lho kok bisa?

There are several examples of cases. The first, Thomas Alva Edison. These names we've known since elementary school right? However, we certainly know more as the Edison of science, because the school focuses on teaching only the discovery of incandescent lamps and various other technical findings that do.

So rarely do we notice that the real Thomas Alva Edison was also a successful businessman. He is the owner and founder of various companies with names like Lansden Co.. (car / automotive), Battery Supplies Co.. (battery), Edison Manufacturing Co.. (batteries etc.), Edison Portland Cement Co.. (cement and concrete), North Jersey Paint Co.. (cat), Edison General Electric Co.. (electrical equipment, etc.), and many others. One that still prevail today is General Electric.

Is it to achieve all Edison have much trouble following the various schools and higher education? Or world-class seminar organized by the success experts, business experts or expert financial freedom? Apparently not. Figure Edison is a figure who only tolerate lazy 3 weeks of school. He preferred to play with tools, with wire and with electricity. It's fun and with it he was successful.

Another example is Kenji Eno. He also did not like school. He just likes to play with the game, special as video games. Class 2 high school drop out of school on jobless. Then a job at a software company, until finally he succeeded in setting up the software company itself is called warp. Within a few years, Kenji Eno can take his company into a company's greatest video games in the world recognized by industry leaders.

Phenomena that are made by people like Edison and Kenji Eno has given the impression to us all that the business is actually closer to a game, and too far away to be treated as a science.

Gede Prama known as a management expert (Stephen Covey called even Indonesia), commenting on the phenomenon of Kenji Eno as the success of freedom of thought which can jump, as they are not exposed to pollution-pollution that created the school.

In my opinion, is to study the phenomenon of false leaders, to create a leader. Similarly, studying the phenomenon of mistaken successful businessman, a successful businessman to print. Therefore, the phenomenon of leader (or business) is a human phenomenon, which is not the same as natural phenomena. If Isaac Newton studied falling apples incident to the ground (natural phenomena) and then find gavitasi law, then it is okay. Because of natural phenomena do not change, the law of gravity will remain eternal.

However, the study of human phenomena would lead to frustration. Because human beings are the engines of change, so there will be no living human phenomena remain timeless all time, contrary to what we see in the event fall apples.
Leaders, in any field including business, is a free human figure, which acted arbitrarily without regard to any theory of rules, they are almost useless if we want to learn and follow in the footsteps terjangnya football.

Let's see, at the time of world economic recession in 1929, all based on theories that exist, trying to apply sehemat possible. But instead, the king of Matsushita Electric of Japan actually spend money lavishly. As if money was no more than just a toy like. Even though he's not without reason do so.

See also Kim Woo Chong, founder of the Daewoo empire. When all the entrepreneurs (also with theories that exist) to concentrate the market into rich countries like America and Europe, he even casually into the markets "hard" like Iran, Sudan and Russia and the countries east bloc.

"Futility" studying and trying to follow the exploits of football business leaders can be felt directly in the field. The first time Harvard Business Review publishes the popular marketing concept of the "Marketing Mix" 4P (product, price, place and promotion), almost all entrepreneurs and business experts embrace this concept fanatic. So also with universities and management schools.

But, not too long, as a result of "behavior" of business leaders who likes to play games, changing economic trends and forces the industry experts and learners change concepts again 6P, 8P latter even as 12p.

Then what? If we have to guard all the time to learn and not with outdated marketing science, when we do business?

I think we all are caught and many lost in the "current science" made by their "expert knowledge", so we do not have time to innovate, which is precisely the key to business success. Instead we continuously "forced" science to catch up without knowing where the end of the base.

The question: "Actually we want to be a businessman or want to be a scientist, anyway?"

I personally believe that the business and the success it is just a game. Like what was said by William Cohen in his article "The Art Of The Leader": "Success is acquired by playing hard, not by working hard ..".

Referring to the obsession with many people about Bill Gates and Donald Trump, as mentioned above, please note that both these figures were achieved success from pleasure to play.

Bill Gates since his 13-year-old was playing with the computer software, and with it he became one of the richest men in the world. Donald Trump also since childhood always play to the office of his father, Fred Trump. He loves looking at model buildings and skyscrapers, before interest in his father's business, ie property. And be a King Donald Trump Properties.

Finally I have to say is, people who study the science of leadership will not be a leader. But, people who try to be a leader, will be a leader. Similarly, people who study the science of business, would not be a businessman. But, people who tried to become businessmen, will be a businessman.