Monday, December 20, 2010

The interface

In this knowledge world we all need to know more about the interface we have with all the ‘experts’ we choose to use in our business and in our lives.

It used to be so much more of a ‘parent – child’ relationship, “doctors orders” and all that. But now we know that doctors are just as fallible as each and every one of us. This means we want to know more about the tablets, the what, the why, the when and the how. In the surgery last week the doctor said “I will prescribe these antibiotics for your virus.” So I said to her, “What about the warfarin?” “Ah,” she replied, “I had forgotten about that.”

So she looked up a reference book and altered my warfarin dose. I then turn up for a blood test a week later and the nurse says. “Well, it is a golden rule that you never take any warfarin on the day you start your antibiotics.” Now I am not especially bothered about all this – we all have to live in the real world where we all make mistakes.

I have to deliver half a dozen Finance for the Non Finance Manager workshops in the New Year. And it’s exactly the same principle. The delegates, business leaders, need to get a handle on the subject because if they don’t, the relationship with their accountant will inevitably be ‘Parent – Child’. You look after me – you tell me what to do – you make all the decisions.

Actually, the best results are usually obtained when we move into ‘adult – adult’ with our advisers. That way we share responsibility for what we decide.

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