Reason, that is.
Back in ancient times, the classical period arose when the authority of god was displaced by reason. Today, we are lucky to have almost gotten rid of the first, in the context of business at least. However, the very problem of authority versus reason is still there, taking various forms to influence our actions. Quite frequently, for example, expertise is at odds with common sense, and I think it is of value to bear this in mind when making decisions.
Let’s take an example to make this more clear. You have no expertise on legal matters, so you consult a lawyer to ask for advice. You describe your problem and he gets back to you with a solution. “You need to do a, b, c.” {…} “Why?” “Because that’s how x, y, z works.” {…} “This doesn’t sound very logical to me. Why is it like that?” “Because that’s how it is.”
X, y, z may typically vary from the law to the market to the “system” to your partner’s knowledge and expertise and extra-terrestial superiority; the common denominator is that the argument alone doesn’t make sense, thus the call to this ‘authority’. My humble advice? Don’t buy it.
Authority may serve as a catalyst in a decision, but not as an argument per se. No matter what the discussion topic is, or your level of knowledge or ignorance, everything at the end of the day needs to make sense; for both insiders and outsiders.
Challenge everything under this prism and cut off anything that fails this fundamental test. Demand to be convinced at first, with data, facts and rational arguments. Skip any authorities. Then proceed. And rest assured that the building block of a golden era -maybe yours- is not authority, but reason.
I am fully supportive of the core idea expressed in this post. Nevertheless, for quite some time after reading it, I was debating whether ‘authority’ is the right word to use. ‘Authority’ has been very much associated with ‘power’, exercised in a multiple of non-negotiable, even forceful, ways that go beyond the notion of ‘because that’s the way it is’. Translating this into a corporate environment, you end up with authority that cannot be challenged or skipped, since it stems from the hierarchical nature of the organization.
In the end, I think that ‘authority’ is still the right word to use, since the multitude of meanings and interpretations of the word make this post an even more intriguing read.
@vitakis I had the very same concern while writing this. Typically, we use authority as a post-decision reference that justifies its enforcement, while here I’m shifting focus to the decision process itself. Still, I think its the most appropriate term to use, triggering at the same time thoughts on the further extent of its applicability.
Blessed is he who has found his work; allow him to ask hardly any other blessedness.
The fastest secret weapon to success would be to look like you’re playing by somebody else’s rules, while quietly playing because of your own.