‘No’ is not an answer in business
By Victor Angula |
Namibia is a country with huge potential, especially in the economic arena.
But the Namibian economy has always been stunted and held back by people who can’t think beyond the end of their noses. So that their favourite word is “No”. No to anything, no to any proposal.
No has become their middle names.
Unfortunately most of these people hold strategic positions in companies, government entities and other economic institutions which are at the gateway of national progress and the general advancement of the nation economically.
It’s said that ‘No’ is the shortest (or one of the shortest) sentence in the English language. Of course the other one being ‘Go’. But ‘No’ has such notoriety that it denotes finality. No kills every idea, suggestion, application, or hope.
In an economy, such as Namibia’s, where potential is huge for work, for productivity, and for doing things to develop the nation, ‘No’ should be considered rude and an impolite answer.
You can’t do business by going around speaking like “No, because of this …” “No, because of that …” No cannot be justified. No matter how you try to justify or explain, anything that comes after ‘no’ is useless, unproductive, and dead.
No action can come after the word ‘no’.
But an economy needs action, activity, and people who are doing something. People who are open-minded, people who have minds that are receptive to possibilities. This is why ‘no’ must never be acceptable in commercial or business discussions. Especially in an economy like Namibia’s.
Business proposals are different from love proposals, or sexual advances.
When people propose business transactions or business partnerships, such ideas, especially where they are aimed at transforming the economy, creating employment and countering income inequality, such ideas must be responded to with a receptive mind, and a positive mindset.
You better say “Yes, if …” instead of “No, because …” High unemployment cannot be justified, a sluggish economy, an economy that is not diversifying cannot be justified, income inequality cannot be justified.
No is not an answer to someone who has ideas or is trying to do something in fighting unemployment, fighting income inequality or who is trying to diversify and transform the economy.
– Victor Angula is the editor of Omutumwa News Online.
