Question your success

As we look back, the day people were asked to bring their laptops and stuff home because of "quarantine" and "lockdown" as mandated by the government has been over four years ago.

- FRANCIS J. KONG

That was tough! The world is still reeling from its effect. Leadership has been tested like never before in a world marked by the unpredictability of the pandemic, economic roller-coasters, and global uncertainties.

We have had tons of reports and literature on the challenges The Black Swan Event has brought businesses. Still, we also need to study the successes of other companies that stayed afloat and even succeeded during the same period. Amid the rush to address crises and navigate uncharted waters, leaders may neglect a crucial aspect of leadership—interrogating the 'how' and 'why' behind their successes.

While failure often faces scrutiny, success tends to be celebrated without deep reflection. We should delve into the wisdom of questioning success as much as failure, a timeless leadership practice that can lead to profound insights and long-term competitive advantages.

Most people use the term, "Let us conduct a 'post-mortem' study." But the literal meaning of "post-mortem" is Latin and translates to "after death," and in our case, business is far from dead; it is thriving. What we should conduct is "studium praeteriti successus." "Studium" means "study," "praeteriti" means "past," and "successus" means "success."

You know how it is, don't you? When you insert a little Greek or Latin in your speech or column, it makes it appear a more intelligent piece. (And thus, the Latin...)