Listen well to those below

“Encourage and listen well to the words of your subordinates.  It is well known that gold lies hidden underground.” — Nabeshima Naoshige (1538 – 1618) in Ideals of the Samurai (translated by William Scott Wilson).

This is an idea all too often forgotten or ignored.  And most subordinates are very hesitant to speak their minds.  But even in that something can be learned.  It just takes lots of paying attention and reading the signs.

I’m always amused when I read the ancient Chinese texts and the various ministers in a kingdom begin reporting sightings of bizarre, mythical animals.  That was their way of, very indirectly, saying that something was wrong with the government.  Effectively, their reports of monstrosities were a safe way of declaring that Heaven and The All Under Heavan (the kingdom) were not in harmony, thus producing abominations.

Severest School

“He is best who trains in the severest school.” – Thucydides

I saw this quote today in an airport, while reading an article about a SWAT team and all of the rigorous, varied training they go through.  No matter how well they plan, the random always happens.  They often fall back on their training.  The point, of course, is the harder you train, the more likely you are to be successful in the entirely unpredictable situations that life throws at you.

I really enjoy these nuggets of wisdom that were relevant in Greece in 400 B.C. and are still very relevant now.  Thucydides, an Athenian general who served in the 5th century B.C. war between Athens and Sparta, later became a historian and wrote about his experience in the History of the Peloponnesian War.