Nathan Sanders

Bus 1050
8 August 2015
Jason Beal

My Renaissance
This course was a course of critical thinking. Each chapter made me
look at the big picture of each issue. The issues ranged from the
environment, to ancient times business strategies, to business ethics.
Overall the main topic of the course was, succesfull business practices
through ethical and critical thinking. That is the main things I took from this
course.
The course was not, by any means, restricted to these ideas. We
even discussed Charles Darwins ideas and associated those with
businesses. This was one of the most interesting chapters. Even in the
business world its survival of the fittest. Companies who are weak or not
adapted to economic and social changes will find themselves either
struggling to stay afloat or, find themselves completely out of business and
revenues. This goes both ways. Just like with the theory of evolution, where
the species which can adapt the best survive, so to is true with businesses.
If a business can manage to change and adapt through turbulent economic
times or changing social times, those companies are the ones who often
times lead the charge in economics in their area of business. Regardless of
your beliefs on the theory of biological evolution, one thing in the business
world is obvious, it is survival of the fittest. Its survival of the companies
that are changeable and diverse in not only their workers but, also their
investments.
To be a long term, successful, business owner or executive you have
to take this, along with other ideas shared throughout the text, and practice
many of the ideas in this book. Through adaptation, critical thinking, and
drive, running a business that could last long term is possible. Reject these
ideas could be financially detrimental to business owners and
entrepreneurs.
Not all the ideas in this text, in my opinion, are good opinions or ideas
to practice. In one of the chapters, which was one of my most favorite and

eye opening chapters, a steel worker by the name of Mike LeFevre is

interviewed by Studs Terkel. Throughout the interview you can see the
depressed and pessimistic views of LeFevre. Still, the ideas that came to
my mind in this chapter made it the most memorable and, this is a chapter
Ill keep with me for a long time.
The ideas Ill keep with me arent necessarily the ones that were
projected by LeFevre but, related ideas. In the chapter LeFevre make
several references to his childrens future and his own. He seems to speak
about the inevitability that his future will continue to be boring and troubled.
He mentions experiences where he got into arguments with his boss or
supervisor on a certain job when he was having a bad day. Throughout the
interview he says some very vulgar and negative things about his past and
even current employers. In the end though he says its about his kids. Its
about making a future for his kids, where they can go to school, so they
dont have to deal with the problems that hes facing. He goes through
struggles every day for the ideas that his kids will have a easier and better
life.
Now the ideas I agree with are the ideas that we need to fight to help
our childrens future. But, LeFevre, in my opinion, couldnt be more wrong
about his place in society. He has bad critical thinking skills and hes quite
ignorant and stubborn (He even admits his stubbornness in the piece). He
knows hes not happy with his work but, why doesnt he do something
about it? Hes afraid of the unknown. He needs to take a chance. If he
wants something to change in the world or in his life, He has to be the one
to make that change. This is true for each one of us as well. Through even
minute amounts of critical thinking one can see that this negative attitude
and this pessimistic attitude, won't get LeFevre where he wants to go in life.
If his perspective doesnt change hell continue to be a steel worker. Hell
continue to be depressed and try to drink his troubles away. If something
doesnt change with his fundamental thinking, hell live a life of regret. He
has to have a mindset of an optimist.
There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how bad or
how far we feel our lives are, theres always way to make it better.
Complaining and drinking isnt the answer to problems. Yelling and
swearing and fighting isnt going to get you the pay raise you want. What

gets results in life are actions. Getting in and completing the job gets you
results. Optimistic and critical thinking is what every person needs to be a
success. Without these things even some of the most successful business
owners would fail in a short period of time.
The last chapter Im going to discuss is one written by Peter Drucker
called, Not Enough Generals Were Killed. Peter Drucker was a focus in
this class and He was a great business consultant and owner. In this
chapter he discusses what a leader is. He says so many things and tells
so many different attributes about leaders but, the ones that stood out most
to me are, Leadership is responsibility. and ... these effective leaders
were doers. These two ideas or principles are the most important and
demanding qualities a leader must have. These qualities or ideas are also
the main ideas I want to take away from this course. Often times when
leaders are over someone, in terms of rank or position in the workplace,
they take advantage of their authority. Laziness ensues and soon that
leader is no longer even employed. In other cases that leader is killed by
his own people, (in world politics), or he/she loses favor with the people
and he find himself out of power. For instance, one of the main reason why
South Vietnam was overtaken by North Vietnam, according to BBC is
because of the corruption of the South Vietnamese government. The
government was so corrupt that the Vietnamese people actually would
rather be under communist rule than have to be under a corrupt republic. I
believe the Vietnamese leaders didnt understand the qualities a good
leader needed to have to be a success.
This book has showed me so many ideas on how to be a good
business leader. Be a Doers. Get in and get the job done. Recognize your
huge responsibility if you have people under you. Believe in what you're
doing. Make ethical decisions. Do whats right. Help those in need. Trade
honestly. Be diverse. Be a great leader. Most important of all, think critically
of the decisions and impact your leadership and choices will have on the
people who serve under you.