Cost –Reduction

“I keep my ideas because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death. I can feel the suffering of millions, and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.” (Anne Frank)



“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” (Norman Cousins, Human Options)



“Jesus said that we would have no enemies nor that there never would be a threat. There is no lack of realism here. Jesus offers us a new way to deal with our enemies, a different way of responding that has the potential to break the endless cycle of retaliation that now threatens us all with ultimate violence.” (Jim Walls)



Now, let us tackle the most important and interesting about our life – how to handle your detractors. The first thing to do is to identify him, her or them. You can best deal with the devil you know than the devil you don’t know. Then, you can devise a personalized approach at dealing with each type.



I will advise you not to attack your detractors head-on. That is counterproductive. Some are just plain nuisance – you can simply ignore them. Others just need attention – give them importance by enlisting them to join in your efforts. You may organize a team of “cheapskates” (call it by another name, perhaps “cost-reduction committee – to paraphrase my entry subject) and enroll all your detractors and make them champions in their own areas. Encourage others to acknowledge the effort of this group, until cost reduction becomes a way of life in your organization. This way, you turn your enemies into allies and you develop a more cost conscious, albeit competitive, organization.