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“If
the wind comes from an empty cave, it's not without a reason.”
“The
old horse in the stable still yearns to run 500 miles.”
Such
Chinese proverbs are becoming the
rage of the corporate boardroom
according to a recent article in the on-line
magazine Slate.
The article describes a business conference in Aspen, Co. that
featured speeches on a variety of issues. According to the author,
at times the conference became a contest in who could cite the best
Chinese proverb.
China's influence
was especially apparent in the language used throughout the
conference. At a panel on alternative energy, Lawrence Bender, a
producer of “An Inconvenient Truth”, opened his spiel with a Chinese
proverb: "When the wind rises, some people build walls. Others build
windmills." Panelist David Hawkins, a lawyer
at the Natural Resources Defense Council, countered
with another Chinese proverb: "When is the best time to plant a
tree? A hundred years ago. When is the second-best time to plant a
tree? Yesterday." (The exchange occasioned much sage nodding of
heads.) At another panel, an executive explained the reluctance of
Western firms to engage in aggressive public relations in the new
market by noting, "In China, they say tall flowers are cut down."
What we love about
the use of Chinese proverbs is that they are often slightly
mysterious and therefore require that the speaker tell the story
behind the proverb. And as anyone who has worked with Speechworks
knows, we love stories.
For example, the
quote “If the wind comes from an empty cave, it’s not without a
reason” is about trying to understand mysterious incidents. If your
business sees something odd happening, chances are that there is a
reason. The key, of course, is to try to figure out the reason.
So in your next
speech, consider tossing in some sage wisdom from the Chinese. It
might work. Or as the sage said: “Be not afraid of growing slowly.
Be afraid only of standing still.”
At Speechworks we
help our clients learn how to communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a great communicator
give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
