A scenario that succinctly serves-up some fundamentals, or failures, in the way of business communications, comes out of the epic 1815 conclusion to the Battle of Waterloo. In a small, rural village of Belgium, the formidable forces of Napoleon were defeated by the allied forces of Europe led by British Duke of Wellington. Beyond the horror of the human victims that result from war, there is another gruesome toll exacted on national economies (an iconic insult to injury that tragically impacts almost every industry and every individual), which all goes to say that NOBODY wants to be on the losing side of the equation. So ‘NO-DUH’ - Wellington’s defeating of Napoleon had to be GOOD NEWS for all those hedging their hopes, and investment strategies, with the singular securities of English banking system.
Alas, NO. In an unfortunate attempt to communicate the outcome of the battle to messengers desperately peering for signals across the English Channel, a dense fog rolled-in, allowing for only a portion of the message to be interpreted. As opposed to receiving, “Wellington Defeats Napoleon,” the English side only saw “Wellington Defeat” thus the clouds were further darkened by fear and despair.
History affirms that for one business man, the resulting chaos provided a rare glimmer of opportunity. Nathan Rothschild, a forerunner of today’s famous family of bankers, knew what had actually happened in the battle because he was receiving messages by way of carrier pigeons. As investors adjusted their financial positions based on bad news, triggering a panic sell-off of securities, there was Rothschild snatching-up all he could take on the cheap. By the time everyone realized what had really happened, it was too late. Some would never recover from the damage, but for the Rothschild family, the financial success of that situation is the stuff of legends, not to mention the occasional controversy. That’s due to little things like the family financing both sides of the war and actually helping spread misinformation to further capitalize on client worries, but all that is a matter more appropriately addressed when dealing with business ethics – the issue here is business communications.
As business leaders, we all need to consider the tools we are using to communicate with consumers. If your market is not fully getting your message, rest assured, there are those who stand prepared to capitalize on your shortcomings. Even in a nice community filled with nice people, never think there isn’t someone just waiting to use information and communication for their personal and professional gain. Fortunately, we have so many tools today, faster and more manageable than, say, carrier pigeons. From mobile phones and instant messaging to text, email and other Internet applications, these modes of communication help you stay in contact with the market, so you can better capitalize on the conditions and demands of the market.
Today, the Battle of Waterloo is equivocated to represent anything or anyone which succumbs to defeat. It is synonymous with failure and finality. If you’re in business and you’re not connected… if you’re not communicating… if you’re not using modern tools to stay ahead of the competition, you’re legacy may not differ drastically from Napoleon’s – a story that ends with exile and abandonment on an island of woe the rest of his days. Some days all of us feel like we’re operating in a fog, and other times we really are dead-smack in the fog. No matter what, we can never lose sight of the need to ensure everything is being done to get our business message out; and that it’s getting correctly interpreted to the market of consumers we serve. As you battle for business, stay wise to the lessons of Waterloo… and never quit communicating.
