MAN AND BUSINESS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5128, 20 May 1927, Page 2

MAN AND BUSINESS.

FASCINATION OF THE GAME;

ORPHAN PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.

At the Orphans’ meeting last night the president, Bor. P. Williams, i,n giving his address, said that business was fascinating because it was competitive, and even in our earliest years the competitive spirit spurred us to greater efforts in sports and pastimes, then tempted us to excel in educational achievements; and finally the spirit of competition entered into our business life, inspiring us with a desire to obtain better. iesults, produce a. better article, and render a better service. Competition also promoted energy and compelled the business man to do his best; but he should never lose the code of the J.ootball field, “to play fair,” for that spirit of sportsmanship which is manifested in the chivalry of sport should at all times permeate his competitive pdlicy. It was a most difficult job to compete with another fellow, but the hardest job was to compete with oneself. There was no mystery about competing with others —they beat you or you beat them, and that was all there was in it. Everybody saw* the re. ult but a man may be thoroughlyoutdone by himself without recognising the cause. We must not let our past records beat our present or future ones, because if we did we would be marking time. It was well to enter into competition with oneself and beat past efforts, and this made business fascinating as well as progressive.

Another point about business being fascinating, he said, was that It presented an opportunity for the expression of talent. Business provided a channel through which the character, personality, will-power, ideals, and vision of its guiding principles could find complete expression and present to the community or the world the conception of such talent. This had been responsible for bringing into being many of the desirable things of life unknown to those of bygone generations. It also provided an opportunity for the expression of ability and the value placed on integrity in the business world, as well as for building an institution of reliability and service. In this way man developed business and business developed man. There was a time .when business was despised ; when it was considered beneath the dignity and social status of a gentleman to engage in trade : and rightly so, for in those days trade was entirely in the hands of verycommon people and of alien from whom nobody expected high standards. But to-day all that had changed. To-day business demanded high technical learning, continuous study, much forethought and planning. It was always in a. fluid state, and undergoing ceaseless readjustment in order to meet changing conditions. It was these characteristics which lent to the modern business its peculiar fascination for virile and cultured minds. It was fascinating to watch the business plan that had been made probably months or years previously gradually unfolding itself, particularly so in connection with the life plan of one’s business career. The speaker said he firmly believed that any man could achieve that which he set his heart on. What had to be decided first was, “What is my ideal ?” not “Will I be successful ?” Success would come if one had the right ideal. “Intelligently create your ideal and hold to it persistently ; let it shape Itself as a result of your character, imagination, and enthusiasm,” he said. Into the ideal entered one possible thought—power—a firm resolve that you would be that which you wished to be. A man’s business bore the impression of his individuality. It was an actual living example of his own character, and reflected in all i.t did the personality of its head.

Character, he said, need not necessarily be that which is pleasant. Dependability and reliability were what was meant by character. Credit was often obtained not : so much on security but on character. We knew the old saying, “A man is known by the company he keeps.” The French put it somewhat differently: “Tell me who you frequent and I will tell you what you are.” In the same way he would say, “Tell me what sort of business it is, and I will tell you the sort of man behind it.” In other words, the business was the man ; it was a reflection of his personality and his ideals ; it was an evidence of the sort of fist he was making of the general business of living itself. Looked at from that point of view business ceased to have a sordid aspect. It became an epic of endeavour in which methods were improved, obstacles surmounted, and service rendered more perfect. That was why we always, noticed a certain nobility of character and breadth of vision in our great business magnates. Business had presented them with an opportunity to discover and display their talents, and it was strength and nobility of character which had enabled them to make good use of that opportunity. In doing so they had rendered great service to the community.