The Cluetrain Manifesto: The end of business as Usual, Chapter 1

Library Reference: none

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Learning Expectations:

            Based on Chapter 1, I expect to learn how businesses can be changed by internet whether it will be a big change or just a small change. I also expect to learn how internet can change how people think in a business.

Review: 

            On the 1^st part of Chapter 1, it was about Premature Burial. It is said that life is too short to waste it on office politics, for busywork and pointless paper chases, for jumping through hoops and covering our asses, for trying to please, to not to offend, and for constantly struggling to achieve some ever-receding definition of success which is true. We should always do what we want and think is right because there isn’t always a second chance in life. If something passes by and we didn’t do anything about it, we won’t know if that thing would return again and give us another chance to accept it. That is why we shouldn’t let anything we think is right and what we want just pass-by and do nothing. Life is full of chances and it up to us whether we would take that chance or just let it slip away. 

But there is a factor at which people wouldn’t want to take the chance and that is change. Change is something some people don’t want because if they are used to something and it would change, it would be bothersome for them to adjust with the change. Also, people are afraid from changes because if something changes, they would start again on how to understand and cope up with it. Just the idea of coping-up and moving-on from a change is too troublesome for some people or it is too difficult to go with the change. 

Chance and Change is somehow connected to each other besides changing the 5^th letter from ‘c’ to ‘g’. They are connected because change deters people from taking a once in a lifetime chance. It is a problem because our life is too short for us to pass chances by. It is true that in chance, it’s a 50 – 50 deal. We wouldn’t know if we would be on the 50% good side or in the 50% bad side which is also another factor for people to not take chances. It is too risky to take a chance due to its 50 – 50 nature.

When the internet started out, many people are very cautious about it. Some people thought that the internet will change the way people live in the future while others thought that it was just a hoax that will soon fade away. The positive thinkers about the internet was right, it has changed how people live nowadays and soon enough it will revolutionize the world in a big way. Unfortunately, there still a lot of people that are still thinking that sticking to what worked well on the past will still live on as the time goes by. Some of the traditional companies deny the implication of internet because they are used to the traditional way of handling the business. They are also somehow scared on the implication of internet to their businesses because they are not sure whether it will be effective or not. There would be a chance that the internet implication can cause a disaster or prosperity.

There is also the factor that the traditional companies doesn’t want internet because it might give their employees knowledge that they don’t want their employees to have. They want their employees to be on the dark for the employees to just follow what the company wants them to do. They might be worried that the employees would form a group that would say something bad to the company and might destroy the company’s reputation. Majority of these companies are still rooting for the command and control handling of employees because first of all, it keeps their employees much focused on their works rather than thinking of something else due to the internet and finally, it gives the company higher profits because the employees are much focused on their jobs.

There are lots of companies that don’t want any changes because they are used to the one which they have used ever since the past. They are not open for any changes that have an unclear result. These companies should reconsider because as stated before, “Life is too short”. There are chances that companies don’t take because of the vague future it presents to them. But they should also reconsider that the life of their company is also short. There is a chance that it will also die just like everything else in this world. Nothing is permanent and they should know this.

In general, traditional companies should reconsider and open their eyes for new possibilities of improvement through internet. They should also give their employees the freedom to gain knowledge because without their employees, they are eventually nothing. Knowledgeable employees are much greater assets compared to unknowledgeable ones because of the potential and intelligence they bring to the company. Much greater options and opportunities can arise if the employees are conversant. Employees are an essential part of a company because without them, a company is just as dead.

Lessons Learned: 

            I have learned that whenever a chance is present, we should think carefully and have a positive output to that chance. We shouldn’t worry about the changes to much because it can alter our mindset greatly. Chances are rare and our life is too short. So if ever a once in a lifetime chance occurs, we should take it.

            I also learned that many companies today are still hooked up on the traditional way of handling their employees which is keeping their employees in the dark to avoid problems. They are not open for any possibilities that the internet can bring to their company. They are too bothered for the changes that might come-up if ever they take a chance.