A Lesson in Perspective: A Wise Businessman's Approach to Success
Daham Gunasena
Award Winning Professional | Chief Operating Officer - CBL | Fonterra | Lion Brewery | Coca-Cola | Ernst & Young |FCA|FCMA|CGMA|FCMA(SL)|FMAAT|,MBA(PIM)|B.Sc(Sp)
Recently, I had the privilege of meeting a top-ranked government professional who shared a fascinating story from the early days of his career. As a university student, he worked for his uncle, an upcountry businessman known for his wisdom and unconventional approach to analyzing business performance.
One day, he informed his uncle about a significant amount of outstanding dues from customers. Concerned, he expected a discussion on tightening collections or improving cash flow. Instead, his uncle, with a calm demeanor, gestured to the land, buildings, vehicles, and assets of the business and said: "All of this exists because of our customers. They’ve contributed to every brick, every vehicle, and every piece of land. Don’t worry too much about the dues—they’re part of the bigger picture."
What a remarkable way to view performance! While we often focus on KPIs like profitability, return on assets, or quick ratios to measure short-term success, this wise businessman embraced a broader perspective. His measure of performance extended to the business lifecycle—valuing relationships, sustainability, and long-term growth over immediate metrics.
This story is a powerful reminder for us all. Numbers are critical, but so is perspective. Let’s balance our pursuit of financial targets with a commitment to building businesses that last, nurtured by trust, relationships, and shared value.
What’s your perspective on this approach?
Marketing Specialist | Award winning FMCG Expert | Strategic Campaign Management | Brand Transformation Specialist | Proven Track Record in Product Innovation, Digital Strategy, & Sales Growth
1 个月Absolutely. My experience with Prabodya Jayawickrama the Financial Controller at the time at Hemas FMCG, he used to sit with me and work out things to execute. In his mind I didn’t have to convince him to do it. As perfect harmony because of the business understanding. Stood by us while we fought a giant Unilever until we beat them while they had much larger budgets than us. His perfect understanding of long term not short term, and him shouldering to the marketers to explain and support was amazing. Unfortunately in my 24 years of career there was only one Praboda. It is not about allowing you to do a negative ROI projects, but it is about understanding the business together and believing in long term was the key