While more of a self-help book than a business book, Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements nonetheless provides a powerful code of conduct to apply in today's tough business world.
The code is based on four values, or "agreements," that are hard to apply because they go against the traditional way people are trained to deal with others. The agreements are: Be Impeccable with Your Word; Don't Take Anything Personally; Don't Make Assumptions; and Always Do Your Best.
Be Impeccable with Your Word is the first of the four. Considering the word as a sacred testament of truth, Ruiz stresses the importance of only speaking the truth and using the word for the betterment of self and others. He elaborates on how the word can be used as a "healing" tool and as a "poison." From a business perspective, one can draw parallels to being positive and negative in communicating with others.
Second is Don't Take Anything Personally. Ruiz makes a compelling demonstration of how nothing is personal. When people hurt, cheat, abuse, or betray others, it is not personal. So, when subjected to any of these, one should remember that it is not personal and react accordingly. This is difficult in a world where most people take everything personally, according to Ruiz. He asserts that nothing others do is because of you. What others say or do is a projection of their reality and dreams. When people say that someone "hurt their feelings" in reality they mean that they decided to be hurt by what someone said or did.
When a person is immune to the opinions and actions of others, that person will cease to be the victim of needless suffering caused by taking what others do personally. This can be especially important in business. Competition, rivalry, and even disagreements and feuds are all not personal -- they are about business. It is better to focus on behaviour and statements, rather than people, when trying to solve a problem.
Don't Make Assumptions is about finding the courage to ask questions and to express wants and needs in a clear and candid manner. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings. Assumptions make people believe things that do not exist by becoming hostage to their preconceived ideas. Instead, Ruiz suggests clearly expressing feelings and making an effort to clearly understand others' motives, statements and behaviours. According to him, one can completely transform his or her life with just this agreement.
In business, making false assumptions is a cause of failure for projects and companies alike. If people make fewer assumptions, or try to validate their assumptions, they would face less risk of making a wrong business decision.
Always Do Your Best is the last, but most important agreement. Someone's best is going to change over time and depending on strength, psyche, and circumstances. When people do the best they could, they avoid self-judgement and self-abuse. When doing a person's best, then there will be no regrets. In the business world, if doing one's best, one should be content with the outcomes. This should have the positive effect of pushing oneself to the highest performance levels. That will result in the highest possible effort towards achieving goals.
The four agreements are inter-dependent and complementary. According to Ruiz, one must combine the four to apply any of them properly. In the business world, all four agreements are applicable, and can relieve much of the stress from the disappointments and problems.
The book is based on the Toltec tradition. The Toltecs ruled much of Mayan central Mexico from the 10th-12th centuries AD. The Toltecs were known as "women and men of knowledge" for many centuries. Ruiz is himself a shaman of the Toltec tradition. He was a surgeon until a near death experience in the 1970s changed his life. Ruiz dedicates the first part of the book to the Toltecs, their beliefs, values and views on life.
Questions and comments can be directed to Amango@methodcorp.com
By Ammar W. Mango
© Jordan Times 2005
