WIT AND WISDOM FROM THE GILDED TOWERS OF ACADAEME
We are proud and pleased to have friends who stand proudly on the pinnacle of business education. This offering comes from an old pal who prefers to remain anonymous, for reasons of modesty.
On being shown the Ten Commandments that we had brought from our mountain fastness to counter the burgeoning Combined Code of Corporate Governance (the only Code that has become an industry), our friend observed that TEN was far too many. "Just believe me", said he, "Most managers that I teach can cope with FOUR as a maximum, and Investment Analysts, Bankers and Fund Managers can only cope with TWO, so busy are they with other vital matters".
So here they are, The Four Vital Maxims of the Great Sage, who wrote:
"Thanks, also, for the Ten Commandments, but I fear you have missed the whole point of "The Game". Surely we are already well served by the more efficient "Four Maxims" of GAG (Generally Accepted Governance)? viz:
- Thou shalt not be noticeably responsible for those things that may go horribly wrong.
- Thou shalt not be seen to benefit too directly from those things that cause major harm to others.
- Thou shalt not be caught in any obvious wrong-doing without suitable legal defence.
- Notwithstanding the above, thou shalt strive to exert as much influence as possible, and to garner as much reward as feasible without any justification save that of knowing that it is for the greater glory of thine own name."
Best regards,
Marcustopheles
