Better not to say the obvious. "Better not to say the obvious" is itself obvious — a self-contradictory theme — but please look past that for a moment.
I mean remarks in meetings and the like that don't really mean anything, or are self-evident, yet get offered as opinions anyway.
Concrete examples right away.
・Just because X doesn't mean Y
・Too much of X isn't good either
Phrases like these show up a lot, but they're often logically obvious, so they add no value.
Also things like:
・Running a company only for short-term profit is bad
・In a competitive world, companies must think of their own strategy
・Executives should understand technology
These sound plausible at first, but they're obviously true. There's no meaning in saying them as such.
Of course it depends on context — but cases where they really help are rare.
By the way, "it depends on context / the situation" is also obvious. When you're discussing something and someone just says "Well, it depends on the situation," I sometimes think: well, yes — and feel exasperated. People use that line to cover themselves, but I think it comes off as rude. At minimum it adds no value. Not only that phrase — people who pad conversation with empty lines will get asked for their view less often afterward, and they can't complain if they aren't invited to the next discussion.
Now, let me write a paragraph using only meaningless phrasing.
"Companies are required to respond to rapid change in the business environment.
And today, competition isn't only for companies — individuals face it too. Graduating from a good university and joining a big firm no longer means you're set. Even graduating from the University of Tokyo doesn't guarantee you'll cut it in business.
Going forward, rather than chasing short-term gains, we need a broad view that keeps long-term profit in mind. Companies too should stop chasing only near-term profit and craft long-term strategy.
Moreover, corporate strategy isn't about applying classroom theory from business school to real business.
Every company's environment differs, so each needs a strategy that fits.
Also, in this era technology firms typified by GAFA are rising. Their leaders all deeply understand technology and anticipate future business change. Going forward, executives should understand technology too. But understanding alone isn't enough — you have to put it to work in business."
Something like that.
As you'll see reading it, not a single line says anything meaningful.
And yet the world is full of empty writing and commentary like this. I've seen plenty. I'll keep seeing more.
I want to avoid saying such obvious things — which is itself an obvious thing to say.
© 2020 ZUUHE