Book of Proverbs on Management

From the book on Management by Proverbs

OVERVIEW ON BOOK OF PROVERBS

Proverbs is a philosophical book that seeks to answer question on 'How should we live?'. Primarily it contains the sayings of King Solomon, Israel's third and wisest king and majority of its contents are traditionally dated to the 10th century B.C.

The book of Proverbs speaks to every life issue of consequence, and, not surprisingly, it affords us an impressive amount of guidance in business matters. Borrowing from the work of Roy B. Zuck, the contents below summarizes those themes with the most patent application to management.

PROVERBS THEMES APPLICABLE TO MANAGEMENT

Advice to Leaders

Be honest, humble, just, reliable, self-controlled and sober

Money

Avoid get-rich-quick schemes, unfair pricing, charging exorbitant interest rates, and bribery; recognise consequences of gaining money dishonestly, money's ability to motivate people to work; share money liberally with the poor.

Proper use of words

Use words to impart wisdom, encourage, protect and nurture.

Improper use of words

Avoid lying, slander, gossip, false witnessing, mocking, perverse talk, boasting, flattery, or quarreling.

Virtues

Show courage, diligence, humility, generosity, honestly, integrity, kindness (to poor, to needy, to animals), love, patience, self-control, reliability, sobriety, teachability, and truthfulness.

Vices

Don't acquire money dishonestly, be angry or lose temper, bribe, be drunken, envious, greedy, hypocritical, unjust, jealous, lazy, oppress the poor or be proud.

Work and family

Be faithful to spouse; show priority of spouse and children over work.

When we apply Proverb's principles for human relationships to the workplace, they offer guidance for

1. Building a competitive workforce
2. Cultivating a culture of commitment
3. Evaluating and rewarding performance
4. Minimizing strife

SUMMARY

The goal in Management by Proverbs is to spotlight those principles of human relations found in this practical Book of Proverbs and show how managers and organisations can tailor those proverbs to their particular needs.