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Am I that stupid?
There’s a famous interaction of a Dutch football coach, Louis van Gaal, with a journalist where he asks the journalist:
“Am I that brilliant, or are you that stupid?”
Press conferences with Louis van Gaal were never boring. Whenever he was behind a microphone, one could expect fireworks. He didn’t hold back. Even when being a Manchester United coach not gifted with great English language skills, he did not hold back.
“The media likes me because I give honest answers. How many people in football give honest answers? I won’t lie. Always the truth. OK, maybe my truth. But it is the truth.” ~ Louis van Gaal
Without any shame, he translated Dutch sayings into English, self-confident and unwilling to admit that some of these sayings didn’t translate well.
Example: “That’s another cook.” It’s Dutch, which means that not every cookie (koekje) is the same. He meant to say that playing a match in the Champions League is different from playing a Premier League game.
One more.
“We are running after the facts.”
This means the facts have caught up with reality, and it’s time to acknowledge them.
Translating Dutch sayings into English is fun. My kids loved it when I did it.
“The bullet is through the church” is one of my examples.
It means that a decision has been made. This saying originates from the Spanish Inquisition when the Spanish soldiers ignored the unwritten rule to respect religious buildings and not to fight inside. When they did, it created anger and the decision to fight the Spanish with all weapons. The bullet can still be seen in the St Bavo church in Haarlem in the Netherlands.
Back to my comparison with Louis van Gaal and whether it’s me who’s stupid or the leaders I’m addressing in this Insight.
Business is simple.
It’s not easy, but it’s simple. If you adopt some of the basic and universal business principles, your chances for success…
