Benefit From Any Failure

Vladimir Konstantinovich, the end of December is a time of gratitude and festive mood. Soon the New Year and for our readers will be a gift of an interview with you!

What gift would you like to receive? The question is not about a gift under the Christmas tree, but about what you dream about?

I don’t know how it is now, but before there were special houses for writers, where the office was combined with comfort and full care for the writing person, an intelligent (with its pluses and minuses) company, if you get tired of working and want to chat, and even beautiful places for walks. I sluggishly dream of winning a semi-annual ticket to such a house!

Choosing from famous people in the world, who would you invite to your place for dinner? What question would you ask this person?

I would invite the head of one of the states and ask him why he has not yet registered for our online course, since he has so many problems?!

Do you agree with the statement and opinion of many that you are one of the best business coaches?

There are better and worse business coaches, but there are no the best ones. Who likes pop, and who likes popadya! They say that in Pushkin’s time he was not considered the most remarkable poet. You have to wait at least a hundred years…

What do you value most in your students?

A combination of mind, ethics and energy. For most of them, only a couple of these three are friends with each other!

What does friendship mean to you? Complete the sentence: a true friend is…

… one who, having made good progress in this life, actually helps his far behind, but through no fault of his own, friend.

What did you dream of becoming as a child?

You will laugh … Although, depending on what age: after the 4th grade, I wanted to enter the Nakhimov School, I dreamed of becoming a sailor. It happens with children. But my mother lost my birth certificate and here I am. Did not get to Nakhimovskoye. Then it was found, but too late. Maybe it’s not really lost, I don’t know (smiles).

By the way, we had a question “how did parents influence the choice of profession”? That’s how they did it! Did you remember this particular story when you said “you will laugh ..” or did you think about something else? Now you can see the world best business owner coach at The Moose Consulting.

Yes, about something else. We had work at school, in the seventh grade, and there I first worked on a lathe, I liked it so much! I lost the cap of a fountain pen, and a fountain pen in those days was a great value. And I myself carved a cap out of aluminum, wrapped it, made a thread. I thought: “It would be nice to become a turner!”, But somehow it didn’t work out.

What was your favorite subject at school?
Physics, yes, physics.

What subjects would you add to the school curriculum today?

Of course, “Personal managerial art”, “The art of managerial struggle” and “Managerial fights.” True, then in a country where such subjects will appear in schools, there will be too many who want to send their children from other countries to study.

Who is your main teacher?

My teachers have already died – they are Sun Chi, Machiavelli, Owen, Taylor and Ford. I was only contemporary with Henry Ford: I could sit on his lap if we lived side by side.

What do you do in your free time from work?

O! Working on what I like best! In my free time, I like to write. The so-called artistic things are stories. Sometimes, if it finds a verse on me, then verses, but otherwise, mostly stories. This is a great pleasure for me, but rarely succeeds.

Do you agree with the following statement: “Humor is primarily a property of intellectually developed people”? In what ways can a sense of humor help, and in what ways can it hurt?

I think that if we talk about the Russian-speaking space, then statistically this statement is confirmed. Although, of course, there are exceptions, and quite frequent – both in one direction and the other! And the sense of humor itself is very variable.

Mountains of Central Asia

I remember in my student days, in the mountains of Central Asia, the owner of the house, who understands Russian quite well, asked me to tell him a joke. I tried to choose a simpler, more understandable joke for him: “The wife complained to her neighbor about her drunken husband, and she advised, when he comes home“ a little warm ”, hit him on the head with a frying pan with the words“ Will you drink ?! once!

The wife did just that. When he came “a little warm”, she hit him with a frying pan with the words “Will you drink ?!”, but he just shook his head and said “Brrr!”, She hit again, and again “Brrr!” When she struck a third time, he agreed: “I persuaded you! Pour it up!” The owner laughed for a long time. Then he asked me to tell the same anecdote again and again laughed for a long time. And when they went to bed, he either asked or demanded: “Tell him again in the morning!”

Sense Of Humor is Obvious

The advantage of having a sense of humor is obvious – comedians are more flexible in behavior; before they say something risky in earnest, they can first say it as a joke. And if the joke “passes”, then, without much risk, say it seriously! They are nicer in society.

Humor, like oil, lubricates communication so that it does not creak and get stuck! But there are also disadvantages! No wonder they say: “For the sake of a red word, neither mother nor father will regret!”

A sharp tongue can help you get out of a difficult situation, offend friends, and make enemies! It depends how you use it! In particular, Niccolo Machiavelli, to some extent, suffered because of his sharp tongue. I recommend taking an example from Odessa in humor – they joke, really, funny, but friendly and not offensive!

And what inspires you to action, to emotions?

I’m somehow inspired all the time! I don’t have an inspiration jump, but I have a problem with time. This is a very, very serious problem for me. And I want it, and I want it. I often subscribe to projects that overwhelm me, but I’m addicted. I’m generally very addicted. I will come to a new country, stay there and already want to buy some real estate.

Thank God, this desire passes (smiles). I always like the city where I am at the moment. One has only to stay a little longer in it and I already feel good, it seems that I will come here all the time and so on. And then you leave, you forget…

Which partner is more comfortable for you to work with – a man or a woman?
Equally. It’s just different: it’s better to discuss something with a man, and it’s better to do something with a woman.

Do you have many projects and do you have good helpers?

Yes, there are two very good and approximately equal assistants: one of them is my wife, Helle, she is my partner and director of the Tallinn School of Managers, and the other collective is all the other assistants combined! It happened not because they are bad, not at all! And because Hello is not just a very good assistant, but also a partner and co-author!

What is the most difficult thing in life for you?
Stay away from your obsession. Can’t be scattered. Because of this, there is no time.

What is your motto for life?
Take advantage of any failure. To take a step forward. What are you most grateful for in life?

The question is interesting, but incomprehensible, like “What am I grateful to the Universe for?”. But I’ll try to answer anyway! Probably because she slyly leaves a hope close to zero, but not equal to him, that another and another life will follow her!

And the question that the listeners of the webinar asked you to ask a lot: what would you wish for humanity today?
Stop your own degradation, shake yourself up, get up and move on!