Business Advice From Dr. Seuss

March 26, 2018April 9, 2018last updated on April 9, 2018 at 16:07 Business

Even though we might feel all grown up, sometimes it’s important to remember that the best lessons stem from the most innocent things. For this reason, we’ve decided to provide you with some of the best business advice around — in the form of a story from Dr. Seuss!.

Dr. Seuss’s Business Advice

If you’re looking for business advice you can use,
Look to Theodore Geisel, AKA Dr. Seuss.
Are his books just for kids? No! We can learn from them too,
In management, marketing, wise things to do.
You may know of Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose,
And how foolish helpfulness leads to abuse.
He wanted to help, and that’s certainly good,
But he helped them out more than a prudent moose should.
The moral is not that you shouldn’t be kind,
But exercise judgment and use your own mind.
Your resources are limited; don’t be afraid
To choose who is really deserving of aid.

And certainly, you shouldn’t be like the Grinch,
Resentful and nasty, begrudging each inch
Of happiness that someone else may have won
And thinking of ways that it might be undone.
In business, it’s others that you have to please
To get them to come to you, just like the bees
Coming to flowers so brightly arrayed.
Value for value is what makes up trade.

Think of the turtle named Yertle, obsessed
With being higher than all of the rest.
Piled on the backs of the others, he’d try
To make his station as high as the sky.
It seemed at the start that he’d rise to be great,
But he found out his mistake much too late,
For if you have only unwilling support,
You’re liable to find your career is cut short.

Like Horton, stick to the commitments you’ve made
And for your persistence, you will be well paid.
So act with respect in your dealings with all.
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
Like Horton, remember perception’s the key,
So learn to see things that the others can’t see!
Importance is more than a matter of size,
In big things and small, opportunity lies.

Could you, would you, dare to do
Something that is new to you?
Things that seem quite strange at first
May not always be the worst.
Would you try them in the shop?
Would you try them at the top?
Would you try to innovate?
Would you see just how they rate?
If you try green eggs and veal,
It might help you make a deal.

Have you seen the book about Solla Sollew?
It’s not the best known of his volumes, it’s true,
But it tells a tale of persistence and strength,
And how a bold traveler got there at length.
He met disappointment once he had arrived,
And yet in the ending, he prospered and thrived,
For he learned that with troubles the best thing to do
Is to take them on boldly, courageously too!

But don’t follow Sylvester McMonkey McBean,
Who played off two sides in his marketing scheme.
Perhaps in the story, he ended up rich,
But he wrecked the Sneetch market by pulling his switch.
For petty resentments don’t let business grow,
As the Battle of Butter proceeded to show.
It’s great to see differences in people’s taste,
But senseless hostility just is a waste.
It’s smarter and better to set out and cast
Your net for a market that’s going to last.
To play off a fad may make you a quick buck,
But after you do that, you’ll find that you’re stuck.

Be bold but responsible, clever but wise,
Find long-lasting chances that will help you rise.
Don’t be nasty or petty, that just makes you less.
Like the Cat in the Hat, always clean up your mess!

The path may be difficult, tricky, and long,
And sometimes, along the way, you may go wrong,
But don’t face the world with distress and with dread;
Just think of the words that the good Doctor said:
“You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes,
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
So set out with confidence, use what you know,
And if you choose well, oh, the places you’ll go!

Get More Business Advice From The Citadel

At the Citadel, we recognize that learning isn’t supposed to be a chore; it should be fun and something you want to do! We strive to teach our students the best lessons in the most inspiring ways. If you want to get started learning at the Citadel, please contact us today!