The most important rule in investing is not to lose your initial capital. Making money comes later. If you lose 50% of your principal, the loss rate is 50%, but to recover that principal, you need a 100% return. This is because the baseline of your return—the principal—has already been halved. Many people tend to think that if they’ve lost 50%, they only need a 50% return to break even. However, this is a misunderstanding of the starting point. In investing, the baseline is always the original principal. The principal after a loss is no longer the same; it’s already in the past. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
A venture company president established an environment that encouraged open dialogue to foster an honest organizational culture, yet soon after, the company’s structure fell apart. Honesty can often be painful. To minimize the hurt caused by honesty, it is crucial to consider who delivers the message. In other words, if a respected individual speaks candidly, people are likely to feel less discomfort. Organizations can falter if honesty is prioritized over a culture of respect. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”