And then there's people

The grey slab of life that we collectively call 'business' doesn't naturally possess a heart-felt affinity towards people.

Which is so weird when you stop and think about it, because people buy stuff from businesses, they work in businesses , they benefit from the existence of business.

Business is all about people.

Business leaders should actually study social science, long before turning their attention to accounting or data science.

But ask a CEO about how staff feel about working at the company, or what ideas there are as to how the brand is aiming to build a stronger bond with potential customers...and you'll no doubt be met with a blank stare and a limp shoulder shrug.

The giant hairy elephant in the room too, is that a business filled with people who themselves are not innovative, WILL NEVER BE INNOVATIVE ITSELF.

It doesn't matter what clever strategy you concoct, or how expensive the management consultant is that told you what to do - the success of your strategy depends on the level of personal competence of your people.

If your people feel powerless to guide their own lives in the direction that they desire, there is no way that they are going to be of any use guiding the organisation in any kind of direction.

This realm obviously comes neatly packaged together with a complex array of uncertainty, which is no doubt why it's conveniently overlooked and labelled 'unimportant'.

But a business is a social system, engaging with many other bigger social systems and massive communities of people.

The success of that business really does depend on its ability to influence people. That power comes from an inherent capability to empower, inspire, seduce, enable and enthrall others.

It comes from knowing how to guide and uplift people on an emotional level.

Being aware of this and seeing it as a source of competitive advantage is a gift.