The Sunday News
Itai Chipunza
Genesis 14 verse 13
A MAN who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
In every city that Abraham went to live in, he aligned himself to the people in power in those particular places. He did the same while he was in Egypt and he did the same after he and Lot had separated. Although in Egypt it was sort of a disgrace because he allowed them to take his wife and God had to take her back for him but Abraham exhibited an understanding of respect. For this reason Abraham did not only have protection from above but he also was aligned to the king of the land. This is one of the reasons why Abraham was not plundered by the rebels during wars because the protection of the current kings covered him as well.
Gatekeepers are people with authority in particular fields. In our case we may call them city fathers. It is very important to respect and acknowledge them. I really cannot stress how important it is. If say you are in the farming business on a large scale, to align yourself with the minister of agriculture and management of the grain marketing board is very important. This will not only protect your interests as far as farming goes but puts you in the prime spot for buying the latest farming equipment. It will make it easier to explore avenues of selling your farming produce. All this is unlocked by acknowledging the gate keepers presence in their sphere of influence.
People tend to view all connection of businessman with political leaders as a plot to loot the national treasurer. Maybe out of past experiences they are right. Very few realise that the honest relationship benefits both parties involved. The businessman will offer financial support for campaigns during elections and in turn the politician ensures peace and good business environment when in power. This is simply because war and violence never favour business unless you are selling guns, then again even when you are selling guns, the war must not be at your place of selling in order for you to sell well. So the businessman needs Government policy that will support the growth of enterprise. For example, I asked one guy how come America is always at war. Every president of America has his own war, or he inherits one from his predecessor. He said well, American companies that produce ammunition, war vehicles and equipment need to stay in business. So they offer financial support to the running candidate and in turn they enjoy almost consistent revenue from the wars. Of cause this is just a personal opinion because if ever there was such an agreement, it would definitely happen in secret, but it is an assumption that makes sense. It is just to show the potential power that can be unlocked by such a relationship with the right gate keeper. I am not condoning war and violence, how can I when our Lord is the prince of peace.
Historically, one of the first instances of business combining with politics in a mutually beneficial relationship was seen in 1896 in America when William McKinley was about to take office. Born in 1843 and raised in Ohio, William McKinley planned as a young man to become a Methodist minister. When the Civil War started, McKinley proved a valiant soldier, rising in the ranks from a private to a brevet major on the staff of Colonel Rutherford B Hayes, who became a lifelong friend and mentor. When he returned to Ohio to practice law, he used his connections with Hayes to rise rapidly in Ohio politics. He served in Congress from 1877 to 1891 before becoming governor of Ohio. Congressman McKinley was the Republican Party’s leading spokesman for protectionism in foreign trade. His McKinley Tariff of 1890 established substantially higher tariff rates on imported goods in order to protect US business and manufacturing.
The nation’s devastating economic collapse in 1893 turned voters against the Democratic Party’s hold on the presidency, giving McKinley a good shot at the White House in 1896. McKinley argued that his commitment to protective tariffs on imported goods would cure unemployment and stimulate industrial growth. McKinley’s political ally from Ohio, the industrialist Marcus Hanna, helped McKinley organise and fund his campaign. McKinley beat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in the greatest electoral sweep in twenty-five years. Four years later, the popular McKinley ran on a strong record and defeated Bryan again, by even larger margins. This made it very clear to all future politicians around the world how important it was to get corporate support in any run for presidency. It also made it very clear to businesses that they could get ahead far easier if they acknowledged the gatekeepers.
Most of the recorded examples used seem to be talking in the millions of dollars in spending to get the required allegiance with powerful political leaders like nations president. It is important to understand that this is a style of working that one can cultivate at the beginning of their business carrier. When you decide to open a coffee shop in a particular city, you get to know the mayor, the chief of police or even the officer in charge. You will be surprised at the kind of influence these people have in keeping the environment tranquil for you to work. Simply gifting the mayor with a wrist watch can give you a clear shot at getting a shop in the city centre and eventually having two or three shops of the same kind. It’s just business, not corruption. The Bible says:
Proverbs 3 verse 13
You are blessed when you meet lady wisdom, when you make friends with madame insight.
It is a very delicate relationship between the business and gatekeepers. It is wise not to make the image of the business synonymous with that of any particular gate keeper. Make it clear from the onset that it is a working relationship and does not in any way reflect their stance on any other policy.
This is an art that you can cultivate from the time your business is small and as you grow, the people you started small with will be responsible for introducing you to the kings of nations. So start with the village chief of the area you reside in. It might get you a good land to build your house. He might introduce you to the town’s magistrate and lawyers. That will get you power in law. They will show you the mayor, that will get you power in dealing with the town council. Before you know it, you are one of the most powerful people in your town because you are friends with many people of different influences. Then when the president comes to town, you are introduced as the loyal friend and businessman of your town. Respect the gate keepers. It is a fundamental key of growth in business.
