Benjamin Franklin

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Leverage existing skills for mobility

  Career

  When facing local opposition or limited opportunities, a founder should use their trade skills to find work in new markets.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Complete Works in Philosophy, Politics and Morals of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Vol. 1 [of 3]  (opens in a new tab)

• Support the next generation of artisans

  Hiring

  Investing in the training and business setup of young, moral, and skilled workers ensures the long-term prosperity of a community.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Complete Works in Philosophy, Politics and Morals of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Vol. 1 [of 3]  (opens in a new tab)

• Seek practical utility in research

  Product

  Franklin feels dissatisfied when his experiments do not immediately benefit mankind, suggesting that true value lies in application.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Non-electric bodies, that have electric fire thrown into them, will retain it till other electrics, that have less, approach”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Use humor to maintain momentum

  Leadership

  When experiments become tedious or difficult, he proposes a lighthearted social event to keep the team engaged and celebrate progress.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Non-electric bodies, that have electric fire thrown into them, will retain it till other electrics, that have less, approach”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Test assumptions with varied methods

  Learning

  One should try multiple experimental setups to confirm if a perceived effect is consistent or merely a fluke of the environment.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I have already made this paper too long, for which I must crave pardon, not having now time to abridge it.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Test for positive and negative states

  Decisions

  Systems can exist in opposing states, and understanding how to identify which state is active is crucial for correct diagnosis.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Yet when the air is very dry, the apparatus will continue to be electrised for ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour, after the clouds have passed”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Practice through mutual criticism

  Learning

  Improve skills by regularly producing work and subjecting it to the honest observations and corrections of peers.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source Franklin's Autobiography: (Eclectic English Classics)  (opens in a new tab)

• Focus on expression over invention

  Writing

  When practicing language skills, use a fixed subject to isolate and improve expression without the distraction of original invention.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source Franklin's Autobiography: (Eclectic English Classics)  (opens in a new tab)

• Prioritize Knowledge Over Immediate Wealth

  Career

  Early in a career, the value of intellectual growth and high-quality social circles often outweighs immediate financial gain.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Franklin's Autobiography: (Eclectic English Classics)  (opens in a new tab)

• Master Accounting for Business Success

  Management

  Clear and regular financial accounting is essential for maintaining partnerships and ensuring the survival of a business.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan”

    “The bringing all these scattered counsels thus into a focus enabled them to make greater impression.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Focus on incremental improvements

  Productivity

  Small, daily conveniences contribute more to long-term happiness and efficiency than rare, massive windfalls.

  Supporting quotes

  • “To do this a variety of improvements were necessary. Some of these were inevitably at first expensive, so that in the first four years the office became above nine hundred pounds in debt to us”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Test feasibility through observation

  Decisions

  Use small-scale experiments or observations to estimate the time and resources needed for larger projects.

  Supporting quotes

  • “To do this a variety of improvements were necessary. Some of these were inevitably at first expensive, so that in the first four years the office became above nine hundred pounds in debt to us”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Master Skills Through Repetition

  Learning

  Acquire expertise in a new field by eagerly seizing opportunities to practice and repeating experiments until they become second nature.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Franklin's Autobiography: (Eclectic English Classics)  (opens in a new tab)

• Leverage competitive weakness

  Competition

  A business is likely to succeed in a market where existing competitors provide poor quality service.

  Supporting quotes

  • “by steady industry and a prudent parsimony I might save enough by the time I was one-and-twenty to set me up; and that, if I came near the matter, he would help me out with the rest.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Avoid Dogmatic Language

  Leadership

  One should replace absolute words like 'certainly' or 'undoubtedly' with softer phrases like 'I imagine' to reduce friction and increase influence.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin  (opens in a new tab)

• Never Resign Under Pressure

  Career

  He believes in never asking for, refusing, or resigning an office, forcing opponents to take the action of removal themselves.

  Source The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin  (opens in a new tab)

• Find legal workarounds for deadlocks

  Strategy

  When a superior or partner blocks a necessary action, look for existing laws or bylaws that allow you to execute the plan through a different authority.

  Supporting quotes

  • “The fund for paying them was the interest of all the paper currency then extant in the province upon loan, together with the revenue arising from the excise”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Encourage Self-Reliance

  Management

  Providing too much support can discourage industry and frugality; the best help is that which motivates people to provide for themselves.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Wikiquote: Benjamin Franklin  (opens in a new tab)

• Stay Open to Better Information

  Decisions

  One should be willing to change even long-held opinions when presented with better data or more thorough consideration.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Wikiquote: Benjamin Franklin  (opens in a new tab)

• Schedule Every Part of Business

  Management

  Maintain order by ensuring every item has its place and every part of the business has a specific time allocated to it.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Wikiquote: Benjamin Franklin  (opens in a new tab)