TED演讲:怎样让企业持续运行100年(9)

 In other words, we need to think more modestly and subtly  换言之，我们得更为谦虚和细致地考虑

about when and how we can shape, rather than control, unpredictable and complex situations. 何时、怎样塑造而不是控制不可预测的复杂情况

It's a little like the difference between throwing a ball and releasing a bird. 这有点像扔一个球和放飞一只鸟的区别

The ball would head in a straight line,  球可以直接以从上方观察的直线

probably towards the intended target, and the bird certainly would not. 飞向既定的目标，鸟显然不能

So what do you think? Sounds a little impractical¹, a little theoretical, perhaps? 你们怎么想呢？听起来有点不切实际，有点纯理论化了，是吗？

Not at all. Every small entrepreneurial company naturally thinks and acts biologically. Why? 一点也不。每个小型企业都自然而然地生物化地思考和行动。这是为什么呢？

Because it lacks the resources to shape its environment through brute² force. 因为它们缺少通过自身能力塑造周围环境的条件

It lacks the scale to buffer³ change,  它没有能够迎接改变的规模

and it's constantly thinking about the tough odds⁴ for a start-up to survive. 并且它不断地在思考起步时渺茫的生存机会

Now, the irony⁵ is, of course, that every large company started off as a small, entrepreneurial company. 现在，讽刺的是，当然，每一个大型公司都开始于一个小型企业

But along the way somewhere, many have lost this ability to think and act biologically. 但是在发展的某一阶段，许多公司丢失了生物化思考和行动的能力

They need to rejuvenate⁶ their ability to think biologically in order to survive and thrive in today's environment. 他们需要重拾生物化思考的能力，以便在今天的环境中存活并繁荣

So let's not just think about short-term performance.  让我们不要再只考虑短期表现吧

Every company I know spends plenty of time thinking about the central question of strategy: 我所知道的每一个公司都花大量的时间思考他们的战略核心：

How good is our competitive game?  我们的竞争力还有多少？

In addition, let's also consider the second, more biological and equally important question: 除此之外，为什么不考虑第二个更为生物化而且同等重要的问题：

How long will that game last? Thank you very much. 我们还能坚持多久？谢谢

1 impractical   

adj.不现实的，不实用的，不切实际的

参考例句：

• He was hopelessly impractical when it came to planning new projects.一到规划新项目，他就完全没有了实际操作的能力。
• An entirely rigid system is impractical.一套完全死板的体制是不实际的。

2 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

3 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

4 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

5 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

6 rejuvenate   

v.(使)返老还童；(使)恢复活力

参考例句：

• The mountain air will rejuvenate you.山里的空气会使你恢复活力。
• Exercise is perhaps the most effective way to rejuvenate your skin.锻炼可能是使皮肤恢复活力的最好手段。