The Review: Your trade secrets

Friday, January 23, 2026

Your trade secrets

(Photo source: pexels.com)

Many businesses have trade secrets that they guard closely. Similarly, we have our own secret techniques at work, which are personal and unique to us.

Then, many people have an eternal itch to be a loudmouth and brag about their techniques. Then, people learn those, and you become an obsolete commodity. Those techniques are yours and should be guarded ferociously. When you talk about something even to your closest friend, words spread. Most of the time, your closest friend becomes the nastiest enemy. Whatever you have earned through your hard work should not be thrown away lightly. Once its utility is exhausted, it can be given away.

Now, in workplaces, you may need to teach people. While teaching something, you demonstrate the textbook process. If somebody is smart enough, he finds out his own technique. That will be his journey. Often, people forget your generosity and come back to you as a predator instead. Recently, I read news about a person working in an organization. He had developed some codes to complete his tasks within a few minutes. The boss, who happened to be on good terms with him, got him to talk about the whole scheme. That sweet talk and over-trust in others got his job ended in that organization. The boss learnt the process and replaced him. The code was the outcome of his knowledge accrued over the years of hard work. People actually pay for the knowledge.

I still remember one scene from a film where a factory owner was asking a technician to fix a machine. The technician fixed the machine with a blow of a hammer and asked him to pay Rs 500. In those days, it used to be a very high amount. The factory owner declined to pay. The technician persisted. The owner retorted that you just hammered once. The technician replied that it was the price for knowing where to be hit.

If you like the post, you can read or gift the author's books “B.Tech Guidebook", "Campus Placement Guidebook", "PhD guidebook", and "Employee Guidebook" available worldwide in Amazon in Kindle format. These books will help you strategize your life. You will find many important things which are not discussed anywhere. Click in the link below.