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The courthouse was at one time a magnificent mansion, tall and stately and probably 200 years old. However, it was in gross disrepair. We entered through the plain, wide, heavy, wooden doors (obviously not original). Inside we were shocked by the poor condition. Everything seemed to be under construction — but not new construction. The lights were dim, the floors were filthy, plaster was falling off the walls and lying in piles in the hallways, narrowed by construction grade plywood. In the center of the building was what must have been an incredibly beautiful, wide, three-story, spiral staircase. Even with no discernible care, it was still impressive.
PRINCIPLE: Even the best plans, process, ideas, relationship, and entities need constant care and attention. In other words, it takes enormous commitment to build and sustain something worthwhile.
Up we went, stepping gingerly over broken marble steps, making our way to the third floor. There the hallway was wide and much cleaner, but totally unadorned. The original beauty of this courthouse had been stripped away by neglect. There were probably a dozen doors exiting this hallway and one plain wooden bench. There was also an alcove, about 12 feet deep, that offered a view of the canal beneath and a panorama of this once beautiful street. I imagined that in bygone days, a duchess might have sat reading by these windows.
PRINCIPLE: It takes effort, energy, passion, creativity, and commitment to stay on polished, relevant, and valuable.
We were still waiting to see the judge when a military police officer, clad in camouflage and carrying an Uzi, ran up the stairs and started yelling and pushing my husband, our interpreter, and me into the alcove. We had been taught by the locals not to trust the military police, so worst-case scenarios started ping-pong-balling through my mind. I had no idea what was happening, but apparently he had told us to be quiet because our interpreter wasn’t interpreting. Nor did she have to as we got the message that we were to be silent and immobile.
PRINCIPLE: The guy with the Uzi gives the orders. I’m not exactly sure how to apply that to high performance and entrepreneurial strategy, but it’s good advice nonetheless.
A few minutes later, two more military police officers, also in camouflage and also carrying Uzis appeared at the top of the stairs. They were obviously on high alert, moving slowly and scanning the surroundings, including us, very carefully. Following them came a man, shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit. On either side of him was another military officer. Behind them came two more Uzi armed officers, walking backwards up the stairwell, intently watching the floors beneath them.
PRINCIPLE: In your worthwhile endeavor, things can go bad quickly, putting you and your plans in jeopardy. Be vigilant to downturns or hard to navigate obstacles, plan ahead to mitigate risks, and align yourself with the right people with the right skills.
We were detained by our Uzi-bearing guardian for about 25 minutes until the same vigilant parade exited one of the courtrooms and passed by us again on their way down the stairs. Once they were out of sight, our interpreter informed us that the man in handcuffs was a member of the Russian Mafia, and there were rumors that his cohorts would try to violently break him out on his way to or from the courthouse.
PRINCIPLE: When you are going through a significant experience, you need people in your corner who have your safety and success in mind. You need someone to help you interpret events that will come at you fast and furiously, in other words, skilled mentors and strategists.
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