In business is there such a thing as Arley Barley?

Perhaps a term more known within Birmingham (rumour has it) Arley Barley, was as a kid achieved by crossing your fingers and saying out loud “I have Arley Barley” this effectively meant that you were immune to anything.

For instance, if playing tig/tag and you were caught, so long as you had ‘Arley Barley’ you were still in the game, if playing hide and seek and you were seen, so long as you had ‘Arley Barley’ somehow they could not see you…..really amazing stuff the old crossing of the fingers and the use of the ‘Arley Barley’ phrase.

Children in different areas of the region would do the same thing but using different phrases such as saying 'Barley', 'Abs'.

Regardless of what phrase was used, it’s amazing to think that the action of crossing the fingers was just accepted, no questions asked…! The fact that you’re out, you’ve failed in the game was irrelevant…!

Now as a child you would become very flippant when playing games as you knew you could always use the crossing of the fingers trick and still be in the game - it was a way out of being a Larry and being forced in watching everyone from the sidelines.

Every child grows up, whether they like it or not and many will have a hankering to be their own boss and start their own company. For these people, could their overuse in childhood of ‘Arley Barley’ give them a false sense of security in business?

We ask because many local businesses it would seem thought and still think, even in these awkward trading times that they are immune to failure. Instead, relying on the supposed invisible immunity that Arley Barley offered in childhood, to the detriment that every other business suffers.

Let’s not confuse things here as the crossing of the fingers can also mean ‘luck’ as depicted in the National Lottery’s logo, it can also mean ‘hope’ as used in a medical situation “all we can do is cross our fingers and hope." However, what we’re talking about here is something completely different…or is it?

As a business have you! Or do you cross your fingers for luck, hope or for immunity?

Does the action of crossing your fingers act as a comforter, again thinking back to childhood when you’d cry because you weren’t holding your favourite cuddly toy or blanket?

It’s hard to fathom out why the crossing of the fingers would work, yet many do it, in fact putting more reliance on that action alone than actually working on their business as opposed to working in their business.

There are those out there who will say of course it works because it's related to positive thoughts and positive thoughts bring positive results. Well, that may be the case and if it’s that which floats your boat and works for you then great. But here's something shocking, that many will forget, which is “you still have to work at it, and not rest on your laurels”.

If, as a child, you felt like you were always saying “can’t get me because I’ve got Arley Barley” then the assumption could be that you weren’t working on playing the game, you were just taking part or making up the numbers.