The “top down” approach involves being transparent and honest in handling tasks without hiding anything. The origin of the term comes from pirate crews who would deceive their targets by hiding most of their crew. A crew that openly displayed their numbers and strength was considered in good standing. In business, honesty involves presenting all relevant information without spinning or hiding anything. This trait is admired and can lead to long-term business relationships.
Doing something that is viewed as “top down” means being very transparent in how you handle a certain task or perform a certain action. Against this backdrop, there are no efforts to hide what is being done along the way and no attempt to create a false impression as to the complexity or nature of the activity. With no effort to hide anything or deceive anyone involved, being honest is about displaying a total expression of honesty that everyone is free to examine as closely as they like.
The exact origins of the idiom are somewhat vague, although one particular theory tends to be commonly accepted. In the days of seafaring pirates, a common strategy used to deceive targeted vessels was to hide most of the pirate crew from the opposing ship’s crew. The idea was to give the impression that the pirates had nothing but a skeleton crew, barely enough to sail the ship. This would cause the target to let their collective guard down, making them easier prey for pirates. Once the guard was down, the rest of the pirate crew would come out of hiding, launch the attack, and take control of the target ship.
When the crew of a pirate ship chose not to employ this deceptive strategy and would instead have the entire crew in full view of the targeted vessel, the crew was said to be in good standing. The fact that the crew were hiding nothing and no one and openly displaying their numbers and strength to the opposition meant that no deception was taking place and the target vessel knew exactly what kind of strength she would have to contend with.
Over time, this open and honest disclosure of all relevant information has come to be known as taking the honest approach. The term is often used in business circles and applies to any situation where a company’s representatives don’t make an effort to spin certain factors or present the facts in the best possible light to create a positive impression. When a company is truly honest, all the facts are exposed for consideration by consumers and business partners, questions are answered directly and completely, and there is no attempt to hide anything to do with a deal. Honesty of this kind is often considered an admirable trait and can serve as the basis for a consumer choosing to do business with that company over a number of years.
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