Usually, I would have ideas while doing something. This one came when I was reading a book called Choose Yourself, by James Altucher .
Okay, I’m not good with books at all. If I start, suddenly I’m asleep, or an idea runs by, and I go do something else. There was actually one book I was into and enjoying. I
t’s called Never Split the Difference, from Chris Voss. I guess I enjoy very much when it’s a storytelling. This one talks about the author and his experience in negotiating with criminals and rescuing hostages. Pretty cool.
In the Choose Yourself book, I like this saying: “The learned man aims for more. But the wise man decreases. And then decreases again.”. You can reflect on it and consider where you are in your life right now.
But while I was reading it, I was having other thoughts. More into investments, and all. Then it came to me this:
Imagine you are in an organization, and you have your team. Whether you are the manager or not, it doesn’t matter.
The question is:
“If your team were a public or a startup company, would you invest in it?”
When money is at stake, lots of things can change. In Brazil, we usually say, “Amigos amigos, negócios à parte”. Translating it to English, it sounds more like, yes, we are friends, but business is something else.
I never believed that you could separate things. If it doesn’t work on one side, it will not work on the other. How can you have a shitty relationship with your peer and yet deliver? Perhaps we’ve had to deal with this a couple of times in our lives (and still will for some), but the point is that everything has a limit. And I think if you are doing it, you are in survival mode.
Shitty relationships are not different. They will have a limit too. And I am a stronger believer that this is in the top list when people start looking for other opportunities. Especially the new generation.
Going back to the money conversation, would you invest or not? If yes, would your relationship with your team change?
You might be thinking: Come on, these are 2 different things!
Yes, it could be. But one thing for sure would change: Your relationship. That pressure of risking losing money is crazy for some.
The reflection we can make here is to establish a trust factor by imagining this scenario. Whether it is your boss or your peers again.
For those who said no, here’s a thing: one thing we often do not realize is that, instead of money, we invest something that is even more important:
Our time. Time is something you can’t buy back.
And if you have this in mind, we are all good. We need to be at peace with ourselves. Everyone is battling for something they believe in, and we never know that person’s struggle in the past or at present. Some people don’t disclose, but it’s important we try to find out. At least for me, I value that.
This is it. Just a simple reflection. Thoughts?