Last week we dog sat for our younger son’s two Golden Retrievers. Quite an experience with monsoon type rains for a few days that left four dogs in the house for most of every day.
These dogs are good friends. If we go on a hike or to the dog park they run around and play together. But in our house? Our Labrador got a bad case of “jealousy.” Any attention or affection to our guests caused him to come over and nudge us for similar affection.
Dogs are just like people in this way, aren’t they? Kids want what other kids have. Employees want what (they think) other employees have. Television shows like the Office are so popular because so many people can relate to the credit-taking, back-biting, and overall human frailties that come to the forefront when people work together.
All you have to do is pick up Inc. Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, or any other business publication in order to see how big an issue this is. Article after article on how people can better work together.
In my world of buy-sell deals I see this manifest itself in three main areas:
- Both sides feel the other side is getting more (than they are).
- Buyer and seller believe the other party is “nibbling,” always asking for a little more after a deal is struck (possibly a result of reason one).
- Wondering why there’s always a need for more information (from the buyer, the bank, the attorneys, etc.). Tip to sellers, buyers will ask the same question more than once not because they’re stupid but to see if they get the same answer every time.
Human nature, which is why many of us have businesses and jobs based on helping others overcome the “people issues” in their life and business.
“You fail all the time. But you aren’t a failure until you start blaming someone else.” Bum Phillips
