When did paying the piper become a better investment than paying attention?
- A recent client discussion about the significance of leadership development, particularly emotional intelligence among the partners, and the frustration that getting the time invested to elevate the firm was elusive.
- A separate event occurred where a client email miscommunication turned into a justification.
- A third observation when a group of titled leaders gathered for an important financial discussion turned into posturing and belittling to obtain advantage.
These three disparate events were all investments and investment opportunities. And in each of them, there was withdrawal. When you withdraw more than you deposit, you pay a fee. And the more you over-withdraw, the higher your price becomes.
Think about where you have felt the need to justify your position, where you were operating from power-over instead of power-with. Those are opportunities that will arrive again, and next time I encourage you to think about the deposit first — grace, empathy, curiosity — before the withdrawal costs more than you can afford.
