by Greg Hague
If you do enough business, you will have disputes . . . honest disagreements over an invoice, a promise, or quality of work. Disputes also arise in friendship and marriage.
With disputes you have three choices:
1) Fight
2) Ignore
3) Settle
As a lawyer, I’m inclined to say fight, but that would be lousy advice. Fighters are losers. It’s financially, emotionally and reputationally stressful, and potentially ruinous.
Fighting is more about ego than good common sense.
Of course, you could ignore your disputes. But disputes are problems, and problems grow over time.
Ignorance can be costly.
If you’re smart, you’ll settle. Whether in business, friendship or marriage, it’s the smart move.
But to settle, you must reset your frame of mind from what you honestly believe you deserve to what you can live with.
Settlement involves disappointment. You must be willing to accept disappointment . . . to walk away with less than you think you deserve.
Today’s Takeaway:
Settlement isn’t fairness, it’s a dose of disappointment and good common sense.
Greg: I have really enjoyed reading your posts. Want to order your book and then have the book printed for my boys with our family picture on the cover. Thanks for doing this.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the kind words. We won’t be set up again to do a press run of custom covers until pre-Christmas (November), but I’ll be glad to comp you a custom book then. I’ll also be glad to send you a regular copy of my book now if you email me your best mailing address (ghague@gmail.com).
Greg