Your business and theirs
Your business and theirs
Your business is anything within your circle of control. The other person’s business is everything within their control. There are some businesses that neither of you have control over. The earlier you don’t hinge your fulfillment on those, the easier life becomes better for you.
When someone brings an opportunity your way, their business is to explain the opportunity to you in ways that help you measure the cost and value. Your business is to ask questions, clarity where necessary, and decide if this works for you. “I appreciate you bringing this to me, but I will pass” is a reasonable response to some opportunities.
When attempting to get someone else to make a decision, your business is to give them your undivided attention. To make things simple enough. To not complicate things. Those are the things you can do. It’s outside your business what they decide.1
You can be persuasive. You can align the incentives in ways that make it easier for the other to accept your proposition. But don’t lie to yourself that their decision is within the scope of your business.
Knowing the limits of our businesses is the beginning of wisdom.2
Mind your business is a phrase that comes alive here.
the framework that inspired this was one of those we developed at Joy, Inc.