Leaving Money on the Table

I would like to paint a profile of somebody I know.  He is a young urban professional, and have made tremendous strides in going up the corporate ladder.  Compared to other people his age, he has a better income, and a nicer car.  You may not know him but his way of doing business may be something that will strike a familiar chord, and you may be able to relate him to somebody you know.

He is a strict believer in optimizing his advantage, and never leaving money on the table.  He is a person who thinks you are a loser if you could charge the customer 100 dollars, but you allow him to pay you only 95.   He delights in his ability where other sales people got the deal after giving discounts, but he walked away selling at full price.  On the other hand, he is one who is aggressive to take advantage of every sales promo, and have no qualms of asking for any additional upgrade everytime he checks into a plane or hotel, or any discount in every purchase. 

He is a person who tries not only to win in every deal he makes, but optimizing the win, and does not care if the other party feels aggrieved.  If he does you a favor, he takes pains to make sure you know about it, and you can almost be sure he will be there to collect it back sometime.  You are always apprehensive because you know that if he holds the aces and can squeeze you, he will.  He delights in having his pound of flesh, as if it was his trophy.

Luckily, we don't do business with him anymore after his last job change. He has changed numerous jobs the last few years because he is always on the lookout for opportunities that can pay him a little bit more.

He delights when people attribute to his material success, but I am not sure if deep down he is really happy, and I am not sure whether he really has a lot of true friends.  I have no doubt that he will be successful as a businessman, but will he be successful as a person, or a friend, or a family man?

I have always believed that we work hard so that we can afford to be a little bit more generous and a little bit more hospitable.  I have always thought that business success is managing your business so that you can afford to be generous to your partners and customers, and make yourself and themselves winners.

Maybe in the future, he will be richer than me ( or maybe not!) .  But fortunately, I have other criteria on which I want to base the evaluation of my life -- and while he is working to be richer, I will be there working to learn more, to make more friends, to smell more flowers, and to live life more happily.

Leave Money on the Table.  Create win-wins!   If you do, people will like to do business and make friends with you, and you may not be able to optimize each opportunity, but there will be many many more to choose from!