On the Sources of Problems in Business

Not long ago I had to defend my company’s reputation in a situation where the other side decided to exploit the fact that part of our agreements existed only as spoken words. The bet was that we’d have no “iron-clad” proof to back up our side of the story.

That pushed me to sit with the experience and draw a conclusion: most problems in business come down to three main causes.

— The belief that everything will be fine. We don’t analyze risks deeply or honestly enough, and we’re too lazy to spend time on what looks like extra effort — hedging against threats we judge unlikely to materialize. The Russian avos’ — that breezy “it’ll probably work out” — does come through, of course. Just not always.

— Failure to put agreements on the record. Verbal promises, undocumented decisions, a faint trail of our own good faith — all of it creates fertile ground for manipulation, baseless claims, or walking back on commitments.

— The wish to look like “good people.” We dodge direct conversations and sharp corners, afraid of spoiling the relationship or sparking conflict. Although in reality it’s just a business process — and it’s more often the absence of a clear position that works against us.

For generations we were taught not to stand out, not to speak up, not to push to the front, so as not to draw extra attention to ourselves. That pattern still lives, in part, in the way we think. But in business it turns into losses.

The pragmatic approach is to defend your rights a little at a time, but every day. Small actions in the moment are more effective — and safer — than a heroic rescue once the problem has reached its breaking point.

No one but us is going to protect our rights!

Try a simple experiment. At your next business meeting, lock in the agreements you reached with signatures from both sides in a written record. Let it be even a couple of paragraphs written by hand. If you’re in conflict with the other person and they refuse, demand — in front of witnesses — their signature under the words: “Refused to sign.” Couldn’t draw up the record on the spot? No matter how “warm” the relationship is, write it up yourself later that same day and email it, asking them to confirm or make corrections if needed.

Repeat this regularly, until it becomes a habit. You may feel a fear that such moves will offend the other person. In practice it’s the opposite: people start to respect you as a professional who takes their work seriously.

Respect from others begins with inner respect for yourself — for your time, your word, your commitments. And respect for yourself is impossible without discipline and courage.

To demand that others honor their agreements is neither cruelty nor aggression — it’s a signal that you value both yourself and the people you work with.

I’ve never met anyone who always and deliberately breaks their commitments. But I often see people who fail to keep them toward those who themselves gave the reason and the opening to do so — who created the sense that there’d be no consequences. Or, more simply, who showed weakness.

Here’s to never being shy about defending our interests, respecting ourselves and our work! 😎