Winning

Jetsumma Tenzin Palmo asks: “Why do we always have to win?” She challenges her audience to “give the victory to others.” I am hesitant to impulsively change my own imperfect life direction based on inspiring words from this Tibetan Buddhist nun because her path included living twelve years in a remote Himalayan cave. But I acknowledge my obsession with winning. Or maybe I am just addicted to the negotiation process. I have lost so many battles in grand style over the years, many with my wife and grandchildren who regularly outwit me. But more troubling are some of the wins. During one severe downturn, my boss gave each staff member a target lay off number. Everyone hit the target except I successfully negotiated with the group an exception to lower my target by one. I was promoted and my replacement cut five more from my old organization. I once had $800,000 in settlement authority, offered $600,000, and drove the rejection to arbitration where the company won and paid nothing to the employees involved. The organizers of the First Communion I blogged about on Tuesday proposed limiting each family unit to five people in light of the pandemic. I negotiated for six. All the other families attended in groups of three to five. Considering my age, I am thinking of negotiating for only six years in the Himalayan cave on my road to enlightenment.