By Archie Messenger

Well, it was an interesting day yesterday. Lots to do and little time to get it all done. When the day starts at 6 AM and ends with a final conference call at 11:30 PM it turns into a pretty long day. The things that make it all worthwhile are finishing the deals you are working on and seeing a period at the end of the sentence. I hope that we see that soon. I could use a breather! Fundamentally business is good, but at times it's hard to have to anticipate everything you can so you can be prepared for anything that could possibly go wrong. Making the customers happy is what you work for, but making your boss and coworkers happy also has to play a role. Sometimes you get caught up in the minutia and fail to see the bigger picture.

I have had days where I have been so in the weeds that I cannot see the trees let alone the forest. That is the time to stop, take a deep breath, and put things in perspective. How will what I am doing now affect the outcome of the problem or issues I have on my plate? Is it important to more than just me? Will it bring an outcome that will be positive or negative?  Lastly, will it make a change for the positive in someone else's life or spirit? If it does not lift people up and solve a problem, then maybe it is the wrong approach. What would I want done it I were at the other end of the decision?

Sometimes the good of the whole outweighs the good of the one. Forgive my sounding a little "Star Trek" but it is true.  If after weighing all the options and the course of action is to affect many poorly or one poorly then -although it's tough- you must be strong enough to make that choice. If you cannot, then being a leader is not your calling.