If in doubt, find someone to talk it through with.

We’ve got a big decision to make this week, one that changes the feel of the business permanently.  One that forces emotional responses to be valued financially.  How do you do that? How do you value history, your families identity?

I’ve been pondering this for about a month now as there is a need to have some challenging conversations with our development partner Bloor Homes.  The problem is that I don’t know how to value an emotional tie to certain bits of land.  I don’t know how to value our families identity, consequently I’m going to struggle to negotiate as I don’t have a starting position.  What do I do?

Well, I’ve talked about it a few times with my family and started to determine the questions I want answers to, then while in the shower I tried to work out who of my friends could help, who had been though similar challenges and could help me with reconciling my emotional desires and enable me to turn that into a negotiating position?

I needed someone who had sold some land, or something, that meant something to them, I needed to talk to someone who could understand the emotions and help me determine where my redlines were and their importance.  Amazingly on my recent kitesurfing trip I had met a family who had been on that journey and could simply pick up the phone and talk it though.  A 20 minute phone call has given me so much clarity and I’m so grateful!

So, today’s lesson to me is, as usual about spending time to define the problem.  Thinking about the right people to involve in the conversation, asking good questions and listening to those you trust.