Mate, I Don't Like You
“Larry, have you ever thought of working with your best mate?” said Earl.?“I mean, doesn’t it make sense to work with someone you really like?
Earl’s brow furrowed.?His shoulders dropped.?This sounded ominous.
“What are you getting at Larry??Two questions in a row put me on the defensive.”
“Well, you know what I mean,” said Earl.?“It’s like when we were at high school—after a little while you find your best friends and you stick together.?You don’t even have to think about it.?You become a gang and everyone in that gang sticks up for each other.?You hunt as a pack—not just at school, after school, on the weekend, at sport.?We found girlfriends together.?We were so strong as a team.?We were the duck’s nuts!”
“Yes, I remember Earl, said Larry, “you guys were a real pain in the neck.”
“I don’t know if that’s right Larry,” said Earl.?“Just because you were a year ahead of us and more of the academic type.?I think that you might have had a more conservative outlook—you guys were a bit too goody-two-shoes”.
“OK, fair bump, I guess we did keep our heads down.?But we all went on to get good results.?And it put us in good stead for uni and getting into our first jobs.”?
“Uni?! ?I reckon you guys went even more buttoned-down.?We were having untold fun like uni students should do; while you spent all your time in the library and having high tea chats.”
“So, small town, we end up working in the same company,” said Larry.?We get on alright for a few years and then you come to me with a business proposal.?Before we know it, we’re partners.?And here we are today—10 years later.?I must have had something going for me,” said Larry.
“It’s not because of who you were, Larry.?In was in spite of who you were.?And besides, I could see that you always needed someone like me.?Someone with a bit of get-up-and-go.”
“Well, that’s a conversation for another time Earl.?But what are you saying now??‘…needed?’?And was surprised to hear himself say: “…are you thinking of pulling out?”
Earl shifted in his seat.?His turn for the furrowed brow.
“The thing is Larry, and I have been thinking about this a lot recently. ?“Mate, I don’t like you.?There it is.”
“Wo! Thanks for coming.?Talk about out-of-the-blue.?What are you even on about?” enquired Larry.
“Well, it shouldn’t be any surprise.?We’re such different people.”
“And?”
“Well, I don’t know if I’ve ever liked you, to tell you truth,” said Earl.
Larry sighed.?He gazed steadily at Earl.?
Earl looked out of the window.?Again he shifted in his seat.
“Sorry, but that’s the truth,” said Earl.
“Well.?As usual, you’re over the top, said Larry, “but, so what?”
“’So what?’?What do you mean, ‘so what’?”
“Earl, we are in a partnership.?This is a bit more grown-up than you seem to think—I was never joining your high school gang.?We both saw an opportunity; we both had different things to contribute.?You’ve been the ideas man and I’ve made those ideas work.?And the past 10 years of great business proves that we made the right call.?Simple formula.”
“Yes, but…”
“But nothing.?We have worked as a team and we’ve taken others along with us.
“What makes this work—what makes anything work—is that we have stuck to the dual purpose of our business:?we make good money; we look after the people—our customers and our staff. And we’re a team.?All that’s way above whether you like me or I like you,” said Larry.
“Maybe it helps.”
“OK, it helps,” said Larry.?“But it’s not the main thing.?And in any case, it will change from time to time, even day-to-day.?
“I have to tell you that you give me a pain in the neck at regular intervals.?But it’s not enough for me to abandon the whole shooting match.”
“Hmm. Maybe I’ve overstepped the mark,” said Earl.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” said Larry.
?Next week:?Passive Acceptance
?About the Author
Jeff Bell?is Principal of executive consultancy ResultsWise in Perth, WA.?
To boost your leadership, ask Jeff about consulting, coaching, strategy facilitation, his Band of Leaders Australia (BoLA) group or Advanced Leadership Course: [email protected]; mobile 0439 988 662.