English clergyman and poet, George Herbert, is credited with the quote "The best revenge is living well." I use the quote often, and strive to live up to it's message. It's an incredibly comforting idea, and seems to suggest one should free their mind of petty angers and focus on the pursuit of success and happiness.
Are you waiting for a 'but, here's the thing'??? Happy to oblige.....
Sometimes the best revenge is.....revenge. A common etymology is shared by the words 'vindictive' and 'vindicate'. The former has a large degree of negativity associated with it, the latter not as much.
"Vindicate" is given the following meanings: "To provide justification or defense for."....."To maintain a right to" ......an obsolete definition is simply "to set free".
So....one of my primary job requirements is to make suggestions, consult, recommend. I'm paid when clients buy from me, but I'm paid well and consistently only when they are buying the right things from me. So, I suggest accordingly. Every single one of my clients have been told 'NO' on requests where my company is not the right fit.
So....what's my point?
When I suggest correctly, compete on the facts, and benchmark my competition I don't always win. Sometimes I lose to a worthy competitor, who operates at an overall level equal to my own. But on occasion, I lose to a competitor that does not meet the clients needs in the same manner as I could. I do a pretty damn good job of benchmarking, so it's generally not because I didn't point out the areas where my company fit the clients needs better. So, either the client has other criteria that I haven't uncovered (unlikely, but it happens), or they simply don't invest their trust in me (uncommon, but it happens more than I like). Both of these outcomes belong to me. If I missed something or didn't earn the trust of the client, I will hold myself accountable. I didn't do a part of my job.
But....there is a bitter-sweet vindication when, after pointing out seemingly empirical reasons why I am a better fit, a client chooses my competitor and I am systematically and in an almost "bullet-point" procession proven right. I prefer not to focus on "I told you so" as much as "You could have trusted my recommendation." I receive no commission or compensation for being proven right, but it is it's own form of reward.
Are you waiting for a 'but, here's the thing'??? Happy to oblige.....
Sometimes the best revenge is.....revenge. A common etymology is shared by the words 'vindictive' and 'vindicate'. The former has a large degree of negativity associated with it, the latter not as much.
"Vindicate" is given the following meanings: "To provide justification or defense for."....."To maintain a right to" ......an obsolete definition is simply "to set free".
So....one of my primary job requirements is to make suggestions, consult, recommend. I'm paid when clients buy from me, but I'm paid well and consistently only when they are buying the right things from me. So, I suggest accordingly. Every single one of my clients have been told 'NO' on requests where my company is not the right fit.
So....what's my point?
When I suggest correctly, compete on the facts, and benchmark my competition I don't always win. Sometimes I lose to a worthy competitor, who operates at an overall level equal to my own. But on occasion, I lose to a competitor that does not meet the clients needs in the same manner as I could. I do a pretty damn good job of benchmarking, so it's generally not because I didn't point out the areas where my company fit the clients needs better. So, either the client has other criteria that I haven't uncovered (unlikely, but it happens), or they simply don't invest their trust in me (uncommon, but it happens more than I like). Both of these outcomes belong to me. If I missed something or didn't earn the trust of the client, I will hold myself accountable. I didn't do a part of my job.
But....there is a bitter-sweet vindication when, after pointing out seemingly empirical reasons why I am a better fit, a client chooses my competitor and I am systematically and in an almost "bullet-point" procession proven right. I prefer not to focus on "I told you so" as much as "You could have trusted my recommendation." I receive no commission or compensation for being proven right, but it is it's own form of reward.
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