I like today.

Good things happened today.  I am too excited to put a lot of thought into how I express what was good, so I will just blurt it all out as it comes.

I've been frustrated about the disingenous way the principal of a firm I've been working with has been communicating and dealing with me in terms of the actions he has taken to stall out our "deal.".  I've been approaching the sales process with him with a very "win/win" attitude, like I typically do, and have been thwarted by his unmet promises and "win/lose" tactics.  It's been very frustrating.  It bothers me to take someone at their word and move forward with what I believe is their best interest and our own at heart, only to find they have been holding out on me and manipulating the situation.  He has cost me a significant amount of money by stalling this deal past the end of year deadline we agreed upon,  and almost more importantly to me,  he cost me a slight loss of face with people whose opinions matter to me, when he didn't do what he said he would.  Based on his answers to my questions about whether I had met their needs and they were ready to move forward, I led my boss and the owner of my company to believe we had a deal they could count on.  Luckily the people I work with understand my integrity and follow through, and they trust that I met my end of the bargain and asked all the right questions.  Still, it bothers me to be so disrespected in a business transaction when I've shown such good faith and gone beyond the normal effort to get them what they need to feel comfortable moving forward with us.

So what is so good about all of this?!  Well, I had the opportunity today to say "NO".  "NO" we do not feel comfortable moving forward with a firm whose leadership does not trust us.  "No" I do not want to compromise our integrity by giving into unfair demands that we change our license agreement to meet their lack of faith in us.  "NO." 

But I softened it by saying also that I'm sorry I've let them down.  Surely I wasn't doing my job if they feel they can't move forward in a deal because they don't trust us.  I've dropped the ball somehow if they don't have a much confidence as I do that we can meet their needs and will treat them fairly.  I wish I could have better earned their confidence, I told him. 

Well, I tried to tell him anyway.  He stopped me in mid apology to say, (and I parphrase) "No, no - please don't take this personally - I don't doubt your integrity, or the good faith your CEO has shown.  We simply have had too many bad experiences with businesses who don't do business this way, and have adopted overzealous practices in analyzing deals.  I would like to take time with my staff to see if we can move forward with what you offer and will call you tomorrow.  Please don't take our methods personally.  You have shown good faith.

I expect to have this deal tomorrow, but even if I don't, I feel we have won. 

It was indeed a good day.