A few weeks ago, I was backing into a parking spot when two youths in a van sneaked up behind me trying to claim my spot. I was livid! Regardless of the consequences, I was going to do anything I could to deny them THIS spot. So I backed my car in a position that lead to a stalemate: they were 80% parked but could go not further without hitting my car.
We stayed like that for longer than I care to admit and during the entire time, I kept trying to get myself to move on to any of the other parking spots that became available. But, regardless of the arguments made by the logical side of my brain, I was determined to "win" so I did not yield.
In the end, I was vindicated when the cops came and ordered the youths to leave the parking spot. But as I was happily parking my car, reality hit me like a ton of bricks: this was a Pyrrhic Victory. A parking spot was not adequate compensation for the time I wasted and the errands that were left undone.
I'm sure we've all been in similar situations, but what would happen if you developed a similar blind spot in business - you know when real money is on the table? Don't think you would be so illogical? Well, take a moment to watch these three people try to divide almost £37,000 and tell me what you would do differently.
