I know my memories of him will always be happy ones. I honestly cannot remember any time with my grandparents that were awkward or difficult. When I talked with my dad yesterday, he said it best – they were very accepting of everyone in the family, all their friends, everyone really. Grandma and Grandpa were married for 64 years and loved each other dearly. And my beautiful wife of 17 years and I want to be just like them when we’re in our eighties.
It’s weird when you reflect on things, and how sometimes through the tears and memories, something becomes crystal clear. As much as we wanted Grandpa to live forever, it was his time. We all pass on at some point, some earlier than others, and it’s a decision that is made for us. Sometimes in business it’s the same way. We hang on to service offerings, underperforming employees, bad branding, and so on well past when we should. Why?
It’s okay to “remember the good times,” to reminisce about that huge client we landed, or about our star performers. There comes a time, though, when we have to step back with fresh eyes and brush off the emotions on our sleeves. We have to recognize that the direction we’ve taken or the employee we are paying is not working out anymore. We have to let them go, let them “pass on.”
This may sound harsh, but I don’t mean it that way. Early on in our business, we hired a high-level VP, who happened to be a friend of mine I’d known for awhile and who I’d also worked with previously. Less than six months in, we knew this was not the job for him, but we languished and fretted and spent an inordinate amount of time with him (and behind the scenes) trying to make it work. We should have let him go, and he would have been able to move on to a role that he would have been more successful in.
We also held on to our consulting practice for much too long, and it impacted our working capital for the recruiting division, with which we had loads. By the time we sold it, we’d spent way too many dollars and salaries in a business that was too competitive at the time, especially with the economy worsening with each passing day. But live and learn, right?
My grandpa always had great advice. He owned several companies, had been broke twice in his life and had also come back strong. He said you have to always be true to your word, and a handshake is your bond. He was honorable and wise, and I’m so glad I was able to have him in my life for so long. He would have wanted me to follow this and learn from my mistakes, and I will always have that advice as one of many happy memories to take with me.
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