Grievance, Possibility & Business

We might be settling scores or we might be opening doors. It’s up to us.

A fruit vendor who has been in business, for now, two years had an issue with His landlord, The landlord wanted him out or pay a higher rent for the premise, a 40% increase in rent, that's a substantial increase, right? the reason being the business had picked up and was doing well, the landlord citing a higher valuation of the premises, fast forward the landlord ended up setting up a fruit vending business on site.

Grievance and possibility have confusing roots.

Grievance isn’t about grieving. In fact, it’s the opposite. Grievance is the narrative of getting even.

Possibility doesn’t itemize everything that’s possible. Instead, it focuses on the side effects that come from acting as though things are possible.

Grievance looks back and possibility looks forward

If a business and relationships is focused on grievance care a lot about their share. About the competition. About maintaining ‘enough’.

Busineses that are focused on possibility care a lot about how big the pie is. About innovation. And about what’s next.

We can build a relationship or a career on grievance or on possibility.

Possibility begets more possibility. Opportunities multiply.

And, alas, grievance leads to more grievance. Because it’s the fuel that keeps the narrative going.

Businesses that are usefully focused on possibility don’t deny that there are reasons for grievance, that there have been actions and omissions that must be addressed. In fact, they adopt a posture of forward motion as the best way to address the problems that came before.

One challenge is embracing the effective and generative approach of possibility when we’re sure that we’re entitled to a grievance. Easy to say, hard to execute.

Toward better.

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