Beyond Business: Every Decision Impacts Lives
If there’s one thing I’d like more business leaders to take to heart, it’s that every single decision we make impacts lives.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It was just a business decision.” It’s often used to explain tough choices, but this misses the mark. When someone says it’s “just business,” they’re attempting to remove the human element from the equation. But business is about people, and once we try to remove the human aspect from business, we might as well be slave masters.
Yup, I went there!
I have a real problem with the way so many people focus on individual success and prosperity over the collective good of our teams and organizations, both near and far.
Let me share a couple of stories to explain why I feel this way…
It's A Business Decision
A few years ago, I was told two days before a business trip to China, that my weeklong trip had been cut to just two days. I would spend as much time traveling as I would actually be there. I had to cancel a visit with one of our top suppliers and reduce the time with a newer supplier who was crucial for ramping up production on one of our products. I was up for the challenge, but I was not happy with how this decision was made or communicated.
At that time, I was a few years into marriage, working full-time, in grad school part-time at night, and considering a career move out of engineering. I was juggling a lot, and it had taken me weeks to rearrange my personal and professional life to accommodate this weeklong trip. The sudden change really threw me off.
My boss called me into his cubicle as I walked by and said, “Dave, I made a business decision. You’ll only be in China for two days.” Just like that—direct and matter-of-fact.
I was stunned. I had worked for over a year on this product, and this trip was our chance to get the supplier ready to scale production and start making a profit.
I asked him, “How is this a better business decision? I won’t have enough time to get the supplier ready, and I’ll barely be able to visit the other supplier.”
His response? “It’s my business decision, and you’ll do as I tell you.”
What happened next was unexpected. Someone in a nearby cubicle overheard the conversation and said to my boss, “That’s a bunch of crap, and it makes no sense.”
My boss didn’t budge. “It’s my decision,” he repeated.
I was pissed. Not only did I know it wasn’t the right decision, but now it was clear others agreed with me. Yet, I was left with no choice but to go through with it.
So, I went to China, exhausted and frustrated. I managed to get the supplier 90% of the way to where we needed them to be, but it wasn’t enough. Despite my best efforts, the rushed trip limited what I could accomplish.
This situation had long-term consequences. It created a lack of trust between me and my boss. That wasn’t the first time he had made decisions that didn’t align with my values, and it became clear that I needed to move on. During that trip, I started looking for other opportunities. Eventually, I left for a role where my values were in alignment with the work I was doing and the people I was working with.
Anything But Linear
My path in business has been anything but linear. I told a group of young professionals once, “Don’t be fooled by the few linear success stories you see on social media or hear at conferences. Those stories are rare and often difficult to relate to. They’re inspiring, sure, but that inspiration has an expiration date. My journey? It’s been full of relationships, sweat equity, and divine interventions."
During that talk, I shared my own non-linear path and then dropped a heavy image: the entrance to Auschwitz.
The room fell silent. I thought to myself, “Did I go too far?” But I pressed on.
I explained that many of my grandmother’s family members were murdered in Auschwitz, and my grandmother herself survived as a slave there. Her stories showed me the extremes of what humans are capable of—both great harm and great good.
A Better Way to Lead
This brings me back to my main point: There’s enough for everyone. We just need to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to make that a reality. The Nazis couldn’t do it, and sadly, many people today still struggle with this.
Young professionals today have a choice: to help someone or hurt someone, to speak up or stay quiet, to follow a linear path someone else sets for them, or to blaze an adventurous trail. They have the choice to live as their true selves or their false selves.
It may seem like a harsh perspective, but my hope is the opposite of negativity. People who lead with hate don’t understand true joy, love, and peace. And they certainly can’t live it out.
Corporations today are trying to figure out how to cater to the diverse generations in the workforce. From offering free food to “unlimited” vacation to onsite gyms and golden-handcuff benefits, these perks are good—but how well do they align with the values of the organization and the people who work there?
We’re still operating with a 1925 factory-like model in many ways, and it’s outdated. Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” If we’re spending two-thirds of our lives at work, we need to ensure our careers align with our life’s purpose. We need our work to build up our true selves, not our false selves.
Creating a New Perspective
When I shared these thoughts with that group of young professionals, I could see they had never heard anything like this before. They hadn’t met anyone who was more concerned about congruence between life and work than just being wildly successful.
This system we live in produces people who conform, not people who live with agency. So, I shared some exercises to help them reflect on their life’s purpose and create a more intentional career path. Like this one (Next Job Characteristics List).
Final Thought
At the end of the day, life is a series of experiments. There is never full certainty, but we can forge ahead with purpose. My hope is that this article inspires you to view your career and life from a new perspective—one where decisions are taken seriously, not just as “business,” but as a reflection of the values you hold dear.
Because you, my friend, are a Force of Awesome!
Let’s go!
I am an executive/leadership coach and consultant serving high-achieving, growth-focused business owners, leaders, and their teams producing over $1M in revenue that are working on getting to their next level of performance. You might sense that what got you here might not get you to the next achievement. Want to connect? Contact me here!
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