Wants versus needs

Whenever I think about upgrading my TV, an unexpected expense seems to pop up. The dryer stops working, the dog gets sick again (and again and again) or some annoying car repair has to be made.

You know the drill. That’s when what we “want,” and what we “need” becomes very evident. It works the same way in the business world with decisions you make for your company and the requests you receive from customers and employees.

When you evaluate your budgets and realize some of your trucks need to be replaced, that’s obviously not the time to buy a shiny new toy that caught your eye.

But what about customers? How many times have they wanted one thing, while you know they need something different. That’s a fine line to walk, and it could ultimately result in them deciding if they want to continue to be your customer, or you deciding if you want to keep them.

With employees, it can come into play with a promotion. You can have a hard-working, loyal employee who really wants to be promoted soon. While you respect that they want to be promoted, it’s apparent to you and your leadership team that this employee needs another year before they are ready for the next step on the career ladder.

That situation can turn sour fast. Either they are insulted that you didn’t promote them and they leave, or maybe worse, you promote them too soon, and it’s a disaster and now you both are put in a difficult situation.

An upfront talk with the employee acknowledging the goal of a promotion but also explaining it’s in their best interest to wait a year and reassess could help avoid a potentially awkward relationship.

Explaining what they want isn’t what they need right now will help them view a situation with a different perspective. That shift in perspective will lead to a positive outlook on the need and not a negative one because they didn’t get what they wanted.

— Brian Horn