One comment


  • Josh,

    Great series of posts. One metric that businesses often overlook is the “Fonzie” factor. If you have been in a fight before, people are much less likely to do anything to provoke a fight in the future. In nearly any fight, legal or otherwise, you are more than likely going to come out a “loser”, even if you win. But if you can fight one time to avoid the next fifty, the right fight, at the right time, can be a long term price performer.

    There are so many Ritchie Cunninghams out there to pick on, why pick on a Fonzie. If you ever do get into a fight, you have a lot more leverage toward settlement. If you explain why a short term loss on this case is a long term gain prophylactic gain, it is much easier to reach a settlement.

    Take the situation with the kid in your house. You handled it the right way. Beating that kid or suing him is likely not going to stop him from doing it again. He apparently would have chosen another option anyway, had he the choice. Taking action would have little deterrent effect. Now had the individual been a thief, a scene out of Kill Bill would probably put the word on the street that a threat to your life in your own home is not a price performer for the average baddie.

    The same rules apply in business, but to an even greater degree. Information travels faster and more accurately online. You do not want to go looking for a fight, or taunt a hacker, but after viewing the carnage of the last guy to hack your system, your profit maximizing hacker might just decide a looksie next door beats a fight with the Fonz.

    Brett

    February 08, 2008

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