The world is full of business clichés.
“Think outside the box.”
“Move the needle.”
“Low-hanging fruit.”
But the one that misses the mark for me is: “It’s not personal. It’s just business.”
Real life is not that simple.
In 2025, business and personal lives are fully entangled. Boundaries have blurred, and the idea of a clean separation feels outdated. Small businesses, especially, are built as reflections of who we are. When that much of ourselves is invested, every decision feels heavier.
Sometimes, doing the right, fair, and reasonable thing feels like swimming upstream. And when it does, how could that not feel personal?
Customers, suppliers, and vendors are not just names in a CRM. They are people with stress, expectations, values, pressures, families, and emotions. And people, with all their imperfections, bring all of that to work every day.
Reasonableness is Not Weakness
Robert Herjavec once said on Shark Tank, “Don’t mistake kindness for weakness.”
Being reasonable is not the same as being passive. It takes strength to stay calm when things feel unfair. Sometimes it means giving ground. Other times it means holding firm. The challenge is knowing the difference and still choosing to lead with integrity.
Kindness, fairness, and reasonableness are not liabilities. They build trust and shape reputations. People remember how they were treated long after the contract is signed.
Staying the Course
In “How to be a still point in a turning world,” Jordan Furlong writes that when the world stops making sense, people are not looking for outrage. They are looking for guidance.
That applies in business leadership as much as any profession. When things unravel, people follow the steady hand. Calm does not mean ignoring problems. It means responding with integrity and purpose, not reacting out of frustration.
When it Gets Personal
Let’s be honest. Sometimes it hits harder than it should. Advocates are trained to fight for outcomes, but we are still human. When it gets too close, I reset. A walk. Fresh air. A shift in focus. It does not always work quickly, but it helps.
Sometimes letting someone else “win” is the better path. Ego is expensive. Time is limited. The real question is whether you can stay focused on your vision when others stand in your way. I hope the answer is yes.
Final Thoughts
Business is not just margins and metrics. It’s relationships, judgment, morals, and values in action. Being reasonable is not easy. But it is worth it and you should sleep better each night.
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