Читать книгу How to Ask for What You Want and Get It! - Lucille Orr - Страница 17

In my own case I remember back in the seventies it was difficult to find a partner in my private life because I was constantly travelling between my homes and businesses in three states. When I sold my computer businesses in 1979 and joined the Gloria Marshall figure salons as their State Manager in New South Wales my American boss, Amanda, said to me one day. “Have you ever thought about why you achieve your business goals Lucille, but never have any luck finding the right man to share your private life?”

“Because I can’t afford to mix business and pleasure,” I replied instantly. “Even though I meet interesting and challenging businessmen I can’t date them. There are men who are attracted to me because they think I’m wealthy owning several businesses but they are definitely the wrong types to get involved with. I guess I’m too scared to get serious with anyone,” I sighed.

Her solution was simple. “Plan your private life the same way you plan your business,” she said, “write goals for your private happiness and list the attributes you want to find in the man who will father your child,” she told me, as I’d shared with her my longing to become a mother following a bad car accident I’d experienced in 1976. I went home that evening and wrote out a list describing the perfect man for me and soon decided it would be impossible to find all I wanted in one man. The man I documented was a robot and couldn’t possibly be real!

The one good thing this exercise did for me was to make me stop looking for a man and get on with my career. I decided I’d never marry, but have a child one day when I was ready. My mother was disgusted when I told her my plan but she didn’t try to influence me to change my mind. Luckily for me the man I chose to father my baby had many of the attributes I’d listed and I did marry.

In business, as in our private lives, we’re dealing with relationships. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a business partner or bank manager we must find people who are compatible to work with.

If you’re uncomfortable when talking to your accountant or solicitor don’t use them. Find someone you can communicate with who makes good sense when they speak.

I can remember back in the seventies having a terrible time trying to understand my solicitor and accountant. To help me decipher what they were trying to explain to me, I’d openly record the meetings in their offices and replay them several times to myself until I understood their advice, before I’d give them my answer. At that time I was employing over 100 women on my national payroll and some big decisions had to be made at times and I didn’t want to make mistakes. Don’t be intimidated by professional people, especially if you’re paying for their services, ask like I did if you can record the meeting. No one ever said ‘no’ to my request.