Maple Leaf Fans are still licking their wounds from the most recent playoff series against the Boston Bruins. A major turning point was when Nazem Kadri cross checked Jake DeBrusk in Game 2 and received a suspension for the rest of the series. The two men were playing extremely physically all game and Kadri even received a punch to the face. Especially in the playoffs, emotions are running high and it is very easy to get caught up in the moment. However, Kadri made the decision that taking down Debrusk was a higher priority than winning the playoff series. Could the result have been completely different had Kadri kept a cool head? We will never know.

Entrepreneurs are extremely passionate about their business and one of the key traits that make them successful in starting a business is their competitiveness. They work 16 hours a day and are constantly thinking about their business. They leave no stone unturned and consider every opportunity to earn revenue. They make decisions quickly and decisively, pivoting on a dime to address changes in the market.

It is this exact trait that can become their Achilles heel if not kept in check.  Whether you are an employee, vendor or investor, they will often shower you with love and praise when you are doing great for the company. However, that love and praise can very quickly turn into hate and anger if a business owner feels they have been “screwed”. I recall working with a CEO, who found out a vendor had not only overcharged for months of services, but also did not deliver what the CEO expected. When the vendor refused to discount the bill the CEO terminated the payments with no notice and spent the next couple days phoning everyone in the industry urging them never to work with this vendor. This resulted in a lawsuit to address the unpaid portion of the work and defamation.

I recall another similar situation with an employee, where the CEO suspected this individual of working with the competition. Without any evidence, the CEO terminated the employee for cause, withheld close to a month of pay and threatened to sue for time theft. Both of these situations resulted in drawn out legal battles stretching between 6-12 months and were a major distraction to the entire company. The lawsuit become the top priority for the CEO as the core business began to suffer. Legal fees starting piling up, and it is all the staff talked about at work.

In both of these situations, the CEO was seeking a Win-Lose situation. The CEO was not satisfied unless the other party suffered immensely, which was Kadri’s mentality during that pivotal Game 2. As a CFO, I do my best to advise business owners to look at the big picture. A Win-Win compromise while maybe not as emotionally satisfying at the moment is always the best way forward. A good deal between two parties is one where both parties feel they left a little bit on the table.

So the best advice I can offer business owners is to channel their competitiveness and energy towards winning the Stanley Cup. The best way to get back at any rival is to be successful and take your business to new heights.