By Christopher Aesoph, MA
Tolerate is an interesting word. It’s not the first word that comes to mind when considering success. But it is a very important word nonetheless.
What causes many business ventures to falter is not failure, but too much success. Sure, failure happens too, but what seems to take people by surprise is unanticipated success. I’ve seen this firsthand in business partnerships. Two people get together and offer their product or service, but before they have clarified all the particulars within their working agreement, sales mount. Now there is money on the table and the methods for sharing it have not been detailed. This is often the bitter end to what might have been a good experience.
The same thing happens in larger companies. As a company comes into its own, the momentum of the growth and activity is very attractive to many different kinds of people. This period is a tricky time for companies. Opportunities come from all corners, and who wants to bypass new opportunities? The organization begins to lose its reputation because it cannot tolerate all the good things that are happening. You might say it cannot tolerate its own success.
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