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Different perspectives on costs and benefits
True enough, rational decision making is very much a matter of costs and benefits. However, we sometimes forget that the way we see costs and benefits is not necessarily the same as how someone else does… but there is a way to overcome that.
A few years ago, my (fictitious) colleague Tim was involved in a long-term project for which he had to travel to the town where he grew up, more than six hours’ drive away. Every few months, he had to spend time at the client’s for a few days, sometimes for an entire week. Because the working days on site were very long, Tim had little opportunity to do anything else in the evenings than to get back to his hotel, have a quick meal and get to bed. One spring day, however, production at the client site is halted mid-afternoon to allow the installation overnight of new equipment, and that gives him a chance to look up his old friend, Patrick. Tim and Patrick had been to university together and remained good friends ever since, but because of the distance they usually only rarely meet in person. So, on that balmy May evening they catch up over dinner in a restaurant they used to frequent when they were in their early twenties. They have a good time, and when, at some point…
