Dog Days of August and Cleaning Our Desks

Most of us make a point to get at least some time away from work before Labor Day signals the start of the new deal season. Whether it’s two weeks or two days, the change of pace offers a chance to reflect while we recharge. In our ACG world of best and final offers, re-trading, scrapping over terms, and closing adjustments, the simple pleasures we know and love remind us that there’s a lot more to life. The realization triggers range from family traditions to memories and new experiences. Because we’re realists making our way in hypercompetitive fields, we accept daily stress and near-constant new twists as “just the way it is” in this game. No whining allowed. Just win or move on. Savor each win and get used to the moving on part. A private equity professional in Sweden called me recently as he was cleaning his desk before going on summer vacation. I hadn’t talked with him since a difficult call months earlier about a client not extending an exclusivity period. Martin and I had developed a solid working relationship. The conversation reminded me how easy it can be to forget the other party when the playing field shifts and more immediate concerns consume our attention. It took his desk-cleaning call for me to appreciate how jilted his group felt when a strategic buyer swooped in. That conversation spurred me to take a closer look at my behavior as the measure of this year. Reflecting on completed deals as well as ongoing projects, I realized that life could be better for those around me if I did a little fine-tuning of my attitude. We all work extremely hard, and the outlook is more of the same for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, we have so many friends in this wonderful ACG organization to help us in so many ways. The pressure in our lives can easily lead to unknowingly developing an edge that might cut against us. A little reflection during these Dog Days of August could spur us to be more supportive of those who depend on us and be more productive in everything we do. We’re all very fortunate to have choices for how we lead our professional and personal lives. So many people we know don’t. As a group, ACG members have a direct impact on the lives of at least a million people. Our ACG is 10,000 strong in more than 50 North American and European cities. We’re extending our reach globally and strengthening our roots locally. Enjoy the rest of the summer. It will be gone before we know it and we’ll never get it back. Our desks will still be there…however we’ve left them. T. Patrick Hurley ACG Chairman Managing Director, MidMarket Capital Advisors LLC [email protected] (c) 2006 Mergers and Acquisitions Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.majournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com