What is it about people who have balls that attracts me so much?
Growing up surrounded by traders and entrepreneurs gave me a tremendous appreciation for the men and women who put it all on the line every day, whether that was the position they were taking in the market that day, hour, or minute, or it was the uncensored language they used to describe their opinions on everything from politics to baseball teams to personalities and who has the best beef sandwiches or bar snacks.
Whether on the trading floor, around the country or world visiting customers, or after hours in one of the many fine establishments in Chicago’s loop, I spent the first half of my business lifetime surrounded by people who distinctly had an opinion, and more often than not, were more than willing to share it, shout it, or debate it at length over an egg sandwich and coffee, or a beer and a bag of nuts.
Maybe it was the competitive nature of the North Siders and South Siders coming together in one place. Maybe it was the Jewish and Catholic traders mixing it up with language not usually heard in the synagogue or church. Maybe it was the old school scrappy gunslingers who bet first and analyzed never duking it out with the new age quantitative analysts working on a model that would predict the next rally or market dump.
Whatever it was, that environment bred strong people with clear opinions. Sensitivity, political correctness, or subtlety in your behavior was more the aberration than the norm. Not surprisingly, through my work in the Good News business, I am still very naturally drawn to people who have, for a lack of a term that better describes the mindset, Balls.
People with "balls" tend to have as many detractors as advocates, often because they speak their mind without the “proper” sensitivity, finesse, or careful word-selection that might actually make their message more palatable, though often less interesting or impactful. Are all these people the nicest people I know, or the most caring? Do I agree with everything they say and do? Of course not.
But that is what makes them meaningful, and not milquetoast.
As an observer, they are all smart people who are no doubt well aware that their strong voice feeds both their supporters and their critics. Things would likely be easier for them if they just played nicer in the sandbox of Life and watched what they said more than always saying what they see.
But because of how they are wired, who mentored them as they grew up, or lessons they learned battling through the challenges they faced in their life, these folks have chosen a more colorful path. Thinking back to that sea of trading jackets that I woke to every day, and each one having their own badge, color, and style, I appreciate the variety these folks add to my Life.
