It had been a long day at work, but a satisfying one. As Gail and I ate dinner, I told her about a situation I had handled with one of my best customers. The customer had placed an order the day before, but our bookkeeper still showed two open invoices from the previous month.

These situations can be awkward. My company, of course, wants to get paid as quickly as possible for past due bills. But if you call the customer and tell them their order is being held, tempers are likely to flare. You can win the battle but lose the war if you're not careful.

As I explained the situation to Gail, I described the delicate negotiating skills I had brought to bear and how I had managed to clear up the old bills and ship the customer's order, while keeping everyone involved cool, calm, and friendly.

When I was finished patting myself on the back, Gail asked a question. "If you could manage so many different, and apparently difficult personalities so well, how come you can't manage me?"

"Honey, I said I was good. I never said I was a miracle worker."