Small children scream at the top of their lungs what many adults feel on occasion. “Fair” is a highly subjective term, as in a game such as baseball. It’s also a relative term that, like beauty, is often in the eyes of the beholder.

Here is a story I heard many years ago. It involves three real people in a situation that really did occur. Let’s call them James Tomlinson and his two sons, James Jr. and Edward.

Tomlinson is a widow and would soon retire as chairman and CEO of Tomlinson International where his sons hold C-level positions. Neither was a candidate to succeed him. He has decided to get his estate in proper order. All of his net assets are listed in a four-page document.

He provided each son with a copy and informed them that he had reserved a private room at his club where, during lunch, they would discuss how the assets should be divided between them after his death.

Soon after the luncheon began, the two sons engaged in a nasty argument that threatened to become violent. The father had enough.

“OK, that’s it. Enough. Here’s how we’re going to settle this. James, because you are the older brother, I want you to divide up the estate into two halves, what you think is most fair.” James smirked with obvious pleasure.  “Then we’ll get together again and Edward, when we do, you get to pick first.”

If and when you ever find yourself in a dispute between two antagonists, you may want to use the same approach. Ask one to devise a fair compromise that consists of two options, and then let the other person pick first.