Opportunity Cost Over Hourly Rate

The Trap

Deciding whether to personally take on a task by comparing it to what it would cost to hire it out. That's an hourly-rate lens.

The Reframe

The real cost of doing a lower-value task yourself is the higher-value work you're not doing instead. If doing the task means not building partnerships (or whatever your highest-leverage activity is), that lost opportunity is the actual cost, not the hours spent.

Why It Works

It points the decision at what you're giving up rather than what the task is worth on its own, which is usually the number that matters.

How to Use This With Someone

Ask what they would be doing with that time otherwise, then compare the two uses of it. It pairs well with the forward-looking half of the contribution table, where imbalances show up as responsibilities worth renegotiating.