I'm seeing entrepreneurs who, with little traction or track record, have multiple term sheets to decide between. Take these guys and put them back 18 months ago and chances are they'd be "yes sirring" and "no ma'aming" investors. They'd probably be happy with what they could get, and they'd be respectful. Now, though, it's a crazy environment and many of them don't appear thankful for the cards they've been dealt but haven't really earned. I'm seeing entrepreneurs acting poorly.
I see the same pendulum of behavior shift for a handful of designers and engineers. Some mediocre engineers and designers are running around treating founders like they're God's gift to mankind. I recently saw a friend of mine get jerked around by an engineer who a year ago couldn't get a job - something is wrong with that picture.
The point is that power is on a pendulum and inevitably it will swing back from where it came. For example, you can bet that sometime sooner than later, investors will get back the power they had. And the people who were slighted now will end up remembering that behavior as well as the people who treated them poorly.
That's why when the pendulum of power shifts, the pendulum of behavior should not swing over to the bad side. Otherwise, it's going to eventually come back to haunt you.
