Maybe the most powerful 2-word question you can ask. Or be asked.
Also maybe the most painful for many entrepreneurs. And certainly, one that is sure to make some folks angry.
So what? 😉
It’s among the most universally applicable questions. Test it.
“We’re not hitting our sales projections.”
So what?
“We’ve got to find a suitable Director of Marketing.”
So what?
“Our chief competitor just bought another competitor and managed to double their size overnight.”
So what?
It’s not “so what?” in that it doesn’t matter. It’s “so what?” as in, “What are gonna do about it?”
We love to figure out who’s at fault. Blaming somebody is job one for many companies. It’s a defeatist culture. So what? So what if you finally do figure out who’s at fault? Now what? Which is likely the second most powerful question. Actually, they’re one and the same. I often use them interchangeably.
Sometimes we love to assume an excuse. We say “making excuses,” but it’s more appropriately assuming excuses. Looking for ways to explain a failure. Ways that will deflect responsibility away from us. Ways that will give us an out. Okay, list them. Assume every single excuse you can name is legit. So what? Now what?
Nobody remembers Harold Geneen, the tyrannical leader of ITT, the original conglomerate. But they should. He would say, “Managers must manage.” Translation: Find a way. We simply have to find a way. Or not. We win. Or we lose. Period.
When I sit down with an entrepreneur of top-level leader and they begin discussing their calendar, I’m almost always amazed at the talk to action ratio. Or we could term it the meeting to doing ratio. It often feels like our federal government in D.C. Committees, meetings, discussions, thinking, blah, blah, blah. Not nearly enough doing. But lots of preparation to do something. For too many business leaders it feels like you’re strapped into a space rocket ready to launch, but the countdown seems to get stuck on repeat somewhere around the number 7. 10, 9, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7…leaving us wondering if we’re ever going to take off.
Hesitation. Delay. Procrastination. Overthinking.
Anything to avoid facing the truth that we’re responsible and we can do something to fix it.
We all know something about this stuff because at some point in our lives, in some circumstance…we did it. Maybe we’re still doing it.
So?
So what?
Now what?
Whatever challenge or opportunity facing you right now — be bold. Have courage. Ask yourself the question.
IDK is digital shorthand for “I don’t know.” I get it a lot. From young people. From older people. In response to a question. And it’s okay. Truth is, it’s better than okay to not know. It’s not better if you’re willing to stay there though. The value is in the quest to find out. Figure it out.
IDK Value In Hiring
Growing companies are always on the prowl for good people. But how do you define “good?” Easy. What are you looking for?
CEO’s may tell me they’re looking for a C-suite cohort who will care as much as they do. Somebody who wants it (whatever IT is) as badly as they do. And they want skills and experience in whatever their industry may be. And they want somebody who has done it (again, whatever IT is) before. And they want somebody who doesn’t have bad habits to unwind. On and on it goes with great emphasis on finding a known quantity – the ideal person who knows exactly what to do to help get the company from here to there.
I get it. Seems to make sense. Until you start to really think about it. Is that the right fit for your company? Are you sure?
It may be. I’m not saying it’s not. But I am saying you may be neglecting one of the most valuable assets a future leader has – the ability to learn. Especially the ability to learn in real time.
Think about the biggest and best companies on the planet. Just consider two of them: Amazon and Facebook. Two founders started humbly. In small rooms with limited resources. What those guys knew then is not at all what they know now. Chief among their strengths is the ability to learn and figure out what they didn’t know.
In the case of Amazon, why didn’t the big shot, smarty pants who ran the biggest bookselling companies on the planet figure it out? All those people who knew the in’s and out’s of bookselling should have been the first to make it happen. Not some ex-investment banker who was a Senior VP at age 30. Within a few years of launching Amazon, with about $300K from his parents, he had a dinner with executives of Barnes & Noble who told him they were about to launch their own website, which would destroy Amazon. Based on their experience and know-how you could argue that it should have worked. It didn’t.
Facebook wasn’t the first social media site aimed at connecting people. Once you get past the IRC’s (Internet Relay Chat) of the late 80’s and early 90’s you likely don’t remember a site called Six Degrees, which may have been the first real social media platform designed to enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users. Six Degrees grew to about 100 employees and over 3.5 million users. They started in 1997, seven years before Facebook. By 2001 they were gone after having been sold in 1999 for $125. Cue up Queen’s song, “Another one bites the dust” here.
Both Amazon and Facebook should have been created by people already occupying their space. That is, according to the logic most CEO’s and HR folks are applying to their hiring process of looking for people who have already done exactly what you think you need done. It’s a stupid practice in many instances. Maybe even most. Sure, there are some very technical roles that require experienced expertise, but there are far more roles that not only don’t need it, but I’d argue they’re hampered by it.
It’s called perspective. You often hear people talk about having “fresh eyes” look at something. We know the value of letting people look at something when they’re not even sure what they’re looking at. Having some people who are brave enough to say, IDK is valuable.
Facebook and Amazon both questioned assumptions others weren’t willing to question. Both saw something larger. Jeff Bezos didn’t suddenly decide Amazon would be the “everything store.” He saw that future when he started. He began with books. It validated his idea. Traditional brick and mortar stores largely still haven’t figured it out. I know. I come from a heavy retail background. With all the vast retailing experience out there, a non-retailer entered the space in 1995 and is currently ruling the world of e-commerce with no end in sight. As for Facebook, it took off on Harvard’s campus, eventually launching on other college campuses, then high schools and by 2006 anybody over 13 could jump on board. All along the way, both companies learned, figured things out and managed to build extraordinary momentum in spaces they didn’t invent. Neither of them had done it before. Neither of them was burdened with preconceived ideas. Both knew they were figuring it out in real time. And Bezos even told early investors that he felt there was a 70% chance they’d lose their money due to failure.
IDK doesn’t mean you’re looking for stupid people. Or ignorant people. But it may mean you’re excluding people because they lack industry-specific skills and experience. You’re looking for the wrong things and avoiding the right things.
Clear thinkers. Brave problem solvers.
Every business leader on the planet is looking for those two qualities, but I never heard them articulate that. Once I mention those two things they’re always quick to agree though. I know deep down they’re thinking they’d like to have those things, but those things don’t trump having already done it. Or having already seen it.
And there’s another element in all this to consider. The person capable of saying IDK has a courage and humility that will be exceptional. Most people are afraid to admit not knowing something. They try to bluff their way through. How doesn’t that help you grow your company?
There’s high value in a learner willing to leverage what others would call “naivete.” How is it leveraged? By asking questions others aren’t willing to ask. By looking at things in ways not available to the bashful. By figuring things out deploying insights they collect all along the way with their “stupid questions” and challenging viewpoints. By not surrendering to your industry or experience based assumptions.
Growing your company is going to depend largely on your ability to zig while your competitors zag. You can’t do that by being a copycat. Keep doing what you’ve been doing and you’ll discover (likely sooner than later) that it stops working. It doesn’t mean it was stupid at the time, but it may mean that to keep doing it without changes (that is, without growth, improvement, and transformation) — you’ll stop learning how to be better. And the market will make you pay. It always does!
Five little kids call me, “Papa.” They’re my grandchildren. This summer the oldest will turn 11 and the youngest will turn 3.
When Max, the oldest, joined a soccer team when he was very young…he was paralyzed with fear. That was 7 years ago. I talked about it at the time so I’m not going to relive it here. You can go check it out for yourself.
I’ve seen displays of fear in each of these kids. What some are afraid of, others are not. Just yesterday one of them picked up a little snake without hesitation. The youngest probably is the most fearless, but he’s even afraid sometimes.
Type the word “fear” into a Google search and within a second Google delivers about 592 million results. Type in “fearless” and you get about 90% fewer results. Fear is a big player in our lives. Every time I hear somebody preach how we shouldn’t be afraid or I see various motivational sayings about having no fear I think of that line uttered by Robert Duvall’s character in the 1969 classic True Grit. The line was delivered to John Wayne’s character, U.S. marshal “Rooster” Cogburn. “I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.”
Only fools are fearless. We’re all afraid sometimes. Of something. Listening to folks brag about having no fear is reminiscent of whistling in the dark. Something else we all do, in one form of another.
This isn’t about me as much as it’s about us. Our collective humanity. The fact that no matter who we are…we’re afraid, too. Just like my grandkids sometimes are.
My tribe has heard me confess that I’m sometimes fearful. I’m not about to humiliate anybody – especially a small person I love – about their fear. Rather, I choose to acknowledge it. When Max was fearful of joining in on the 4-year-old soccer game we had no idea what he was afraid of. He didn’t appear to know either. He just was. And no about of coaxing him was going to change it at the moment. He had to process it. And he had to mature a little bit. Out on the field, filled with kids running around without a clue what to do, we pointed out how much fun it appeared to be. Didn’t matter. He wasn’t about to join them. Over time I’ve developed some theories on what scared him, but who can be sure? He’s a smart, confident kid (sometimes downright cocky), but we’ve learned he really wants to know what he’s doing. While others might dive in and give something a go…that’s not how he rolls. He needs to know about it first. Figure out as much as he can before jumping. When he was 4 I don’t think we fully knew that.
Like my sign in The Yellow Studio says, “It is what it is.” But we didn’t know that at the time.
Peel back who we are and our fears likely make more sense. Even the fears that seem beyond understanding. I’m not trying to dissect your fears, but I am speaking up today to declare to my grandkids – and you – that it’s okay to be afraid. I’m afraid, too.
Today is Monday, May 7th. It also happens to be my birthday. I’m not 4, or 11. Yep, I’m old enough to have grandkids that age. And I’m still afraid sometimes. Maybe more often than you. Maybe less. Doesn’t matter. It’s not a competition. I’m afraid plenty.
Fears change. Max isn’t afraid of playing soccer anymore. Now he has different fears.
I used to be afraid of the dark. I conquered that fear. Now I’m afraid of more serious things, but I can be afraid of stupid things, too. Just like you.
I can be afraid of rejection, not making a sale, failure and a host of other things. Declaring that doesn’t make me powerless to manage my fear. Instead, I think it takes the steam out of it. That’s what I’m telling you today. All this chatter – this ridiculous noise – declaring that we should live, or must live without any fear only gives fear more power. It’s delusional. And I can’t seem to find value in being deluded. Or deceived. Fear does not deceive me. I know it exists. And I also know that it’s mostly harmless, but sometimes it’s valuable.
In the past few days my son and I have talked about somebody in his field – he has a property inspection business. You know, the folks who do that home inspection before you buy that house. An inspector in another state was apparently trying to use a metal pole of some sort to take a picture while up on a roof. The metal pole came in contact with a power line and killed him. Three of my grandkids call my son, “Daddy.” I want him to be fearful of some things so he won’t harm himself.
My wife will text me that she’s on her way home. 100% of the time I’m going to text back that I love her and I’m going to tell her “be safe.” I want her to be fearful enough while driving so she’s careful. And she always is.
Does that level of fear prevent taking action? No. My son still does his work. My wife still drives. The proper fear compels them both (I hope) to take proper precautions and avoid being reckless. It does the same thing for us.
Even irrational fears – which admittedly may be the biggest player in our lives – have some basis in our own head. Telling us to not have them is empty advice. Instead, I have found value in people opening up about them, discussing them without feeling judged for having them (the most judgmental people likely are people unwilling to face their own fears). Every time I engage in a conversation with somebody about our fears we help each other figure out what’s really going on and we’re able to logically walk through our thoughts, our beliefs, and our actions. The more we face them by diving into them, the better able we are to overcome them, or at the least manage them so they don’t stall us, or paralyze us.
People think that’s wimpy I guess. I suppose too many think that strong declarations against fear are the best methods for dealing with it. Just don’t acknowledge it, ignore it and maybe it doesn’t really exist. Nope. Won’t work. That magnifies it making us think something is wrong with us because of all this talk about not having it. Forces us to think, “Well, I’m not supposed to be afraid, but I really am. Something must be wrong with me.” Nothing is wrong with you. You’re human.
Maybe it’s time to deal with that so you can better deal with your fear.
The world no longer cares about who you are, where you came from or whatever has (or hasn’t) happened to you. ZZ Top sang, “I’m bad, I’m nationwide.” Well, the good news is we’re all bad and global (if we want to be) now…thanks to mobile technology. The bad news is, we can’t hide anymore. We just need to put in the work.
Today’s show is for those who want to be entrepreneurs because you think it’s cool. It’s for those who love keeping up with the exotic vacations, fancy cars, big houses and whatever else jazzes you about people living the good life. It’s also a reminder that excuses don’t work. Ever. Not like we should.
In front of me sits a young man who in his early 20’s. A good student. Who didn’t work during high school. Didn’t have to. Parents supplied him. I tell him they meant well, but he’s disadvantaged. His brow furrows in bewilderment. I press on, as I am wont to do. “You haven’t learned how to put in the work yet,” I tell him. He bristles. And begins to extol his academic career. He’s studied hard. He’s earned good grades. I get it. But he doesn’t. Not yet. But he will. I’m confident.
He’s got big plans, lots of accomplishments he’s fully expecting to come his way by the time he’s 24. I know life is going to hit in in the mouth and knock his teeth down his throat. I want him to be ready. And to be able to give himself the best opportunity for success. This time next year he’ll graduate from college and he’s got no idea how to do battle in real life. He’s soft. He only knows what he knows. And it’s what he doesn’t yet know that may kill him unless I’m completely truthful with him. It may still kill him. 😉
Once he does the usual, “lots of people work hard, but they’re not successful” routine…and along the way points out guys working outside doing lower wage manual labor…I wait until he comes up for air. “Forget about the people you don’t want to emulate. What about the ones you admire…the ones you’d like to become like?” I ask. Earlier he whipped out his phone showing me various Instagram accounts of folks in spectacular places, doing cool things. He didn’t’ seem to realize that photos of us doing the work wouldn’t likely make for exciting photographic experiences unless we’re a rock star, pro athlete or celebrity. For the rest of it, pictures just can’t capture the magic of hard work.
I’m not in unchartered water in this discussion. It happens often. And I know I’m not alone. But I also know I’m not going to embrace negativity or pessimism because of it. Honestly, I’m not trying too hard to convince this young man of something he’s not likely going to instantly believe just because of anything I say. Mostly, I’m challenging him to think. Consider. Maybe he’ll come around. Maybe he won’t. Time will tell.
This young man isn’t all that unusual. We all see what we see. We all fail to see what we fail to see. He sees wealthy people displaying the results of the best times of their wealth. Would you Instagram your drug addiction, or your kids’ drug addiction, or your crumbling marriage, or your sleepless nights? How about your reliance on alcohol? Or your declining profits? Probably not.
We’re attracted to the look at the top of the iceberg. That’s where the beauty is. We all know the stuff below the waterline is responsible though. A very basic lesson this young man – and countless others – fail to understand.
The work is mostly private. The results aren’t.
“You’ve had a longstanding excellent academic career,” I observe. “Did those good grades just happen?”
“No, I worked like crazy,” he replies.
“Tell me what that looks like – and what it’s always looked like. What kind of sacrifices did you make?” I ask.
He goes on to tell me about a variety of social activities, hobbies, relaxation and entertainment endeavors that took a hit sometimes because his grades meant more to him. “Man, look at the fun you gave up though…just to get good grades.” I point out how his friends knew he wasn’t living it up with them while he was back in his room studying, but mostly he was accomplishing that work alone. In private. Griding it out week after week. Because he made a choice to pursue good grades over a good time. It was his priority so he could achieve the outcome he most wanted.
“Was it worth it?” I asked. “Of course,” he said. “I wish I could go out with my friends all the time, but I can’t.”
There it is. The choice to work hard. The decision and effort exerted to accomplish something important. The willingness to sacrifice something desirable so something more significant can be achieved.
He hopes to get into a great graduate program. He’s not lazy. He’s not delusional. He crazy smart, but lacking insight.
Uncompromised hard work is necessary. It’s not glamorous. It’s not often public. It’s arduous. Sacrificial.
And worth it.
Passion has been a hot topic forever. “Do what you love and the money (or success) will follow.” Not necessarily. But here’s the deal about passion – and I’m defining passion as finding that thing you’re good at, and that you love. Passion is important to keep you moving forward, doing the work when others don’t. This young man’s willingness put in the academic work while his friends partied. Because he cared about it. Sure, he’s a good student too – he’s got the brain power and whatever else is necessary for the work. That’s important. But talent or ability without the willingness to put in the effort is just sad. Look at your favorite professional sports team and I guarantee you’ll be able to think of an example.
As we wind down the conversation he asks me about my career, especially the beginning. I tell him how I entered retailing as a high school kid, working every free hour I could, including weekends when it was tempting to join friends doing fun stuff. I tell him how 70 plus hour work weeks were the norm for me for more years than I care to remember. But I tell him how many other people working around me were doing the same thing, but not achieving what I was. I wasn’t looking for any admiration from him…but rather was hoping to demonstrate to him that putting in the work, no matter what was simply the thing he could control.
I had some natural aptitude for some things. Early on I knew I had some qualities that translated well into success in retailing and being an operator. I was a good problem solver and I knew how to execute. So my hard work, including the long hours, coupled with my drive to achieve more (and take on more responsibility) led to opportunities. I didn’t decide what my natural talents were. I had to become more aware of them. Then I had to refine them. Hard work, no matter what, was the one element – I told him – that I knew I could control. As a teenager, I determined that nobody I worked with would outwork me. That was my choice.
“You wanna know the secret?” I asked him.
“Through all the years you’d think I would have encountered somebody who would challenge me, or beat me. I never have. That’s the magic of YOU making up your mind to put in the work, no matter what.”
I’m a longtime fan of the music of Ry Cooder. In 1979 he released a record entitled, Bop ‘Til You Drop. One of the great songs on that record is, “Trouble, You Can’t Fool Me.”
Here’s the first lyrics of that song…
Trouble you can’t fool me I see you behind that tree Trouble you can’t fool me trying to get the ups on me Trouble you can’t fool me I see you behind that tree You want to jump on me
Every owner experiences trouble. Sometimes it’s our own fault. We made a poor decision. Or we failed to execute very well. Or circumstances changed for us to foil our chances for success. It happens.
Sometimes it’s got nothing to do with us, but it’s the market or somebody else with an agenda that may not be aligned with ours. Trouble happens. It tries really hard to fool us. It’s our job to make sure trouble doesn’t fool us or wreck us.
It’s impossible to tell you to do this, not that when trouble hits. Trouble just takes on too many forms to help with unknown specifics. However, there are a few things skilled business owners have figured out that can help every business owner during whatever problems crash into your day.
Let me start by acknowledging that wisdom in dealing with trouble hinges on two fundamental things: your personality (that includes your communication style, how you’re wired, etc.) and your ability to exercise self-control. The good news is that to effectively handle trouble won’t require you to be somebody else. Be yourself. But prepare to be the best version of yourself. Trouble is no time to toss aside self-discipline and restraint. It’s THE time when you most need to deploy those.
I realize some business owners enjoy going off on people and situations. I’ve seen owners who regularly “went off” on people for the slightest things. If that’s you, you’re not likely listening to a guy like me. But if you happen to stumble across this podcast or website, then I’ll encourage you (although I’m certain you won’t do it), to seek some help in dealing with the rage. Rage is never a good response to trouble. That’s right, I used that absolute term, NEVER. Rage doesn’t help you think clearly. It doesn’t bring out the best in others. It only fuels negative results, but in the short-term, it may make you feel better. That ROI isn’t large enough.
What to do when trouble hits is simple, but often very difficult. However, as the owner – the number ONE – you have to be the leader.
Step One – Control Your Thinking
Let’s say you’re negotiating a lease renewal. The landlord wants a substantial increase. The increase is a deal-breaker. You just can’t possibly go that high, but the area has blossomed. Rent rates in the area have increased dramatically since you last negotiated, five years ago. But your business model simply won’t support the kind of increase.
You can immediately let your blood pressure soar, growing increasingly more angry at the landlord. You can throw up your hands and declare surrender. “Well, we’ll just move!” There is any number of responses you can have at the moment you find out the landlord’s demands. It’s crunch time. Time for you to tap the brakes and control what you think.
There are some more micro things you can do to help control your thinking. Exercise empathy for the adversary by not immediately considering them the adversary. If you were the landlord, would you be doing the same thing? It’s possible, if not likely. The landlord wants to increase his revenues and profits just like you do.
Empathy can drive us to consider things that will help us control our thoughts, which will also contribute to help us control our emotions. Remember, our goal is clear thinking. We’re chasing insight…so it’s urgent we give ourselves every advantage at the moment. Well, that’s actually important for every moment though, right? I mean, is there a time when you don’t want an advantage?
A frequent culprit when trouble hits – especially when there’s another person on the other side of the table – is taking it personally. Rage hits. Emotions boil over. We take it personally. This person is treating us unfairly. They’re conspiring to hurt us and our business. Rarely is that true. Mostly, they’re doing for their business what we’re doing for ours.
It may be that you and your current landlord will have to part company, but at the moment you can’t necessarily know that. Nor should you assume it.
Another micro thing you should do is add optimism to your empathy. Control your thinking to avoid going to the most negative outcome. Instead, choose (that’s right, you get to choose what you think) to be optimistic that whatever happens will be good for your business. It’s a free country. You can move your business if that ends up being the best alternative. You can negotiate with your current landlord if that ends up being the best alternative. Whatever happens…you’ve got choices. Commit yourself to make the best decision possible. Empathy and optimism are your allies in this battle against trouble.
Step Two – Surround Yourself With Known Clear Thinkers
There are certain members of your team who are known, clear thinkers. These people are unafraid to tell you what they think or to ask you hard questions. Maybe there’s one. Maybe more. If you have nobody on your team who fits this bill, then you’ve got work to do. But that’s another topic for another day.
The temptation is to surround yourself with people who will listen to you rant and complain about this new demand by your landlord. Complaining makes us feel better, but it won’t last. And it’s not helpful for making better decisions. Besides, it creates a victim mindset you don’t want. Every moment is a leadership moment for you, but when trouble hits it’s a big opportunity for you to show your entire organization how to think, decide and behave. Don’t blow it!
Find people capable of helping you see what you may not be seeing. You’ve got a lot going on. It’s not possible for you to see everything. You need other eyes and ears on the trouble. This example of trouble involves a specific area – commercial real estate leasing. Lean on your commercial real estate expert. If you don’t have one, find one. Or find a few.
Think through the trouble with the clear thinkers who surround you. Weigh options. Consider as many of the outcomes as you can. Be open to the ones you may have yet to identify. That leads to my next suggestion…
Step Three – Consider All The Possibilities
It’s likely you had an expectation prior to getting the new proposed lease rate. Don’t box yourself into whatever you were thinking. Expand it now. Consider what you currently know, but look for figure out what you don’t yet know.
For example, find out what alternative locations may be available and what their cost may be. Consider and ask the best questions you can (yet another reason to be surrounded by clear thinkers who can best help you do this). Trouble is like any other business decision — the better our intel, the more data, the deeper our insight, the better our decision. Right now, that’s who you must be. The General marshaling the resources you need so the very best decision can be made.
Don’t be quick to discount ideas when trouble hits. Now is the time to slow down your thoughts in order to prevent going to the worst-case-scenario thinking at the cost of considering a more positive outcome. The one idea you quickly dismiss could turn out to be your best option. But if in the moment of trouble hitting, your rage blinded you to its value, then you’ve let down your business. Don’t do it.
Part of this step is to foster dialogue and debate. Let the group surrounding you debate the possible fixes. Don’t shut down the conflict. Just keep it respectful. And don’t horn in constantly. When trouble hits teams need time to think through things, vet possible solutions and bring their viewpoints to the table. Remember, all eyes are on you. They’re watching you for cues. Give them permission to speak up, speak out and defend their ideas. Hint: If you want the best possible solution, then avoid publicly falling in love too quickly with one over the other. The moment the team realizes where you’re leaning, they’ll react to be on the winning side of your choice. It’ll rob you of what’s possible.
Step Four – Give Your Team Power
This is congruent with step 3, but it’s deeper. You can be King and just make the decision. Or, a better option is to be the final decision maker after the team has been thoroughly engaged and part of the process. This doesn’t mean you have to do what others suggest. You own the joint. You can make whatever decision you want to make.
Do you want your team to be better at facing the next trouble when it hits? Then give them the power to own this problem and be part of the solution. They know you’re the owner. Unless there is 100% consensus on what to do (which may indicate problems you should address – is there no conflict or debate?), then people are going to realize your choice may be different than their suggestion. This isn’t about making everybody happy. It’s about making the best decision. It’s also about helping your team grow and become better at handling trouble.
Thank them for the debate. Show your appreciation for counter viewpoints, especially when people respectfully offer you counter viewpoints to YOU. Encourage them to not take your decision – whatever it may be – as a sign that you didn’t appreciate what they brought to the table. Reinforce the truth that alternative viewpoints help us clarify the view we opt to take.
Your team must be part of the solution for trouble.
There are many specifics that are impossible to address, but years of experience and countless hours of coaching business leaders have shown me the value of these four steps. Incorporate these into the process and you’re sure to improve solving the troubles that arrive. Be well. Do better. Grow great!
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I’m not in unchartered water in this discussion. It happens often. And I know I’m not alone. But I also know I’m not going to embrace negativity or pessimism because of it. Honestly, I’m not trying too hard to convince this young man of something he’s not likely going to instantly believe just because of anything I say. Mostly, I’m challenging him to think. Consider. Maybe he’ll come around. Maybe he won’t. Time will tell.
