Were They Planning to Fail?

Recently, I visited a business prospect who suggested that, frankly, he did not know how they arrived in the challenging situation they were currently facing. After looking at their situation, I made two quick suggestions that may yield an additional $100,000 of profit.

Their situation reminded me of the cartoon with the two cowboys leaning on a fence and a starving cow standing next to them. They said, “Gee, just don’t know what happened, but she just suddenly took a turn for the worse…” The reality is the cow had been starving for weeks. They just hadn’t been paying attention…

This is all too common in business today, and the resulting downturn for some is coming faster than ever. While we cannot control the impact of variables like COVID, inflation, higher interest rates or tariffs, we can structure our business operations to build some “cushion” for these types of impactful events.

We know these various challenges will arise at times, sometimes when we least expect them. With this in mind, let’s develop a plan to overcome them. Remember, tough times don’t last; tough people do!

What can you do? First, develop a plan for what you want to achieve, or as Stephen Covey often stated, “Begin with the end in mind.” What are the obstacles you will potentially face, and how can you mitigate these? Set dates for the steps you will need to take and determine who will be implementing these tasks. Otherwise, you could end up like the four people: Everybody, Anybody, Somebody, and Nobody.

Everybody agreed that a task was essential. Anybody could have implemented the next step. Somebody should have taken charge, but, in the end, Nobody did. The result? They were “painted into a corner” with no way out…

Don’t get caught in this trap. Develop a plan, monitor its implementation closely and adjust it when necessary. Stay the course, and you will be “Ready for the Big Dance” when good times arrive, instead of sitting on the sidelines, wishing you had made some changes.

“A good plan is like a roadmap: it shows the final destination and usually marks the best way to get there…”

                                                            H. Stanley Judd

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!