I have a tooth ache. It seems that every 4 hours I get a throbbing ache around one of my teeth. It lasts for about 10 minutes and it is fairly intense. Some will ask how does my toothache relate to this blog on leadership?
Well, I went to the dentist. She has no idea what the problem is. The dentist suggested the possibility of a root canal or pulling the tooth, but she questioned either course of action because we do not fully understand the issue. During the drive home from the dentist, I started to think. It is the same with my business. I've seen leaders want to "treat" the symptons. For example, someone is not "performing well", so they let them go (without giving that person a chance to succeed). Or, they say "cut all expenses" because the economy is going south when it might be a time to invest. A bad economy is not the time to cut marketing or sales efforts in areas that have substantial growth opportunities. Frequently, I see leaders "panic", jump to conclusions and treat symptoms without being like my dentist and taking the time for the right decision.
WIth a fundamentally sound business and solid vision, leaders will be fine . . . if there are issues, they should spend more time on diagnostics (talking to clients/prospects, assessing trends, buyer's behaviors, etc.).
By the way, I ate when I got home - the tiniest bite - OUCH . . . my tooth starts hurting BIGTIME!
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As you can see, the thread for this post has been deleted. I have been patient but I needed to draw a line. The line was inappropriately crossed by a particular poster who was using my blog as a personal forum for attacks on people who have nothing to do with this blog. Therefore, I decided to delete the entire thread and not selective postings.
I encourage and welcome comments and suggestions on this blog. If you would like to contact me directly, please send an email to spiritofbrinkmanship@yahoo.com.
A tooth ache can be painful and detrimental to your health. Just like not investing in a down economy can be detrimental to your company. The savviest of business leaders believe that there are opportunities in any economy. In fact, some people believe that a company can make its biggest gains in a down economy. If a business fails, it is because of poor leadership; not the economy.
Thanks for the comment. I agree. It is also a great time for acquisition targets and consolidation strategies. I just get nervous when some leaders take an "across the board" approach during an downturn; this is not a good approach. Clients/prospects have issues in downturns as well and there are opportunities to address them so when the upturn comes (and there will be an upturn, there always is), the business is positioned well to grow faster.
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