My role as a business coach means different things at different times. Sometimes it involves strategic planning, sometimes problem solving, sometimes being a cheerleader, and sometimes the less enjoyable position of needing to give what I call “tough love advice.” This feedback is not much fun to give, and not much fun to receive, but that can be critical to the survival of a business. It’s the harsh truth so-to-speak. Unfortunately with a few entrepreneurs, that advice has recently been that you simply may have to work more.
In the many years that I owned and operated a recruiting firm, we went through several ups-and-downs in the economy. There were times when there was so much business that we could hardly believe it, and there were other times that were very, very tough. During the times of plenty, it was easy to start to think that it was OK to take more time off, OK to get up later in the mornings, and OK to let the business ride the wave of a good economy. However, as some of those bad habits would creep in and the economy would turn, I would find myself realizing that you have to hunker down and do the hard things, like working more hours and simply getting up earlier in the morning.
So why do I write this blog post now? In a nutshell, we may be headed towards those times, and as a business owner, we owe it to our teams to be ready to do whatever it takes to move our companies forward. Proverbs 6:10-11 (NIV) says, “a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” It’s easy when things are good to let ourselves get a little too relaxed, and even to lie to ourselves about it! We say things like, “I’m so busy”, or “I never took much time off in the past.” This may be true, but are we busy with the right things, and regardless of the past, is the time we are taking off now appropriate for the current circumstances? These are questions only you as the owner can answer. However, we must be truthful with ourselves and hold ourselves accountable if we are to succeed long-term.
I pose these questions simply out of care for fellow business owners. If the economy continues to soften, it’s likely that you will soon come to the conclusion that it’s time to hunker down and make a few small sacrifices for the longer-term good of the company you have worked so hard to build. The time will come again when profits are easier to come by with less effort. However, when a possible storm is brewing, it’s time to make sure we have the right good habits to get us through. You will be happier with yourself later on the sooner you make the changes.
Should you need assistance with long-term planning, please feel free to reach out using our Contact page.
As always, I truly do wish you the absolute best in your business.
Mark Goldman
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