Step Back To See Ahead

Last week I was hiking along a stretch of the Bruce Trail I hadn’t discovered before. Often, I had to watch the ground directly in front of me so I could see where to put my next step; parts of the trail were a little rough and overgrown. Then I’d notice that my strategy would catch me in a tricky predicament – I couldn’t see where the trail was actually taking me (that can be scary at the edge of the escarpment). Then I started thinking…

How often do we find ourselves in the same situation in our business? We’re so busy just getting by, trying to deal with the immediate work at hand and not looking up to see where we’re going. In fact we don’t even realize we’re being led instead of leading our business. Do you remember back when you had a vision, goals and a plan? When exactly did your business take the controls? Are you starting to feel like your business is a success but maybe you aren’t? Maybe it’s time to step back and look up for a change, to take back control and determine your trail rather than being led blindly.

To do this, you don’t need to take weeks off or put everything on hold; simply take small steps to look at each piece of your business. Start by identifying your greatest pain points and asking the following questions about each one: What is the cause of the pain? What can I do about it? The cause of pain can be real or perceived and both can be resolved. The answer to “what can I do about it” will never be “nothing”. Look for simple solutions first to ease the pain quickly. You can always go back and refine the solution for longer term relief once you find enough time and energy to examine the situation more closely. The process looks something like this:

If you find that you’re too close to the situation to be objective or to allow yourself the time for this process, I’d suggest you get some help from an outside party; they’ll be able to take a look at what’s happening without the emotion. Improvements don’t have to be made in quantum leaps, small steps can often be easier to implement and are therefore more sustainable.

You will find that as you resolve each pain point you will find opportunities to raise yourself even further above the fray to gain an even better perspective on your business and where you want to go. While you’re taking that step back, be sure to look at where you’ve been and celebrate even small successes. Imagine taking control, piece by piece and finding the freedom not only to enjoy your business again but to take breaks too.