I work with business owners on scaling during these unpredictable times, and nearly all have doubts. The client that had the biggest question mark had experienced rapid growth since March. Scarily rapid, as it turns out.
His company supplies PPE, and his phone had been ringing off the hook from Government officials needing to equip hospitals with gloves, masks and gowns. The ordinarily modest order book had skyrocketed to millions of dollars, but he was worried that he would mess things up and fail to deliver. It was time for a reality check and a bit of reflection.
When we pulled it apart, the root cause of his worry was that someone might pull out of the deal and he’d end up sitting on a mountain of stock. Once we analysed the whole process, and he could see how unlikely that was, his confidence returned.
It was a good lesson in taking time out from busy stress to assess a situation and a good lesson in leadership. Questioning your ability to lead is not a weakness; it’s part of the growth of all companies and integral to your personal development.
What strategies do you have for when the going gets tough? Let me know in the comments below.