"We are starving while sitting on a ham sandwich." That was a favorite phrase from a mentor and wonderful servant-leader Lori Rechin. What a perfect metaphor for so many businesses and business leaders. You already have the solution, you just have to realize it. There are lessons to learn from this quote about using what we have. But a quick story first.
My Last Fight
At the risk of sounding barbaric, the last fist fight that I recall from my youth (yes, back in my childhood days it was common for many guys to have fist fights in the school yard) was with a guy named Jerry. It was 7th grade, and I don't recall the nature of the fight. However, I do recall vividly how it ended. I was sitting on top of him punching him and yelling "get him off of me!" Yes, the solution I needed was right there in front of me... well at least below me. Isn't that the case so often in business? What you need is right before your eyes.
Slow Down To Speed Up
The ham sandwich analogy is a more friendly way of telling a similar tale of how we in business often are searching for solutions that are staring us in the face. One of the reasons that we can't see the solution is we're moving too fast. A favorite phrase of mine is "slow down so you can speed up." Sometimes if you slow down to talk through a situation and examine how you got there, you will realize how it can be solved. Sometimes slowing down helps us to examine all our resources to help us realize that we already have what we need. Instead of hastily trying every solution that comes to mind, as it comes to mind, take the time to map out your options and the anticipated result to determine the most logical and effective solution. Slowing down in this fashion to map out a plan should speed up your process. For me personally it means to pause and pray for the right answer before I make a decision. Think about what slowing down might mean for you.
Develop Trusted Advisors
Identify one or two confidants or trusted advisors on your team. Your team knows a lot more about your business and their peers than you realize. It's critical to have someone who understands the people and culture of your organization and will tell you what you need to hear. You're not looking for gossip, but you need to know the pulse of your troops. You need to know where the land minds might be found. Even though this person or persons may work for you, they should have a safe space to be able to give you an objective perspective. Often they will tell you to trust your judgement and move forward with the solution that you already know is correct. But they can also keep you from going down the wrong road.
You Need A Cheerleader
It's actually okay to have someone in your corner. As a business owner you get beat up so much. You need to have a cheerleader to remind you that your smart, effective, and a dynamic leader. That you should feel confident in your decision making. It could be a significant other, a trusted friend, a mentor, possibly even a peer. It's easy to second guess what you already know when you operate in a vacuum. Being reassured by your strong advocate goes along way on the lonely road of leadership.
The Joy Of This Blog
The joy of this blog is that even the best leaders need help seeing that they already have the solution in hand. Sometimes we just need someone to remind us to stop second guessing ourselves and move forward with what we already know is the right thing to do. Sometimes you need someone to remind you that the table has already been set... grab the food in front of you before someone else does.