As weathermen in Detroit predicted our largest snowfall of the season, they reverted to their tried and true strategy. They had reporters standing over bridges monitoring traffic on expressways, they had viewers tweeting in how much snow had fallen in their particular city, they had “breaking news alert” flashes telling us how much snow was falling per hour, they were advising how long it would last and who would get the most. Of course, if you live in any area that sees weather storms and disasters, you’re likely to have also experienced this phenomena.
I am sure many viewers may want this information so they can understand how best to prepare for the coming onslaught. However, all too often, the forecasted storms and damages pale in comparison to the predictions. As I listened more and more to these weathermen, I began to ponder what it would be like if entrepreneurs ran their business the same way. What would their leadership look like?
- Business would always be looking for the next problem, instead of looking for new opportunities for their business.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Businesses would only be worried about how things could go wrong, instead of figuring out how things can go right.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Businesses would likely have their employees running around worrying about items that had little chance of occurring, instead of just executing on their own mission.[spacer height=”20px”]
- Businesses would always be avoiding risks and challenges, instead of understand that surmounting these risks and challenges is what makes your business grow.
My point is simple: Don’t worry about all of the noise going on around you, how something (or everything) can go wrong, or what everybody else is doing. Instead, focus on what’s going on inside your business, be aware (but not overwhelmed) by external factors, focus on how best to deal with your current situation, and simply execute and lead to the best of your ability.
And finally a suggestion for the weathermen: Instead of telling us about all of the bad things that are happening from the storm, simply tell us how best to prepare for it, and alternative ways to get through the storm.
