Does There Have to Be a “Next”?
Dr. David Rafeedie
Bill is the founder and CEO of a small but profitable professional office. He just hired his tenth associate, and things are running smoothly. His business is profitable, his team works well together, he has a loyal clientele, and he loves what he is doing. He will be celebrating his 12th anniversary next year, and as he reflected on the history of his business, he felt satisfied.
Like the rest of us, as he began to reflect on the past, his thoughts turned to the future. “What now?” As he thought about that question, he changed it— “What next?” “Is there a next?” Things were going pretty well, the business was stable, his team worked well together; “Does there have to be a next?”
Great question! “Does there have to be a next?” That question causes tension. It means you are at a crossroads and must make a decision. It is a big decision for the future of the business. He can say, no, there does not have to be a next. Things are going well, and I am satisfied to maintain what I have. I am satisfied with the business as it is today.
The other decision is, “yes, there is a next, and I have to figure out what that next is.” At some point, every entrepreneur, or team leader for that matter, wrestles with the question. All successful organizations wrestle with the question. The problem with saying, “No, there does not have to be a next,” is organizations and the environments they operate in are not static. The organization will not remain on the plateau. Do nothing, and over time it will begin to go downhill. To maintain, one must be intentional about growth.
Environments change too. Just ask some of our big box store businesses how the sales and marketing environment has changed since the advent of online companies like Amazon.
There is always a “next.” It might be a downhill next, but it should be an uphill next. It is up to you to intentionally take control of the “next.”
How do you mix a stable organizational culture with an environment that invites calculated risk to move forward? As the decision maker for your organization, or the team leader of your staff, you equip yourself. One of the biggest challenges a leader faces is closing the gap between recognizing how the environment is changing and implementing the right strategy to keep moving forward. Closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be usually means the leader must change. He or she must develop new skills and insights. That’s the hard part!
In our story above, Bill was not willing to do what it takes to change. He stood back, lamenting the changing environment but didn’t do what takes to move forward. Why not? Partly because he didn’t realize he needed to change, partly because he didn’t know what to do. Partly because there was a cost of time and effort, and partly because he was focused on the day-to-day and not looking ahead. In less than a decade he was a one-person office again. He was left with thinking and talking about the good old days. We won’t mention his associates, who ended up looking for another job. Ok, I mentioned them.
Bill’s story is a more common story than many would like to admit. Leaders and decision-makers struggle with the same thing Bill did and for mostly the same reasons.
What is the solution? Here are six things you can do to take control of the “next.”
1. Clarify your environment. Make sure you understand the forces shaping the environment your organization is competing in.
2. Have a handle on your organizational and team culture. Every organization or team have their own cultures. Make sure you know what aspects of that culture must change for you to move ahead.
3. Know your strengths and weakness. Learn to know yourself and be comfortable “in your own skin.” Then you can take advantage of your strengths and find tools and strategies to mitigate the weaknesses.
4. Figure out where you want to go. You will never get to your destination if you don’t know where it is.
5. Develop a pathway to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Knowing the destination is one thing, figuring out how to get there is another.
6. Get the help you need to accomplish the first five.
Coaching can make a real difference in closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com, or call or text me at 520-709-1860, and let’s have a conversation to see if I can help you or your team determine the next steps.
If you are reading this on social media, check out my website at www.davidthecoach.com. You will also find more blogs on leadership and other subjects dealing with team and team development, fear, and other success factors.