Earlier today, I came across a presentation that I had put together for a business event back in 2018. Still attired in my old branding, all the content now feels just a little bit dated. But, one slide – the final one of the presentation - still resonates sharply with the challenges faced by business owners, particularly during the early years of business.
The slide was prompted by a real experience when the road outside my office was temporarily closed for repairs. Without prior notice of the closure, I was left to contact clients at short notice in an attempt to provide an alternative route. This was the outcome
· One client answered my call and was able to follow the alternative route
· One client arrived as usual via a different route
· One arrived late after following a lengthy diversion
· One stopped at the road block and rang for assistance
· One assessed the situation and managed to manoeuvre around the road block.
Why do I still like this slide?
Very like in business, for one problem, it turned out there were actually multiple ways forward. Some were better than others, some required a bit more effort, or thinking outside the box. But, the real point is this – no one used it as an excuse to go home! The appointment had been booked, they wanted the thinking time and - having travelled this far - everyone believed that arriving late was better than not arriving at all! And some even surprised themselves with their resourcefulness – something we could celebrate during our subsequent conversation.
The question is – what would you do when the road ahead is blocked?
