We really are in challenging and unfamiliar times. But how do you react to the problems that come your way?
There is a Point of Power that gives you a choice as to how you tackle things that don’t necessarily go as planned.
If we’re not careful, we can fall below the Point of Power, and start to blame people, other things, or other situations. We start to make excuses, or we even deny that there’s a problem.
So what do I mean by this? Well, if your turnover isn’t where it needs to be, if your profit isn’t where it needs to be, if your business isn’t where it needs to be, you might be tempted to point the finger of blame. Perhaps a competitor opened near you, somebody dropped their prices, or your marketing didn’t deliver for you.
At the moment, it could be this nasty virus that we’re all facing, and to a degree that’s understandable. This whole COVID-19 thing has been an absolute sh*t, it has been an absolute pain in the in the backside.
But don’t blame it. As soon as you lay blame you’re losing control.
If you make an excuse for why you haven’t done something (although in this country, we actually call these reasons!), again you’re not taking control of the situation.
And then there’s the denial – when we tell ourselves that there’s not really a problem or a shortfall of any sort.
As business owners we can’t allow ourselves to be below this Point of Power. Because essentially what we’re doing is we’re saying we’re not in control of our own business or our own destiny.
Let me give you an example of this. Prior to lockdown I was on my way to see a client for a nine o’clock meeting. It was absolutely hammering it down with rain. It was around 8:30 am and lots of people were taking their kids to school, and people who might normally walk or cycle to work decided to drive. The journey took longer than usual. I got to my meeting on time, I thought to myself, “I bet there’s a whole tonne of people that are going to be late for work today.”
Those that are below the Point of Power, are going to blame the weather, use the busy roads as an excuse. They might even deny there’s a problem. They might say, “Come on I know we start at nine but it’s only quarter past it’s not an issue really is it?”
As a business owner you should be taking control of setbacks and obstacles.
Using the example above, everybody’s got an app on their phone that tells them tomorrow’s weather. So one could have just looked the night before, been accountable, owned the situation and have been responsible for the outcome.
The initials of Blame, Excuses and Denial spell BED. Being in this state is a little bit like being in bed. It’s really, really comfy. It’s a super place to be – it’s lovely and warm and safe, and you don’t have to tackle the outside world. But you’re not going to move forward by staying here. You need to be above the Point of Power and take Ownership, be Accountable, and take Responsibility – OAR.
If you find yourself dropping below this Point of Power. Own your ship, grab your OARs and row yourself back above the Point. If you’re below The Point of Power you’re the victim, whereas being above The Point of Power makes you the victor.
When you’re thinking about a challenge that you’re being faced in your business, ask yourself “what can I do? How can I take ownership of this problem? How am I going to be accountable for this? And ultimately, how am I going to be responsible for my actions?”
We all went into business thinking that we have the skills, the determination, the backing, the ideas to do well. But if you’re falling below the Point of Power, actually what you’re saying is, “My success is dependent upon other things, other people, other scenarios, other environments. My success is dictated by whether somebody else does something.” That’s not what you went into business for. So this is really, really important to bear in mind – not just in business, but in life.
So don’t be below the Point of Power and powerless. Be above the Point and powerful.
