| I was out boating over the summer break and got thinking about business while helping my daughter learn how to manoeuvre a boat. What struck me when I was instructing her was that I kept saying, "there's no steering if you're not moving forwards" and after I had said that a number of times is stuck. I couldn't get it out of my head! When we are moving forwards in our business, even if that is simply crawling, we have some cash flow, we have some power to make decisions and we can be nibble in those decisions and change direction if we need to. |  |
If we sadly get to the point where business has got so bad we aren't even moving forwards anymore then we have no rudder, or engine to steer us back on course or at least in the right direction of safety, or better cash flow or new projects.
HOW DO WE KEEP MOVING FORWARDS I hear you say?
Well there are lots of ways. You need to find what works best for you. The brain sees movement forwards as a less stressful event than standing still - literally moving forwards puts the brain into a different state which provides an environment for it to thrive, reduce stress and think creatively. If you can stay in this state your brain will start figuring out solutions to your problems.
HOW DO WE KEEP MOVING FORWARDS I hear you say?
Well there are lots of ways. You need to find what works best for you. The brain sees movement forwards as a less stressful event than standing still - literally moving forwards puts the brain into a different state which provides an environment for it to thrive, reduce stress and think creatively. If you can stay in this state your brain will start figuring out solutions to your problems.
 | If a sailing boat has no wind it doesn't matter whether it has a rudder or not - it's going nowhere. That boat can either wait for the wind to pick up or find some other way of propelling itself so it can steer again. Many small vessels carry a small outboard as a back up, this can be the new wind in it's sails - or the new wind in your sales! [See what I did there?] What is your back up engine - what is going to keep you moving forwards? Start physically moving then allow the mental game to catch up your brain will surprise you. What it can up with when you give it space and time to be creative. |
An unpredictable market requires unpredictable behaviour.
I'm obviously referring to Covid here but it could be any kind of disruptor that has thrown your business off course. The key is finding that forward momentum that I am alluding to in my metaphors about boats!
I'm obviously referring to Covid here but it could be any kind of disruptor that has thrown your business off course. The key is finding that forward momentum that I am alluding to in my metaphors about boats!
How many income sources do you have in your business?
Is there more than 1?
Is there more than 1?
If not then this would be the place to start. Spreading the risk in your business by having a number of different sources will be a great place to start building resilience into your business and allowing you different cash flow volume at different times of the year so if one changes the others will be there to support your change of direction or just weather the storm of that change. Whatever you choose I recommend working on it now. If the wind doesn't return to your sails then you are likely to end up on the rocks! Unless you know a friendly 'coast guard' that will save you, then these are the things we need to be considering in our businesses.
I'll leave it with you.
I'll leave it with you.
