Mini Case Study: Turning Paralysis Into a Plan

Running a business requires keeping a hand on a lot of different things. Managing the daily minutia can mean losing sight of the big picture, leaving critical weaknesses in the broader operation.

Recently, a client came to me in a state of paralysis. They needed help explaining the state of their business to an investor and were panicked that they couldn’t answer the investor’s questions. The business had been declining for a while. They were stuck in the weeds of daily operations, and they weren’t sure how to explain why or how to fix it.

The feeling of overwhelm left them unsure what they were even trying to answer, never mind how to answer it. Before diving into any analysis, we solidified what the investor really needed to know:

1)      What happened in your best year ever?

2)      What is different now?

3)      What can we do to get back to strong performance?

Having 3 clear questions to answer immediately made my client less frantic. It gave us a methodical path forward and let them feel peace of mind that this was a problem that could be unpacked with logic.

In answering question one, we uncovered a critical piece of information. Their peak performance was driven by external factors that were not going to be repeated. While that information was in some ways disappointing, it also let us redefine a realistic high-water mark. They had previously been holding themselves to a standard that was not within their control, and adjusting the benchmark for success was a much-needed relief.

Question two was where they were able to zero in on what had actually changed in their operations. This let them identify the things that needed attention, and where their energy could make a difference. These two questions combined moved them from feeling like they needed to run a hail Mary to regain peak performance to being able to outline viable action steps on a realistic timeline.

Question three put everything together. It created a sense of ownership for what could be better and let them pause to appreciate the pieces of the business that were working well and deserved more emphasis. They had been operating from a place of chaos and moving into a new system with methodical steps towards well-defined goals (not just, do better), created daily relief.

With a clear plan in place, built on prior proof points for success, my client and their investor found refreshed partnership and confidence in the business. They both were able to put their energy where it was useful, rather than fretting that they had made unfixable mistakes.

This mini case study exemplifies a common challenge in small business. Finding time to step back and look at the whole picture can feel impossible in the midst of daily tasks, but sometimes the big picture is the key to getting things back on track and simplifying from the top down.

If you are feeling stuck in your day-to-day operations, try this free 20-minute Monthly Reset guide, designed to help you regain focus and build momentum.