It’s rare that real growth takes place without some level of discomfort.
So why do we try to avoid it so much?
So often we look back at challenging times and say ‘wow, that wasn’t easy, but I really learned a lot’ or ‘it was the best thing that could have happened, it made me so much stronger’. If we consciously acknowledged that the discomfort we were feeling was a key ingredient to positive growth, would we be so quick to avoid it?
Transformational leadership is all about identifying and implementing necessary changes with vision, purpose, motivation and accountability.
Change is good, but it is often accompanied by discomfort. We resist change because we don’t like that, we want to remain safely within our comfort zone.
Whether you are leading a team or you’re a solo operator, getting out of your comfort zone is necessary for you to grow your business and your leadership skills. It is also within the discomfort zone where you may well find answers that contribute to the survival of your business.
The discomfort zone holds lots of opportunities and at times it holds lots of answers. Many people stay firmly in their comfort zone because they don’t want to face the TRUTH.
What’s actually going on in your business?
- What’s the truth about your finances, are you actually aware? How closely do you monitor the financial picture of your business? Cash flow is one of the leading causes of business failures, yet it is interesting how often business owners are unaware of the tenuous situation they’re in until it’s all too late.
- Are there issues with your staff that you’re not addressing? Are you having the tough conversations? Disgruntled or unengaged staff members can have a hugely negative impact on your business. IF there are issues here you need to face and address them.
- What is the level of satisfaction with your clients? Do you ask for honest feedback? It is so much easier to sell to an existing client than it is to secure a new one. Do you communicate with your clients and give them an opportunity to voice concerns or dissatisfaction?
- How are things going with lead generation? Are there prospects in the pipeline? There is a time gap between marketing and secured work. When we are busy it is easy to relax our marketing activities, but we need to be aware that when we’re not looking for work there will come a time that there will be no work. Your marketing plans should tie in with your budget forecast and business plan, you do have one of those, right?
Businesses don’t fall apart overnight, it’s a slow process made up of a trail of issues that should have been dealt with along the way.
The answers to those issues are usually found outside of the comfort zone. As a leader you need to step outside and take a look.
