I grew up in Canada where snow was normal. Snow-ploughs cleared the main roads, sand and salt were spread on the side roads to reduce the ice and provide more grip for driving, snow tires were put on cars and people shovelled their footpaths. Everyone was prepared and took the appropriate action to ensure that business continued as usual.
The recent snowfalls around New South Wales caught us all by surprise. We weren’t prepared for it. Trucks and cars came to grief on the snowy and icy roads. Some complained about being held up on roads, stuck going nowhere as the road ahead was impassable. Some even spent the night in the cars.
But what was that really all about? In truth – we weren’t prepared for snow.
My question to you is this: What would you do if you were caught by surprise by a highly unusual situation with your business? Would you be prepared? Would you be able to make decisions quickly to ensure the best possible result in the difficult situation that you found yourself caught up in?
Every business needs to have alternatives, ideas of what to do when things go wrong; the ability to make a smart decision when the unexpected happens. This isn’t just about having a back-up plan; a Plan B. It’s more than that. It’s about having your numbers up-to-date so that you know exactly where you stand. It’s about understanding what the impact of the unexpected will be. It’s about having the information at your fingertips to make informed decisions on what to do. It’s about being decisive and taking action. The beauty of being a SME is we can make decisions and implement them quickly, something the big corporates just can’t do.
So next time the unexpected happens in your business, take the opportunity to be bold, decisive and think outside the box.
