Recently, I got a very glum email from a colleague I hold dear. She informed me of her company’s potential demise. She lost major work and has had to put her location up for sale. This email hit me like a ton of bricks. This person has enjoyed year over year successes and this is their 25th anniversary. How could it just slide so quickly?
But, you know as I sit here at my Mac, contemplating, I am struck by what I have always admired about her – her professionalism, her lack of fear. Her simple email told of her having to immediately layoff, of her speaking with the accountants about stopping the bleeding and the selling of her building. What you may not believe is that these actions really impressed me. I have known and have had personal experience with those among us who refuse to accept the reality of a situation and choose to believe that it will correct itself. That some how, everything will sort itself out on its own.
I believe that her brand is even stronger now, because she did the tough thing. She stood tall, and refusing to allow what would honestly devastate others, moved forward on her journey. She did not hesitate. This speaks volumes about her brand.
When I am faced with the good and bad news, I typically chose the bad first. If I have to make choices, I get the hard ones out the way first. I am not a procrastinator. What I do know is that refusing to make the hard decisions, will put an enormous stress on your health. Being the nice guy does nothing for your stress level. What my friend is going through has nothing to do with being a nice person or not. It has everything to do with making sure your situation is secure and there is as little blood-letting as possible. If she had let her ego prevent her from clearing the minefield before her, imagine the damage she would have incurred.
Are you also going through a nightmare scenario right now? If you are, I can assure you, that putting off that hard decision that is tearing you apart inside, does have a solution. Close your eyes and blurt it out – get it done and watch your blood pressure ease. Being on the other side of the hard decision is “such a relief” that before, when only negatives swam in your head, now has cleared, and believe it or not – then and only then, will you be able to see opportunity where none seemed possible.
All the participants here at Small Business Branding try very hard to be of value to the readers. We know so few of you because most do not comment but use the knowledge expressed to benefit their businesses in silence. All around us there is genuine suffering. If you find yourself in the same situation as my friend, treat the writers here as your personal mastermind group. There is decades of experience here that you can draw from – we’ve been there I can assure you.
Stop the hurt and move to the other side. Your best years lie ahead!
Perhaps we all should focus more on our “personal” brand. When times are tough reputation can mean a job rather than jobless.
Personal branding also makes you more valuable within an organization. When they have to pick who goes – it will be the other person who did nothing to make themselves valuable.
There is no doubt these economic times are hitting everyone hard. If you can see yourself going under there is no point holding out, If you can sell out early and head off financial ruin at least you can live to fight another day.
Ed,
Thanks so much for your honesty and speaking out loud about the inner turbulence this economy is causing. It’s tough to face the harsh realities – it makes them seem so much harsher. It’s natural to want to duck and cover, to protect ourselves as best we can. But as you point out, it is not protection to allow yourself to stay in harms way. Bad things happen to good people when they bury their heads in the sand.
You’ve got it Lennie – hiding makes it worse. Like I said it’s so much better to get to the other side and forge ahead a stronger better person.
You are definitely right Lawrence, there is no shame in stopping the bleeding and starting over. It’s just a bump in the road. Prolonging the pain just keeps you down.
You have some good points there. I did a lookup on the subject and I want to say that I found virtually all bloggers will agree with your point of view.
Thank you for the support on this view Melita. We need to push forward.