Fires

In many ways, a crisis is like a forest fire. If left unchecked, it can devastate thousands of acres, homes and lives. However, forest fires do have a beneficial effect in nature. Fires clear out old dead brush and decades of undergrowth, and set the stage for vibrant new growth in the future. Fires are Mother Nature’s way of giving rebirth to a forest.

Crisis in a business, if handled properly, can be a healthy thing. Bumps in the road can serve to focus an entrepreneur and propel him/her into action. If challenges are viewed as opportunities vs. disasters, these events can make a huge difference in the long term success of a business. In fact, these types of crises can be the difference between a home run and a single.

A number of years ago, as a CEO of an emerging franchise company, I had aggressively recruited an extraordinarily talented individual to join our management team. This individual, whom I will call Roger, was unique in our industry, and by far the best in the industry at what he did – training franchisees on the technical aspects of our business. After Roger joined our management team, over a period of just a few years, he had completely reoriented the company’s training program and cemented the company’s position as the leader in the industry.

Part of Roger’s job required extensive travel. Travel is difficult for anyone with a family. Roger had some family issues that were exacerbated by his frequent absences on company business. To Roger’s credit, he walked into my office one morning and said that he had to resign. I respected his decision, but when he walked out of the office, I sat there and looked out my window, wondering how in the heck I was going to replace Roger. In many ways Roger was irreplaceable. I was heartsick because he had done so much to make the company the industry leader.

Although the next few months were difficult after Roger left, the management team pulled together to bridge the gap. I moved quickly to fill the void and was able to recruit one of the more successful franchisees to fill Roger’s spot. This proved to be a critical addition to the team. The new Director of Operations and Training brought a different set of skills to the table and built upon what Roger had accomplished.

Roger moved on and chose a different career that was more conducive to his family situation. Roger’s replacement catapulted the company forward, increasing its domination in our market segment. What seemed like disaster turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Without the “new Roger,” the company could not have gone to the next level.

Disasters come in many different forms: the loss of a key employee or a key client, a big proposal or a new competitor entering the market, a key employee embezzling funds, a fire at your office, a technology failure … and the list goes on and on. Whatever these bumps in the road are, there is a process to implement to insure that these disasters don’t derail the company.

5 Strategies to Convert a Disaster Into a Win:

1. Attitude. Don’t get depressed. Take a deep breath and get to work.

2. Vision. Don’t look back. Keep moving forward. Inaction or indecision is a killer.

3. Execution. Realize that execution is more important than having the perfect plan or strategy.

4. Mistakes. Accept that there will be setbacks and mistakes, but as long as you are taking two steps forward, then a step backwards from time to time is expected, and in some cases necessary, to keep you rooted in reality.

5. Drive. Never, never, never give up!