So, in business is there such thing as stagnant? More than 40 years ago, I worked for and was mentored by a man who changed my life. He saw more in me than I saw in myself. But it was more than that; he had worked his way up to the top rung, beginning on the ground floor. He had raised eight smart and well-adjusted children, and he looked at life and laughed. His name was Jerry Heir. To this day, I quote Mr. Heir about business and life. And one of his quotes was that there was no such thing as stagnant you were either on your way up or your way down, which leads to out.
In Business Is There Such a Thing as Stagnant?
Are the Numbers up?
The first thing that comes to mind is how much business you are doing. Are you ahead of last year, last month, or last week? If you’re not, it could be a sign of a downward trend, but maybe not. If your business has taken on new challenges, there may be a drop in sales volume, but that doesn’t automatically define a spiral.
Are You Growing?
Have you expanded territory, added products, or increased personnel? Is your business growing in ways that may not be reflected by revenue? Don’t get me wrong; profit is what keeps the doors open, but there are times when businesses have to spend money to grow.
Are you Developing New Leaders?
When a new hire onboards, can you paint them a vision of advancement, or do they need to wait for someone to retire to move up the ladder? Do you offer leadership training? If not, I know an easy and cost effective way to get started.
Have You Recently Failed at Something?
If you never fail, you aren’t trying new things. You’re not expanding. You’re not growing. To grow, you need to take on new challenges, and not all will be a success. However, failing allows you to learn and grow. If you want to explore this more, I recommend Robby Slaughter’s book, Failure the Secret to Success.
Don’t Buy Into Complacency
A business is a growing concern; it’s a living thing, and living things grow until they don’t—then they die. Look around you; it happens more often than you may think. How many businesses can you remember that stagnated and passed into the night? What direction is your business headed?
How Can I Help?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
Does your business have a management training plan? Businesses and universities use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. I’m also available to conduct training.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like, Does Your Business Move at the Speed of Change?
Photo by Shoeib Abolhassani on Unsplash
