Recently I enjoyed a walk in the woods. The path was clearly marked and was easy to follow. The challenge was that it was filled with obstacles.
In nature, it’s par for the course to come across sticks, rocks, and roots where you plan to step. To avoid stumbling or twisting an ankle, you have to keep a close watch on the ground.
The downside of this vigilance is that you spend less time looking at the scenery and where you need to go. A narrow focus is needed so you can make step-by-step adjustments.
While this is acceptable in the great outdoors, a lot of businesses are run like a walk through the woods. Only here the obstacles aren’t sticks, rocks, and roots. They’re things like communication problems, poor training, and time management issues.
These challenges distract you from your big picture goals because you’re constantly focused on these issues. They take up too much of your time. They keep your from getting the important stuff done and leave you and your team feeling burned out.
When people ask me what I speak to audiences about, my answer is simple: Clear the Path. The obstacles will always be there but you can learn how to effectively get around them so you can focus your business on the important stuff.
These changes take time and a commitment to change. But otherwise, you’re just stumbling through the woods.