The eighth in our series of 12 this month’s word in the heart of holiday season is Vicissitude.
The dictionary says that vicissitude means variability, unexpected change The ups and downs of a business life
I think the ability to deal with the unexpected is at the heart of a successful business. Not just the unexpected negative I wrote about this before; but the unexpected positive that life often puts in front of us. This can be the hardest thing to deal with. That may be a topic for another blog.
I think that ability, that resilience; which we acknowledge is vital to the survival and flourishing of small businesses; is massively enhanced by time away from the business. I often suggest things you could do to get ahead while others do nothing. I’ve learned that sometimes doing nothing is precisely what it takes. Stopping and taking stock can be a critical skill both in adversity but particularly in good times.
Let’s say that you have a problem. It could be a difficult customer, a bad payer or a big opportunity – Yes a big opportunity can be a problem because it requires change - and you don’t know the best way to resolve the problem. I always revert to what my Grandmother told me. If you are not sure of what to do next sweep the floor. I know this sounds daft but it really works. Do something positive that requires no thought: like sweeping the floor. This has 3 positive impacts:
- The floor gets swept
- If you have employees they see that you are happy to muck in with them so when it is their turn they will think ‘well even the boss sweeps the floor in his or her turn and that enhances you as a leader rather than as a manager’ – I have been on that soap box before
- A little distance from the problem is created and so you have time to see the problem from more than one angle thereby usually facilitating a few possible solutions. These solutions are rarely perfect but they are at least considered.
There is one other small point about this. Taking that step away from a problem facilitates a decision. The only thing you can do once a decision is made is act. That ability to make a quick decision and act is the real beauty of a small business. It creates flexibility and allows you to be unpredictable in the market. That creates vicissitudes that others, your competitors have to respond to and that creates an economic advantage for you.
That’s why a holiday, some time away from the pressures of work, is such a good idea. Like it or not being in business forces us into an imperfect role. There are bits of us that just do not fit the business model. Those bits are often the parts that are extra life giving for us.
The people we are need to be fostered if we are to be strong enough to deal with the vicissitudes of life and of business. To take what we get, rough and smooth and keep going.
I’ve said before that you cant fox a puncture while the bus is still rolling but in 2017 the bus sometimes has these fancy modern self sealing tyres. So you don’t need to do anything just keep rolling.
So enjoy the holidays and the quiet time. Recharge the battery and get ready to tackle the vicissitudes of Q4 of another year. May they all be opportunities.
By the way: As of publication there are 141 shopping days left till Christmas.