Activity vs. Accomplishment: 6 Steps to Keep the Confusion to a Minimum

The urge to take action during difficult times is natural. But action without a plan or clear focus on the outcome wastes energy, resources and time. When small businesses are stressed for revenues and loyal clients, action without purpose can aggravate rather than overcome the challenge.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It's a well-worn phase that applies to everything from sports to growing a business. I'll bet you've even said this to a friend, a child or a co-worker. It's natural to want to do something in the face of adversity. This concept is used to develop the plot in many best selling books and movies. You know the kind; main character is down and out and is brought back to hero status to overcome some incredible odds and save the day. Well, it works for Hollywood and Harlequin books but what about real life?

In real life, people tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Depending on the severity of the threat, people can marshal incredible efforts to slay their dragon. Unfortunately, the problem all too often gets overblown which means the dragon is a lizard and the solution is an ax!

When your business has slowed or dried up as is the case for many businesses today, what's the appropriate course of action to take to insure action produces accomplishment? Here's a reality check list to insure your actions meet the challenge.

1. Get a handle on the true nature of the problem- Keep your emotions in check long enough to critically survey the situation. Sometimes, it's as simple as counting to 10. Other times, you may have to engage a close friend or colleague to help you see things clearly. However you do it, do it! Not clearing your head at the start can get you off course immediately. Maintaining decision paralysis won't make the problem go away. Neglecting weeds in your garden usually producing more of the same.

2. Create a list of all the possible suspects- It's not necessary to have the answer at this point; you're still searching for the right issues. Don't discount anything. In the heat of battle, it's the small things that can derail your efforts. If the dragon is causing you to back track and you don't see the edge of the cliff, it won't matter how big your sword is. If you have employees and your customer service is the problem, invite them to participate in the process.

3. Determine the most critical challenges to work on- From your list, rank the challenges and select the ones that when addressed, will bring the most benefit or resolve the greatest problems. It's a fact that 90% of all the things people worry about never actually happen. You'll be much more effective if you identify and focus on the 10% that's really at issue. Wasting time and money solving things that aren't broken, will throw you off track and bleed your bank account making it demoralizing when you figure out you've miss-diagnosed the problem.

4. Create a plan that organizing your actions in the appropriate order- When people feel threatened or overwhelmed by threats to their business, this step gets entirely overlooked. The usual tact is frantically and hastily making decisions to put solutions in motion. The result reminds me of another one of my favorite sayings from corporate- USA; 'If you don't take the time to do it right, you'll have to find the time to do it again'. It would be like a dentist deciding to remove a tooth before reading the x-ray.

5. Find people who play at the things you have to work at- In short, don't waste time trying to resolve things that you aren't equipped to handle. Spend you time on your area of specialty and get help with the rest. One of the most common examples of this is the business owner who wants to save money by doing his own books. If he's not an accountant, he's wasting time better spent on other things and possibly creating significant tax problems for himself at the end of the year. This reminds me of; 'walking past a dollar to pick up a penny'.

6. Have specific goals in mind to measure your results - Here's where activity can miss the mark on accomplishment. Stirring up the dust doesn't mean the floors are clean. All it does is cloud your vision and prevent you from focusing on a successful outcome. This is where a cool head counts. If you can 'see' the solution, your odds of achieving it are dramatically improved.

Our current economic environment is making it tough on all small businesses. It's hard to see the dragon on the horizon when you spend all your time deep in the woods. Take the time to survey your landscape so problems in the making can be dealt with while their on the low end of the list. And if that's not your area of expertise, get help from someone who plays at it!

About the Author

Steve Smith has lived and worked in the Orange County area for more than 15 years. As a sales and marketing professional he established himself as an expert in brand marketing, networking and sales team development. Steve decided to use these skills to help small business owners with the challenge of growing their businesses. This desire to help these businesses grow their bottom lines like the 'Big Guys' is what led Steve to OneCoach.