What to do when everything goes to shit!

Excuse my language – but sometimes there is no other way to describe it.   Part of our role as business coaches is helping avoid everything going to shit in your business – that is if we get there in time! Sometimes we are called in too late and the writing is on the wall, but we are 3 months or even 12 months too late to avoid it.  It can be a fast road downhill or it can be a slow festering ride that is hidden under the shiny surface.  Unfortunately, there are also times when we cannot stop it because the leader in the business has no real incentive to change their ways until it does go to shit.  I’ll stop with the swearing now – I think you get the point!

So, what if your business or one of your departments seems to of imploded?  Staff are leaving left right and centre, clients are complaining, new staff aren’t staying and your brain is about to explode or if you start crying you know you wont stop! 

The answer is you need a WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN.   You need to pause, remove yourself from the situation.   You need to spend some time out of the chaos and gain some perspective.  Be honest with yourself – what is the cause of the situation – who is the cause – remembering that the buck stops with YOU, so ultimately it is your fault. 

The state of your business is ultimately the result of the decisions you’ve made.  Now this works both ways – if your business is thriving that is also a result of the decisions you’ve made – but in this case we are looking at when it all seems to go wrong.  It’s the people you’ve employed, the people you have kept on when you should have let them go, the level of training you’ve given your team and a mirid of other big or small decisions you’ve made and HOW you have or haven’t communicated to your team.   Now this may seem harsh – but once you really understand this you also realise that this means you have “control” to change things.  Once you realise you have control, you can start to make decisions that will move you closer to where you want your business to be.   

There is a good chance that this process might take a while to fully sort out, but it really is a matter of one step at a time and one day at a time.  There will also likely be a period of time when all you seem to be doing is putting fires out – get used to it for a bit and just hang tight, because if you have come up with a solid  short and long term plan then there will be a light at the end of the tunnel for you.

So, here are some tips and suggestions for what you need to work through and what things you need to think about.  I highly recommend that you set aside time out of the office to come up with a plan and timeline – here are some areas for you to work through and consider if you find yourself  in this situation.

• Analyse the current situation to identify the root causes of the problems. You need to be REALLY honest here, even if the truth hurts or you don’t like what it means.
• Seek feedback from customers, employees, and other stakeholders to understand their perspectives on the issues.
• Develop a clear and realistic action plan with specific objectives and timelines to address the challenges. This will only work if you have been honest and accurate in your assessment of the root cause of the problems.
• Consider seeking outside help from consultants, mentors, or business advisors who can provide fresh perspectives and expertise. Who can you call on?
• Communicate transparently with employees about the situation and involve them in finding solutions. How will you do this and when will you do this?  How and what you communicate to your team is really important here.  A bit of humility and vulnerability can go a long way.
• Focus on improving customer service and satisfaction to retain existing customers and attract new ones.
• Stay positive and resilient, and be willing to adapt and make necessary changes to turn the business around.

Hopefully if you’re in a bit of a hole these suggestions and encouragement will help you get through.  We are also here if you need someone to reach out to. 

I’ll finish with a quote from Albert Einstein that helps me when things get challenging and that has proven true for me on many occasions:  

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”

If you need some help when times get tough feel free to reach out - [email protected]  or Tamara 0408 585 319, Elaine 04 38 329 261