Why Fear of Bad News Keeps You from Solving Problems
Something breaks.
An employee didn’t show up for work.
A client churned out unexpectedly.
A machine went belly up and ground production to a halt.
When something breaks, you’ve got to figure out why.
And it’s honestly that simple.
Ask, “Why did this happen?” Then ask it again. And again.
I’m a fan of the formula “ask why 5x.” That usually gets you to the root cause of the problem.
It’s simple, but not easy.
That’s why so many leaders I work with…just won’t do it.
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Never, ever underestimate a human being’s desire to bury their head in the sand.
We DO NOT WANT to hear bad news.
And if you dig deep enough into a problem, there’s usually bad news lurking somewhere. It’s under all the excuses and the easy explanations.
What if your real problem was that you had a business model that wasn’t profitable?
What if your real problem was that you needed to let go of two loyal, well-loved, long-term employees?
What if your real problem was that the company itself was bleeding you dry and the best solution was to sell or close your doors?
Those are exceptionally unpleasant things to face.
(I know, because I’m often the one who has to help CEOs face them.)
Sometimes, we don’t dig deep because we’re afraid of what we’ll find.
Maybe we already know what we’ll find. And we just can’t deal.
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Here’s the problem with all that: ignorance may be bliss, but it won’t save your business.
While you’re not making the choices you need to make, you’re wasting time.
Wasted time sets you back. By month, maybe years. Do you have years to lose?
I don’t want that for you.
Instead, I want you to face the difficult realities that come with growing a company. Confront the shame, the guilt, the sadness, the fear. Look your challenges straight in the eye.
And know that there’s not one you can’t overcome.
