Lost

For the perplexed business owner, the metaphor of being lost is a good one. To examine this problem let us ask: "What does a hiker do to avoid becoming lost?" There are reliable ways not to get lost. The hiker without a GPS but having a map and a compass before starting out can identify the starting location on the map. Also, the hiker will have a destination identified on the map. Then the hiker uses the compass to determine the direction to travel. From time to time, the hiker checks the map to identify the hiker's location on the map, comparing geographical features on the map to those the hiker is seeing. Seems pretty obvious, doesn't it? Yet, I encounter business owners not sure of what they want to accomplish (no destination). I see business owners in business without knowing where they are in terms of actions taken, information about finances and markets (no map), trusting intuition (no compass), and hoping things will work out. Sometimes things do work out for a short while, but over time it does not go well because intuition combined with a lack of knowledge will not produce good decision-making. Good decision-making is the key factor in obtaining consistent successful business results. Poor results lead to disorientation and a feeling of being lost. Let us be like the hiker who does not get lost and does what needs to be done to avoid becoming lost.