One Form of Acute Pain
It seemed to come outta nowhere. And when it arrived, POW! It brought with it almost debilitating pain. A reasonable person would quickly conclude that a specialist was needed. And the challenge was that each specialist had a different opinion on how to address the pain.
I’m describing a recent back injury that I suffered, but I could just as easily be describing one of your acute business problems. What do they have in common?
- The problem is virtually unforeseen, appearing suddenly.
- It hits you like a ton of bricks.
- Your initial response is to be frozen in place.
- Because it is unexpected and not previously experienced, you’re pretty sure you need the help of an expert, a specialist.
- There are many and varied experts to consult,
- each with their own approach to eliminating the pain.
What to do?
Whom to trust?
Consider the back injury first. If you have a medical doctor, a general practitioner, whom you trust implicitly, he/she would be a good one to consult. A small investment upfront with a trusted advisor who will guide you to the path that returns you to good health seems like a reasonable decision.
Now consider your acute business problem. Who is your “general practitioner”? Whom do you trust implicitly? Start with that person.
I chose to short circuit the process and went directly to a “specialist”. In so doing, I lengthened my recovery. Although I don’t heal as quickly as I did as a twenty something, I will heal – in spite of the false start. But can you say the same for your business? If the surprise attack is vicious enough, you may not have time for a do-over. Get the trusted advice from your generalist as a first step.
I did not conceive this message with the thought of a shameless plug as the wrap-up. But I really would be doing you a disservice not to offer more specific guidance on finding that trusted advisor. Two obvious choices are: a fellow CEO, and a qualified business generalist.
CEO Bulletin 