Hi there. I hope you’re doing well this fine day. We find ourselves in interesting times at the moment. In both life and in business. I just wanted to pop in and say hello, and see how you’re doing.
Now, like most entrepreneurs, I’ve been thinking about how this occurrence is going to impact us, and how it’s going to affect my business. I’m also thinking about how it will present opportunities and positive changes too.
Because it will. You know, it definitely will.
I’ve been in business for more than 25 years and we’ve navigated some really tough terrain. A couple of them were very scary and we didn’t know that we’d survive it financially. But we did, you know, and we’re here, and even though they were scary times, they were also the times that we learnt the most valuable lessons. They were the times when we look back we can see that we made amazing pivots, amazing changes, and things turned around.
This will pass and what I really want to share with you is that while they were difficult times, we got through them. These are difficult times, and we’ll get through them too. One of the best ways we can do that is a thing known as the ‘Stockdale Paradox’. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it? It’s an approach used by a man named James Stockdale, who was an American, he was a politician as well, but he was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War and he believed that you had to balance optimism and realism. That’s what became known as the Stockdale Paradox Acknowledging the gravity and the reality of the situation, but not getting lost in the gloom and doom of it all, then looking for the opportunities and finding something to be optimistic about. When you look through history, that’s what great leaders do.
You know, the Stockdale Paradox is not new, or just for Mr. Stockdale, it works in all times of crisis. Including this one. So, the reality is, we have things to be concerned about. But, the reality is there are things to be positive about too, and as entrepreneurs we can step up and we can lead. As you know, I’ve been passionate about leadership for a long time, and I truly believe that small business owners are leaders in our community, and now is our time.
We’ll step up, and we’ll shine. We’ll band together and we will get through this. We’ll help each other, and we’ll look for the positives and we’ll pivot. So, there’s lots and lots of room for you to be optimistic, and for being proactive, which is very important too. My husband Lou and I were chatting about this on the weekend and I was saying how scared we were in 1992 during the recession, when we thought we’d lose everything. We came very close.
We had a really young family, my fledgling naturopathic clinic had barely got off the ground because we moved so much because my husband worked in the mining and resources industry, interest rates were 18%, and there was no work to be found anywhere. It was such a difficult time, and we felt so alone, our options were so limited.
But that’s not the case today.
Times are really different. I mean, just the fact that I’m sitting chatting to you, via the internet. We have our online communities, we have ways that we can reach out to each other and support each other. You know, we have options that we can pivot our business like those restaurants that are now doing takeout and home delivery. They’ve pivoted and adapted and that’s what we can do. We have ways that we can look at these challenges and see them as a period of growth, because that’s how our resilience is built, and the growth mindset is built .
That’s what’s going to get us through this.
Because we will get through it. That’s just the cycle of life, sort of thing. So it’s how well we get through it, and how strong your businesses is. We go into a period of survival, so now it’s about surviving and applying that Stockdale paradox approach. What’s the reality of our situation how do we look for the areas that we can pivot. How we can adapt. We can change. We can come up with other services. How can we serve our community?
Because the reality is there’s a nasty virus out there and it’s in the best interest of our community both local and globally that we disinfect, isolate, and distance where we can. What are the ramifications for you and for your business? Look at the reality of what are you dealing with, and then look at that upside. Take a really good look at yourself how can you step up as a leader. How can you build your personal resilience? How can you develop your own leadership skills? Who can you reach out to help? What can you do for your community? How do you keep your business alive? Because that’s the name of the game at the moment. You’ve just got to keep it alive. What can you do to help your clients to keep their business alive?
What can I do for you?
For me, I’ve cancelled three weeks travel that I had planned, so I find myself with a bit more time on my hands than I expected and I’ve got a few things that I want to do. For my own development, for the of my business, and for the good of my community. One of them is that I’m going to completely review and revise my entire business blueprint. To really take the time to immerse myself in that. I’m also going to challenge myself to 30 days of daily video.
Yikes! I did say that didn’t I?
As you know, video is not my favourite thing to do, but I’m going to do that over the next 30 days. I will produce a video every day. And I want to produce a video on a subject that is going to help my community. To help you!
I’m talking about you, and what I can do to help. My intention is to share the knowledge and the resources that I have, and have access to. That’s going to help small business owners to survive this period.
Please, let me know if there is something that you’re concerned about. If there is something in particular that you would like me to cover. Just leave a message in the comments. Or send me a personal message. If there’s anything in particular that you’re worried about, reach out. We can all help each other. You’ve just got to reach out. Hit the comments, and let me know.
So, stay safe and keep your chin up. Did you see what I did there? I think that was the Stockdale Paradox wasn’t it? Stay safe, you know what you need to do. Keep your chin up, you know better times are coming.
So take care and please get in touch. Alright?
We’re in this together and I’m here to help.
Alison