…slam their head down in the water but if they don’t take a drink, what then?

 

Years ago I worked for a man who had an unending supply of great ideas. As a leader though, he couldn’t put together a team who could execute his ideas. I knew the wheels were off the bus, but I couldn’t figure out how to convince him of the impending danger. As my warnings grew stronger and more urgent, (read emotional) his ability to listen or react grew weaker. Unlike Chicken Little, the sky eventually fell on us, and it wasn’t pretty.

 

I vowed that should I be faced with a similar situation in the future I would keep my emotions in check. I would present facts in an unemotional assessment of the situation in order to persuade and then help to develop and execute a plan to change the outcome. 

 

Sounds good right? Wrong.  So here I am again only this time its clients. Their strategy is random, their management teams ineffective, their sales teams inept, but they don’t see it. They think it will all get better when the economy gets better. I spend hours looking for evidence that I can put before them to illustrate better ways of doing things. Yet, they lament about pricing pressure from crazy competitors. They blame their inflexible leases from vendors (the same ones they signed willingly just a few years before). They bellyache about and threaten to fire their ineffectual sales reps who have been exhibiting the same skill set since Hector was a pup. And they seek advice from others who tell them there is an easy fix.

 

I want to scream, “the train is coming, get off the track.” But I know they won’t be able to hear me over the roar. 

 

Is it time to part ways…or am I missing something?