For the 3Y0 crew 2019 was a thoroughly fascinating and rewarding year. Like everyone else we had to get our heads around the fact that 2019 was a year that once again rebased many businesses (how many on the trot is that now?)
Globally and locally it was a year of big winners and big losers. Equally valuable lessons came from both sides of the ledger for those who were willing to embrace both winning and losing as true learning experiences.
Fact is two things made a real difference:
First, The decisions you made (or didn't make) and
Second, the actions you took (or didn't take)
Despite the hype, despite the stories, despite the numbers, despite the currency, the capital markets and the banks, despite consumer confidence surveys, commodity prices and technology trends – for most in business the year came down to just two things.
Too simple? Not really.
Success belongs to those who respond quickly, adapt to an ever changing playing field, make big decisions early, access and leverage the ideas, talent and resource they need to execute. And most importantly then followed through despite the noise and distraction going on around them.
We observed plenty of local businesses struggling in a flat market. Sure, the economy and general trading environment didn’t help but at the risk of upsetting a few people our observation is that most of the struggle came from within.
Why the struggle? Well, speaking from my own personal experience – most struggle comes from our not being fully awake and 'present' for the full experience of the moment.
In other words, if someone is spending more time pondering why things should be different – than focusing on what is, then they will surely be deep in struggle. Brian Tracy has a lovely saying, “deal with things as they are, not as you’d like them to be.”
0 comments