Seven Ways to Revitalize When Business Isn't Fun Anymore

Jul 24, 12 | 12:05 am

By Tom Harnish

Do you find yourself thinking, this just isn't worth it any more? Sometimes the stress and frustration of running your own business can outweigh the joy and freedom. It may start to feel like you're trapped in a bad relationship. You can find a business consultant (or a marriage counselor), but they'll tell you that you have to fix the problem.

So before seeking out professional help, try these seven tactics to put the fun back in your business.

1. Figure out what's going on

Most business owners, if you ask them, can't explain what the problem is. "If I knew, I'd fix it," they'll tell you.

They know there's been a drop in new customers or an increase in manufacturing costs, and probably have spreadsheets out the wazoo to prove it. But blaming sales or manufacturing won't solve the problem. In fact, it will make the problem worse because the people working there will feel blamed and anxious.

You need to look at what's causing the problem; fixing blame ignores the underlying issues. You need to figure out, with the help of your people, what's really going on.

2. Accept responsibility

The problems you're having didn't just happen overnight. Bad businesses, like good ones, are built, maintained and encouraged. To fix a problem you have to look at how you (and others) have contributed to it and do something about it.

3. Test your realities

The nice thing about reality is it's the same whether you believe it or not. The bad thing about wishful thinking is it may, or may not, match reality.

We all know there are certain guidelines and accepted truths, about running a business. But we often get into trouble because we follow the wrong truths. "Best practices" sometimes aren't.

It's easy to fall into the trap of working harder and harder to get better and better at something you shouldn't be doing at all.

4. Stop self-sabotage

People are strange, and one of the strangest things we sometimes do is ensure our own failure.

We're used to toxic situations or dysfunctional people, so when things are going well, we take steps to make sure that we end up with the familiar. We think something is "too good to be true," so we engineer its failure to demonstrate we're in control. When things are going well, we create problems just to liven things up.

Step back and see if, insidiously, you are why the business isn't fun anymore.

Source for complete article: OPEN Forum