Early this week, it was reported throughout media outlets that the U.S. is in a recession and has been since December 2007. The market are fluctuating as we hear and/or experience highly negative events such as layoffs, bailouts, and highly restricted credit. This anxiety can cloud your business vision.
What difference does it make to be a visionary? Well, let me be clear that I am using visionary with more of a small v. Too many people tell me they are visionaries simply because they have an idea and are entrepreneurs. They talk as if they are the Second Coming. However, their plans are vague and they have not invested in developing how they show up in their businesses. Seeing your way through the bad or good times without getting sidetracked is being a visionary.
The “small v” visionary is someone who knows profoundly why they are in business. They lead their businesses from a values-based position. This is not to say that you will agree with their particular set of values but they are consistent and dependable. The leaders of Hewlett Packard, 3M, and Microsoft can be seen as examples of this type of leadership.
But I run a small business, you say. And times are really bad. The current economic crisis is bad. Use these circumstances as your crucible. In a really hurry, you find out what is important and unimportant about your business. As we get bogged down in the minutiae of our businesses, we can feel panicked and pressured to do something. It is time to do a SWOT analysis with a couple of twists (see article, The Gift of a SWOT Analysis).
There are questions that can guide you as you review your vison, goals, and measurements. Be honest with yourself as you answer them.
- What are your current top 3 values?
- What purpose does your business serve?
- How much revenue are you generating?
- How consistent is your business model with your top 3 values?
- What supports your growth?
- What prevents your growth?
- What are you going to do about it?
