Problem Outsourcing
Problem Outsourcing?
Rarely in life do all things go smooth. Especially when it comes to running your own show.
Being an entrepreneur is one of the most topsy turvy adventures one can sign up for.
The allure of controlling our own destiny is just too great so we dive in. Forget how turbulent the waters may be. Don't mind that we have no life preservers we can take with us. Why worry about all the painful and costly problems that lurk beneath the surface. We can handle it, all right?
Maybe.
Maybe not. If you start problem outsourcing!
In my job as a consultant and coach, I see a lot of people who are overwhelmed by the relentless and never-ending demands placed on us when running our own gigs. I see people pushed to the brink, short on time, overcommitted, and blinded by their own ambitions. Then isn't no wonder their idea, product, or service will ultimately fail.
They literally walk the tightrope every day assuming blind luck and fortitude are enough. But as you and I both know, it is not. Instead of blindly going about their business hoping that solutions to their problems will magically fall out of the sky. They should remove the blinds and start looking for someone who sells harnesses and safety nets!
Smart entrepreneurs understand they may not have all the answers. They know what areas of business they don't understand and know, that no matter how brilliant they are, they need help.
That's when they start looking to their network for the right people who can help them. They are smart enough to recognize relying on the hope that the problems will solve themselves is a recipe for disaster.
A few months back I purchased a controlling interest in a software venture I've quietly been working on for the past several years. I knew the tightrope I would be walking and the problems I would face in this chapter of the company. So what did I do? I looked for help and pronto!
Then I found people who could help me navigate the waters that I had no business swimming in by myself.
I called it problem outsourcing at the time and it sort of stuck.
This acquisition had several variables that required way more expertise than I could ever wrap my tiny lizard brain around. Fortunately, I was smart enough to realize this ahead of time. Through my network, I was able to cash in on credits amassed through years of relationship building with way smarter people than myself and get the help I needed.
On the surface, the problems I was facing were overwhelming - to me. You could easily see how some of them could be fatal if not addressed properly. Fortunately, rather than panic and question, if I had bitten off more than I could chew, I simply found the right people who could help me address them one at a time. My problem outsourcing people! Sure from my point of view, these problems seemed massive in scale but with the right people bringing the right experience to the table they were simply "interesting challenges" for them. They quickly came to the rescue and helped me figure out what needed to be done and how we could do it - together.
By outsourcing my problems to the right people with the right expertise I was able to stress less, focus more, and move the company's progress forward without pulling my hair out in the process. That my friend is the way to do business!
What problems are you facing in your business or in your life? Maybe the more important question is who in your network has the experience, knowledge, or expertise to help you fix them? If you've focused your time and energy on building the right relationships with the right people they may just be willing to give you their time and energy to solve your problems.
Of course, if you haven't taken the time to build the relationships with your potential problem outsourcers well then...find a good safety harness and safety net salesman quick!
Ripple On!!!
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