Why, I wonder, do so many people procrastinate on making tough decisions about relationships until the short-term pain of making the decision becomes greater than the long-term pain of doing nothing about it?
There’s not a week goes by that I’m not listening to a prospect or client explain in gruelling detail (sometimes for the second or third time) how the performance and/or behaviour of another person is making them unhappy.
My response is a predictable “replace them”.
In business, I’m in the business of fixing people who pay me to fix them.
In business, I’m not in the business of fixing people who I pay.
Neither should you be.
If a client has a problem, I’ll try my damnedest to help them solve it.
You are there to solve patients’ problems.
If a team member or a supplier has a problem, I suggest they heal themselves, get external help or move on.
Would you be surprised if I told you that clients frequently ask me to try and fix their team members?
It’s important to make a distinction here.
I don’t mind training, consulting with, coaching or mentoring team members.
What I’m not prepared to do – not even for money – is try and fix them.
Fixing the person who:
- doesn’t believe in private dentistry;
- doesn’t believe in Facebook as a marketing platform;
- doesn’t believe that collecting patient’s email addresses, testimonials and selfies is important;
- doesn’t believe that what you asked them to do yesterday and have ready today needs doing today;
- doesn’t believe in ethical selling;
- doesn’t believe in your core values;
- doesn’t believe in your prices;
- doesn’t believe in unpaid overtime;
- doesn’t believe in your vision.
If you know who I’m talking about – it’s already time to let them go.
Short-term pain, long-term gain.
Take the pill.
