Guest post by Cass Mullane, Creative Innovator, Right-Brain Business Plan® Licensed Facilitator, Prosper Creatively, LLC
We’ve all felt it… that time when you know something is wrong, but you don’t want to make a fuss or draw attention or make someone mad or even get someone fired. Where‘s that line for you? How often do you kick yourself for not speaking up, for not doing something that you knew needed to be done?
You’ve all had times when a vendor delivered a damaged or incorrect product. Most of the time you don’t give it a second thought, you just send it back for a replacement or a refund. It’s an impersonal transaction so you probably don’t have much emotional attachment to either the problem or the outcome.
So why is it any different for a contractor who doesn’t deliver or a vendor who might be an acquaintance, not just an online presence? What about an employee who is not performing? Your personal connection with them can cloud your ability to see the situation clearly and of course, can affect your ability to deliver an appropriate response.
When you start having thoughts that someone is not doing what they’re supposed to be doing for you and your business, what do you do? Do you have the conversation that you know you need to have with them or do you just let it go… again. People often tell me that having that conversation is one of the hardest parts of their business. True, it may be hard. But so’s going bankrupt. And which is better for your business, having the hard conversation or not delivering value to your customers because of someone else’s ongoing issues?
I heard someone say, “The first time you think about firing someone is when you should fire them.” Sounds a bit harsh, but when you think about it, it’s not. When you decide to accommodate or “fix” someone else’s problem you’re setting yourself up to waste a lot of your precious time and resources. Obviously, you can give someone a break for messing up. But when the problem is recurring or systemic, you must deal with it or you could very well be looking at the same problem months or even years from now with no resolution in sight.
The best way to tackle this is to set very clear expectations up front, lay out the consequences of inadequate performance, then enforce the consequences. And rest assured, once you have one “hard” conversation, it gets easier. Plus, your communication might be able to open the door to a much better relationship over time.
You have high standards for yourself and your business. You should be able to expect the same standards for people you choose to work with.
Stick to your guns. After all, your business is certainly worth that level of effort, isn’t it?
©2019 Cass Mullane – All rights reserved
Cass’ new #1 International Bestseller, The Cool Stuff Jar: Three Simple Ways to Live a Happier Life, is now out on Kindle! Keep tabs on the book launch and all the fun following the launch by visiting www.CoolStuffJar.com and entering your email. You can also follow Cass on Facebook!
Like many great innovators, Cass Mullane has the unique combination of being a strong creative as well as a strategic thinking MBA. After departing the corporate world in 2004, Cass built a thriving business and personal coaching practice that focuses on accountability and specializes in solid business skills for right brainers and creatives. Tapping into this whole brain approach has helped to make Cass a highly valued coach with an international clientele.
