In theory, a company's problems may come from outside.
But in my decades of business, I have never seen that.
Say a disaster hits the world or a specific market. Everyone gets shaken. But one business folds, another drifts, while a third reinvents itself.
Why does chaos crush some but give others superpowers?
Imagine a forest where a bear grows old or a deer breaks a leg. Does it matter if they're taken down by a competitor for food, a drought, or a virus?
The real danger isn’t chaos but the fragility of the "system".
Why does a company become fragile? There are plenty of reasons:
A mismatch between responsibility and authority.
Conflict between the founder and investors.
Punishing initiative and a lack of new ideas.
Loss of control and unchecked behavior.
Replacing common sense with ideology.
Eating away at reserves.
Complacent leadership.
Lack of vision, and so on.
An external shock doesn’t create problems but highlights existing ones. Blaming chaos means clinging to infantilism.
You have a choice: curse the external factor or be thankful.
Gratitude is the door to maturity from the cage of infantilism.
Moreover, with this attitude, you don’t need to wait for a disaster.
It's better to deal with Chaos's ambassador.
Such a company constantly asks where it is vulnerable.
What seeks to break the system ends up making it healthier.
A paradox.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.