Successfully Navigating Challenges and Obstacles

Recessions. Misaligned teams. Disgruntled clients. Market slowdowns. Troublesome people and relationships.

Owning a business is full of these, and the most challenging part is that issues often emerge from the woodwork with little to no warning. All the preparation in the world is useless if it’s something you’ve never dealt with before.

If you founded your business based on what you read on LinkedIn, you’ll soon be in for a rude awakening. The cold, hard reality of leadership is that challenges, blockers, obstacles, and difficulties are where you’ll often reside, fighting fires and using the best of your diplomacy skills to keep those around you calm.

In the relatively short time I’ve owned Bamboo, I’ve had my fair share of things to figure out. Seeing someone we all cared about pass away from cancer. People conflict and misalignment. Client losses. Structural obstacles. Mistakes. Personal attacks. Threats. Unpaid invoices. Team friction. Economic downturns. A pandemic.

The 2020s haven’t been kind to anyone, but the universe has undoubtedly dealt its fair share of trickiness our way. With this in mind, I feel that offering some advice could help what you’re facing.

First things first, it’s not personal (until it is)

Business is tough. People will walk over you if you let them, and learning strong negotiation skills, balance, fairness, and disassociation is part and parcel of the job.

Sometimes, challenges spill over into the personal, whether people intend that or not.

It’s evitable, especially within a business that runs on people. The most important lesson I’ve learned is to separate the company or your job from your self-worth. It’s an entity. It isn’t me. When someone attacks us, it isn’t attacking me.

Some will make it personal on rare occasions, but all you can do is approach this from my next tip.

Understand the why, or accept that you’ll never know…

The easiest thing anyone can do when facing a challenge is to jump to a conclusion. Our brains are hardwired to create our own narrative, and it takes a lot of energy to do the opposite.

Leaning into the challenge and patiently moving forward slowly to understand the crux of the issue is one of the best things you can do.

This can cause a range of emotions, but it’s the only way to deal with the issue honestly.

As is sometimes the case, and perhaps frustratingly for those who like clarity, you’ll never understand why a challenge has arisen. It’ll just be there, in front of you, causing you grief, pain or frustration.

It’s easy to whittle away trying to gain the clarity you need, but occasionally, what will be will be, and you have to be at peace that you did your best.

Try your best, but not at your own expense

To overcome a challenge requires strength. And being strong needs energy. If you’re running on empty, it’ll show. Decisions will be more difficult, slower and less effective. Your health could suffer, which, in turn, makes the situation worse.

All you can do is try to solve the problem. No challenge is worth your health.

It’s cliché, but the best guardians against this from happening are those around you.

People love to help.

Asking for help is rare in most people as it means being vulnerable and parking your pride.

Whatever your challenge, sharing it with others will make it easier.

It sounds so obvious, but it’s the truth. Since learning this lesson the hard way, every time I’ve faced a severe situation or serious blocker, I’ve sought help from those I trust and lo and behold, we’ve found a way through.

If a group of kind people can’t solve it, perhaps another group can, but on some rare occasions, there’s one final lesson to remember.

Know when to give up

There is nothing wrong with giving up on your terms.

Some challenges can suck the joy out of your life, and it takes great courage to turn to the world, stare it down and say, “I’m done”. 

It’s unwise to waste your precious time overcoming an insurmountable challenge. It’s OK to move on and accept that today is not the day.

Someone out there could solve it, but let them have their glory.

Focus on what’s controllable and within your grasp; eventually, the things that genuinely need your attention will work out.

They always do.

I’m on LinkedIn if you have a challenge you need to share. I’ll help, whether it’s marketing, business ownership or leadership.