Last night, as I prepared to turn off and go to bed, a newsletter reader asked me a challenging question. He outlined the situation and the “choices” available to him, but nothing looked that good or simple. His circumstances as they existed weren’t perfect and, based on the information he gave me, the solution couldn’t be perfect either. (I won’t discuss specific details here to respect confidences.)
Using somewhat recent experience, I outlined how I made less-than-perfect choices in a hiring decision only to discover, a few months later, the “same old, same old” story had happened again. But the decision really may not have been a mistake long-term. The now-departed employee brought a new relationship (and contract) to the business which, on his departure, I could expand, firm up and improve. The revenue from this initiative will continue for years and add significantly to the bottom-line, providing especially useful cash flow in months when other revenue declines. (In fact, one of our earliest employees — who left after I had to fire him because of his severe alcoholism –introduced the Directory of Construction Products and Services which continues to generate annual income and, with some tweaks and modifications, is generating even more cash.)
These elements suggest that when you have an imperfect hiring, partnership or marketing solution, you should be less fearful than not to “go for it”. Obviously, weigh the implications of cost, impact on current operations, and the opportunities lost if you put the money into other activities. (Certainly be wary of spending large amounts of hard cash on fixed contract terms when you see your cash flow dropping off a cliff, for example.) If you are careful, you can live through your mistakes and retain valuable skills, experiences and relationships, along with new revenue sources, even if the original idea or relationship is flawed.
In other words, there is an argument for the counter-story to the journalistic rule, “when in doubt, leave it out” (which I try to practice as a fundamental rule to protect confidences and accuracy). It could be, in relationships, “when in doubt, proceed, but with your eyes wide open.” You may indeed discover new opportunities and sources of growth even in the flawed real picture.