SBDC for Enterprise Excellence

When things don’t go the way you planned…

Wikipedia: “A Contingency Plan is a plan devised for a specific situation when things could go wrong.”

Our SBDC for Enterprise Excellence had a pretty strong contingency plan - A worse case-scenario for if the “bad thing” truly happened.  And it happened last night.  My director Jo-An Weddle lost her battle with cancer.  So it is with a heavy heart that I write this weekly blog.

BUT

Jo-An would want a lesson to be learned.  She spent much of her professional life here at the SBDC for Enterprise Excellence, striving to improve small businesses in North Texas.  Educating them.  Advising them.  Guiding them through uncomfortable circumstances…. Discussing the inevitable need for a “Plan B” that many small business owners don’t want to face. 

I believe she would want small business owners to learn a lesson from this difficult time.  So I ask you this: “What is your ’Plan B’?”  What if things don’t go the way you thought they would?  Are you surrounded by strong people who know what to do if “What if” becomes “What now?”  Have you shared your vision?  Does your staff know how to perpetuate the culture you have created? 

Contingency plans aren’t just for leadership and growth in your absence, you should think through multiple “What if?” situations for your day to day operations. Are you prepared for …a financial challenge? …if a delivery doesn’t make it just in time? …if the new-hire ends up becoming a bad-hire? …if the marketing plan fails?...if the processes you thought were so perfectly improved end up being perfectly awful? …if the technology you invested so much money in results in failure?  …if the sales simply don’t happen?

What will you do?  What is your contingency plan?  What if the worst happens?

Will your Plan B work?  Do you have a Plan C?

Go there.  Consider the “worst case scenarios” that are always lurking and that could provide immense obstacles.  And be ready for them.  Embrace them, before they catch you off guard and knock you out of the game. 

Create a contingency plan and although you may struggle to your feet, your balance will slowly be restored and you can continue to thrive despite the enormous challenges thrown at you and your business. 

You will thrive in spite of it all, because you were prepared.