A client and I were talking recently and this analogy came to mind as we brainstormed on moving the business forward.
Remember when you were a kid and you went outside after it rained? There were puddles everywhere! As you explored, you discovered streams and creeks clogged with debris washed down by the rain. Leaves, branches and occasionally trash hampered the run-off preventing the water from moving on. Ever the curious kid, you pulled out the branch or leaves and watched in amazement as the water went rushing by, draining the puddles, the land, and moving onward to its destination.
The analogy above was just enough to get my client thinking about the blockage in the business. Yet the story got me thinking…what happens when a blockage is not removed?
A creek that is blocked from flowing stagnates. Not much moves in the water and a film develops on top. Add a few more days and a little sunshine, and the whole area begins to stink. Downstream, the water barely trickles along and those dependent on the flow look for other resources.
Perhaps you discover the blockage a few days later with the stagnant water and the dry creek below. You work to remove the blockage and release the held-back water. The effects are immediate. The smell dissipates and the still back-logged water begins to move and appear fresher with the film now gone from its surface. The creek and vegetation below spring back to life. If you have ever experienced this you can literally smell the shift and feel the change in the atmosphere.
Wow…you can see where this is going can’t you? Ask yourself “what is not working in my business?” What blockage is holding you back from truly moving forward? Is your technology due for an upgrade? Is there a role that needs to be filled, or unfilled and refilled? Are you the branch damming up the flow, holding on to too many things and not letting others flourish and grow? Look closely. What can you remove to get things flowing?