What’s In the Rearview Mirror of Your Company?
When I’m driving (re: speeding) I’m constantly checking the rearview mirror to see if there are any cops behind me or nearby. I haven’t been pulled over in 3+ years, so I’m pretty happy about that. I also check the rearview when crossing lanes, so I don’t crash. Sometimes, I just check it for no particular reason — to be a responsible driver, right?
But what about with your company. Running a company is similar to driving a car in that you are the person manning the vehicle (re: your company) and you have to constantly look behind you to see if cops (re: pitfalls and potential mistakes) are behind you and also checking it when crossing the lane (re: launching a new product of service) to make sure that you don’t crash — or, in our case, make a wrong move with your business.
As an entrepreneur you have to constantly check your rearview mirror to make sure that you are heading in the right direction with your business and that you are making the right moves.
If you continue to drive — with your head looking straight forward — you are bound to crash sooner or later. For instance, say you launch a new product or service and you are so confident that your badass idea rocks that you don’t even feel the need to look back — at your clients — and see how they are responding, see if they are hating or loving it, or to see if the idea is losing you money.
You can only see these things when you take a chance to peep through your company’s rearview mirror and spend some time assessing your current position. Complacency will kill the entrepreneur. Maybe your company is leaving money on the table by not properly utilizing your existing customer-base with the right services; services that can increase your bottom-line and add value to your clients.
Again, you’ll only be able to see such mistakes by looking “back” not only “forward” and seeing what’s going on behind you; behind the scenes.
You are a visionary. You are a forward-thinker. You are an innovator. Yes, you are the founder. Right on! BUT, a leader and an innovator does not neglect what’s behind them. They don’t forget to check up on their creations by spending some time and effort to take a look into the background.
2 Comments
lawrence
May 20th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
i agree - you can’t move ahead fluidly if there’s a chainball attached to your ankle
David Askaripour
May 20th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
yeah, fluidity and flexibility are essential for growth — true.
Leave a Comment