"Growing Your People Monthly" Newsletter

July 2010

In last month's ezine, we talked about the many business owners I encounter who are feeling overwhelmed. Disengaging--really taking some time off--is one important way to address that feeling of overwhelm. This month, let's look at a different strategy, that of engaging. In my experience, many times we stay busy and overwhelmed to avoid facing critical issues in our businesses. Dive into those opportunities, and you may find your load growing lighter.

Be well,

Yvonne Kinney-Hockert
National Speaker, Business Consultant & Coach
Consulting Solutions, LLC.

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What's Under the Overwhelm?

When you confront a problem, you begin to solve it. ~ Rudy Giuliani

Being overwhelmed can seem natural to anyone running a business, from the solopreneur to the small business owner or corporate leader. The tasks and responsibilities involved in leading any business are endless and can be overwhelming. But if you're starting to feel like a hamster in a wheel, it may make sense to ask yourself this question: Might all this busy-ness be masking some underlying issues or unaddressed concerns?

Feeling overwhelmed can be a temporary state, the result of a staffing shortage, a hard push to get a product to market, or an influx of business. That's nothing to worry about. However, when the overwhelm becomes chronic, or widespread within the company, it's time to take a look from a different perspective, ask yourselves some tough questions and find out what's underneath the mountain of tasks. If overwhelm is your only operating mode, there may be numerous areas in need of improvement.

Instead of endlessly running down a to-do list that just won't quit, step back and look at the problem head on. I suggest bringing your partners or leadership team together to discuss the current situation. Consider using an outside facilitator who can help you look at the situation differently. Ask some key questions: What are we not looking at? What needs to change? It takes courage to pause the wheel long enough to look at your situation, but I promise you that the results can be astounding and well worth it.

You may find that you are sinking energy and resources into a program or product that's not working. Have you determined your tipping point--the time to cut the cord and move on?

You may find that you are over capacity. Instead of ten initiatives this year, perhaps it's time to focus on four, and back-burner the rest.

Whatever's hiding beneath your overwhelm, once you've identified it, you can start seeking solutions. The next step is to develop a plan for handling the problem, or going back to the plan you already have and adapting it to your changed circumstances and new information. I've had great results helping businesses create a meaningful, concise plan that can be used as a guide and adapted when circumstances change. Click here for more information.

The bottom line: When overwhelm becomes a way of doing business, it's time to refocus, find the missing pieces, and determine what changes to make going forward.

Your Call To Action. . .