It seems that one of the biggest problems facing business growth today is that too much information is available, which means that discerning the good (valuable) information from the junk is a difficult, time consuming process. One day, the stock market is in the tank as Congress debates the debt ceiling. The next day we hear that everything is just fine and that the economy is set to grow. How do you know what to believe?
Compounding the problem of information overdose is the fact that everyone has an opinion on just about every topic. This creates a distinct but related problem: Who can you trust? The answer is that you want to trust yourself—your ideas, your instincts, your interpretations, and your vision—over group think any day.
Taking Cues From Proven Decision-Makers
There is no doubt that we can learn much from history. I’m not talking about historical events that nobody can agree upon but, rather, historical figures who left behind a legacy and good stories upon which we can build.
Think about General Patton, for example. He analyzed data and received input from advisors, but at the end of the day the data and advice could not win the war, because it was all backward looking. To be a leader, at least four things are required: Vision, Choice, Action, and Responsibility. General Patton had a vision, and he made choices that aligned with his vision. Choice by choice, he inched closer to realizing victory on the fronts in which he was fighting. He was on virgin soil, so data couldn’t tell him what to do. It was instinct and boldness that carried the day for General Patton and the U.S. Army.
Vision, Choice, Action & Responsibility in Business
If you want to be a success in business, the buck has to stop with you. You absolutely have to look at and analyze data and receive input from your trusted advisors to the extent that you are repeating history, but if you want to make history—if you want to write the story of your own success in such a way that people look to your legacy and success for inspiration, then you have to follow your gut.
Examples of Great Decisions by Instinct
Malcolm Gladwell penned a book entitled Blink! that all business owners should read. The book is about how first reactions—instinctual reactions—to data are often the best indication of what we should do. Think about it: We’re often faced with just a few choices. More data and input does not often change the number of choices before us (though it does sometimes reveal an alternate course). So what we really need is a way to find and analyze quality information, the stuff that really matters, but also to develop trust and confidence in our reactions to data.
Professional Guidance
One set of challenges that we can help you face deals with the legal administration of your business—everything ranging from tax compliance to employee issues. By removing these issues from the realm of things “on your plate,” you’ll be free to spend time working on your business rather than in it.
The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm, PC
