A successful performance strategy for growing small business must include flexibility. After all, if you don't embrace change you will be run over by it.



How come it is very difficult for many of you to become flexible and change? Your resistance to change comes from your thinking which in turn is a reflection of your attitude.

Having a good perspective on change and being flexible is something that must be practiced.

I came across this solution for dealing with inflexibility. It comes from one of my favorite authors, John Maxwell. Go to his website and find a book of his to read. It will be well worth your time.

The following shows the humorous, and often truthful responses, that come when people are inflexible. Inflexibility is the enemy of personal growth, success and achievement.

The Top Ten Strategies For Dealing With A Dead Horse

1. Buy a stronger whip.

2. Change riders

3. Appoint a committee to study the horse.

4. Appoint a team to revive the horse.

5. Send out a memo declaring the horse isn't really dead.

6. Hire an expensive consultant to find "the real problem."

7. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed and efficiency.

8. Rewrite the standard definition of a live horse.

9. Declare the horse to be better, faster, and cheaper when dead.

10. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Most of you have probably seen these solutions enacted at some point in your business career or life. How do you deal with the challenge of inflexibility?

When your horse is dead and your inflexibility is causing you to hold onto something that isn't working, dismount. Small business coaching is about helping people to learn how to dismount, let go of thoughts and processes that aren't working, and to bury them.

Only once the things that don't work are buried or put in a safe place, may you move forward.

Think of the old western movies. The cowboy rides into town and his horse gets shot out from under him. If he is to survive he must dismount and get on a new horse.

That is the continual challenge of business. Develop the skill of dismounting and then mounting new horses. This is your new performance strategy.

Embrace change. Embrace flexibility. When you do, you will be able to mount a live horse and gallop forward to the success you desire.