Are you ready to jump over a black hole?

As my home page notes, my work is focussed on leaders ready to make a Massive Impact. Of late, I’m finding myself being introduced to leaders of businesses that are “stuck” at revenue levels in the 8-12 million range. The business leaders will note they are “stuck”, often that they are tired, exhausted or, if British, “knackered”.

When I ask them if they have been beyond that revenue level in the past the answer is either “yes, but we fell back”, or “no, we never seem to be able to get beyond a certain point”. The great news is that I understand where they are on their business journey, both in terms of numbers and in terms of how it feels to lead a business. In talking to such leaders, I can both normalise their experience on three levels. First, from my own past experience as a leader, then from working with many clients in leading their business through and beyond this, then third, from demonstrating the journey through the use of two deeply researched and applied models that I worked with in my years in Shirlaws.

The first model is called “Jump” and illustrates why businesses get stuck in a “black hole” at predictable levels and so, knowing these are predictable, leaders can then have the choice to “Jump” the black hole, if they are ready to do so, to make that “Massive Impact” for themselves and their business.

The second model is not about the numbers, yet it is the single most powerful model I have ever seen in my 35 years in business. It is called the “Stages” model and is all about how it feels at different stages on the business journey.

For businesses to whom this is the stage they are at (“stuck” in or before a Black Hole), my role with clients is to support them in elevating their leadership to carry their business through the changes needed to Jump that Black Hole, as well as to provide the Actionable Insights they need to do it.

I’m always here to listen to business leaders ready to talk about this. Even one call can bring clarity and energise them by knowing “What Comes Next” through these predictive lenses, the “crystal ball” provided by these models and my experience and insights. Book a call at my site whenever you are ready.

In closing, several years ago HSBC (a past client of Shirlaws, not coincidentally!) created a beautiful and wordless 90 second advertisement that was a perfect illustration of the business journey as illustrated by the Stages model. If you watch this and can identify with all of this to the end, you are in Advanced Growth on the model. If you can only identify with the early stages, then know this gives you the gift of seeing into your future. Some parts of the journey are easy, some hard, some frustrating, some celebratory. Whatever they are, they are predictable and, knowing that, you can plan to move along the journey more smoothly and faster knowing what is ahead of you.

Enjoy the video: