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I was driving in the mountains in upstate New York when I found myself in a sudden snowstorm. It was hard to see, the road was slick, and I could feel the wind pushing my car around. I was scared.
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I thought about pulling over and waiting it out, but I had no idea how long it would last. So I kept going, but realized I needed to drastically change my driving. I slowed down, put on my hazards, turned off the radio and phone, and inched my way forward. A ride that normally took one hour lasted three, but I arrived safely.
Here’s what surprised me: Once I changed my driving to match the conditions, I actually enjoyed it. The silence was relaxing and the snow was stunningly beautiful.
Driving safely through a storm requires that you change how you drive; you have to stay alert and adapt to the shifting conditions.
Welcome to life. The conditions are constantly shifting—almost as fast and frequently as the weather—and if you keep doing the same things in the rain that you did when it was nice and sunny, you’ll crash. You need to change your approach.
Change doesn’t mean doing more of the same: selling harder, working longer hours, being more aggressive. That won’t help. If you’re playing basketball and suddenly you find yourself on a football field, using more force to bounce the basketball on the grass doesn’t make sense. You need to drop the basketball, pick up a football, and run with it.
And notice, when you’re running with the football, are you still using basketball skills and muscles and strategies? Are you thinking and acting like a basketball player on a football field? Or have you truly and fully switched games? Have you become a football player?
If you change your approach, not only can you succeed in this moment, but you have also forever expanded your repertoire of movement. And a wider repertoire of movement makes for a better, more effective, more resilient business, and more capable, happier people.
So often we hear about the importance of being consistent. Let that go. Try to be inconsistent. Modify your action to match the changing terrain. Because it’s always changing. So there’s no simple formula that will get you through every situation you encounter.
Well, except maybe this one.
Before you do or say anything, ask yourself three questions:
What’s the situation? (The outcome you want to achieve? The risks? The time pressures? The needs?)
Who else is involved? (What are their strengths? Weaknesses? Values? Vulnerabilities? Needs?)
How can I help? (What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Values? Vulnerabilities?)
Then, and only then, decide what you will do or say. Choose the response that leverages your strengths, uses your weaknesses, reflects your differences, expresses your passion, and meets people where they are and is appropriate to the situation you’re in.
Let’s say the economic environment is weak. What’s the situation? In an era when huge, established businesses have faltered, the new competitive advantages are trust, reliability, and relationships.
Who else is involved? Think about your clients, prospects, and employees. What are they looking for in this situation? Where are they vulnerable? What support do they need?
Then think about how you can help. What can you offer that will support others at this time?
Once you’ve thought this through in general, apply it in real time when specific opportunities present themselves. For example, let’s say a client wants to cancel part of a project he had previously committed to.
You’ll have an immediate, instinctive reaction. Maybe you desperately need the money to stay profitable. Maybe you believe that contracts should never be broken. Maybe you don’t trust your client; you think he’s taking advantage of you.
But before you act instinctively, pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself the three questions. What’s the outcome you’re trying to achieve? Immediate money? A long-term relationship? Respect in the industry? Something else?
Knowing that trust is the new competitive advantage, you might choose a different response. Maybe you give the client some wiggle room. Which, perhaps, is not your natural, habitual reaction. But you realize it shows understanding, which builds trust and relationships, which, in these economic conditions, is a great investment.
Then you discover something else. A hidden gift in an otherwise depressing economy. Your client put you in a tough spot, and you rose to the occasion, showing true character, which created a deeper relationship. When the economy improves, chances are you’ve got a client for life. A devoted fan, maybe even a friend, who will refer you to many other clients, because you took a chance for him.
This is the interesting part: That opportunity would never have presented itself if the economy hadn’t turned bad, if the client hadn’t needed a favor, and if you hadn’t paused, understood the opportunity, and taken a chance.
Value investors will tell you that they make all their money when the market is depressed. That gives them the opportunity to buy low. Think of any obstacle as the equivalent of buying low. A poor economy is an opportunity to forge relationships that will last for decades. A failure is the opportunity to rectify the mistake and develop deep, committed, loyal employees, customers, and partners.
Change isn’t a distraction. It’s not an impediment. It doesn’t need to slow you down. Think of it as an opportunity to show your flexibility and build trust as a consequence.
Pause. Breathe. Ask the three questions. Who knows, it’s possible you might even find some beauty in a storm.
Stay alert and adapt to changing situations. Keep your eye on the ball, whichever ball that may be.
