In the video above I have discussed how to develop an agile business plan to help you achieve your business goals. This means being flexible enough to work through all the challenges that will inevitably come your way.
I like to encourage people to ‘embrace the zig-zag’! Nailing the agile business plan is crucial to embracing the zig-zag, and this is only the beginning. You must align your thinking to this ethos in order to truly succeed with it. From the decisions you make, to the way you engage with your employees, there are several key tools that can help create a business with an agile mindset.
One of these key tools is how to handle failure. Being flexible enough to move on from failure positively can help you move a step closer to achieving your business goals. Even if it’s via a slightly different approach.
Failure is something we all have to deal with at some point, you are not alone! It is simply part of the process. Next time you are faced with an obstacle that you might consider a ‘failure’, try viewing it as a ‘zig’ in your path instead. Be open to changing your direction as a result of this and take the lessons learned from the ‘zag’ as a positive step forward.
Being aware of how you emotionally handle a failure is key to being able to successfully adapt when you are faced with one. We can all take a failure to heart, especially when we’re talking about our own businesses. However, it’s important that the decisions to follow are based on rationale rather than emotion. Try to find an outlet that helps you clear your head. Whether it’s a five-minute walk, speaking to a support network or exercising, find something that helps to ease your feelings and gets your mind ready to make a rational decision.
Your team is crucial when it comes to embracing the zig-zag and moving forward from a perceived failure. If you create an open and safe environment for employees to suggest ideas, however controversial they may be, this can bring angles to the table that you may have missed yourself.
In order for this to work, everyone in your business must be totally aware of what the business goals are. You can do this through regular and open communication with your team, for example with weekly socials or meetings where you discuss the week’s work within the wider context of the business goals.
Combine these with an agile business plan, and you have the key to embracing the zig-zag.
