I was recently with a client that had continually struggled with the vision for his company. We had done exercises on the whiteboard, described how a vision should be exciting and big, etc. And finally, through tears, the truth emerged. He was struggling to cast a vision because he had lost passion and did not want to be a part of the future vision. Wow. That's heavy. But it isn't all that uncommon.
As a younger leader, we may've set out to own our own company for the independence or the money or just because we felt like it. Then a decade later, we may feel trapped by our own decisions. And now other people and their families are depending on us.
So what can an owner do? The first thing is to admit it. Admit it to themselves, their spouse and hopefully someone who can help them work through it.
What NOT to do:
- Make an emotional decision and quit.
- Bury the problem until you make an emotional decision and quit.
Instead,
- Find someone you trust to talk through why you feel this way and what the options might be.
- Consider ways to re-ignite your passion for the business.
- Consider some time away while you reflect and decide what the future should look like.
- Consider owning the business without being the CEO.
Just admitting the truth is a great place to start and can give you the huge emotional release you need to clear your mind and look to the future with renewed passion and energy.
