The Pain Barrier

Why, I wonder, do so many people procrastinate on making tough decisions about relationships until the short-term pain of making the decision becomes greater than the long-term pain of doing nothing about it?

There’s not a week goes by that I’m not listening to a prospect or client explain in gruelling detail (sometimes for the second or third time) how the performance and/or behaviour of another person is making them unhappy.

My response is a predictable “replace them”.

In business, I’m in the business of fixing people who pay me to fix them.

In business, I’m not in the business of fixing people who I pay.

Neither should you be.

If a client has a problem, I’ll try my damnedest to help them solve it.

You are there to solve patients’ problems.

If a team member or a supplier has a problem, I suggest they heal themselves, get external help or move on.

Would you be surprised if I told you that clients frequently ask me to try and fix their team members?

It’s important to make a distinction here.

I don’t mind training, consulting with, coaching or mentoring team members.

What I’m not prepared to do – not even for money – is try and fix them.

Fixing the person who:

1. doesn’t believe in private dentistry;

2. doesn’t believe in Facebook as a marketing platform;

3. doesn’t believe that collecting patient’s email addresses, testimonials and selfies is important;

4. doesn’t believe that what you asked them to do yesterday and have ready today needs doing today;

5. doesn’t believe in ethical selling;

6. doesn’t believe in your core values;

7. doesn’t believe in your prices;

8. doesn’t believe in unpaid overtime;

9. doesn’t believe in your vision.

If you know who I’m talking about – it’s already time to let them go.

Short-term pain, long-term gain.

Take the pill.