Turnaround Survival: Street Fights, Advisors & Landing the Plane
In the previous blog in this series, we focused on the cultural glue: speaking the hard truth, avoiding sugarcoating, and protecting the pillars of your organization. Those moves stabilize the team. Now let’s talk about the street-fight reality of crisis, the need for a trusted consigliere, and why only great people and great optics give you a chance to land the plane safely.
Turnaround Survival: Street Fights, Advisors & Landing the Plane
In the previous blog in this series, we focused on the cultural glue: speaking the hard truth, avoiding sugarcoating, and protecting the pillars of your organization. Those moves stabilize the team. Now let’s talk about the street-fight reality of crisis, the need for a trusted consigliere, and why only great people and great optics give you a chance to land the plane safely.
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Don’t Sugarcoat: How to Communicate and Protect Your Pillars
Last time, we covered why shrinking is essential and why half-measures prolong the pain. Cuts must be real, deep, and courageous. Now we’ll tackle the cultural side of turnarounds: communicating hard truths without sugarcoating, and protecting the few critical people who hold up the entire structure.
Don’t Sugarcoat: How to Communicate and Protect Your Pillars
Last time, we covered why shrinking is essential and why half-measures prolong the pain. Cuts must be real, deep, and courageous. Now we’ll tackle the cultural side of turnarounds: communicating hard truths without sugarcoating, and protecting the few critical people who hold up the entire structure.
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Why Every Successful Turnaround Starts with Shrinking
In the previous blog in this series, we confronted the trap of solving “the problem that isn’t” and why clinging to old plans is deadly. The hard truth: if you want to save the business, you’ve got to shed the excess and make deep, decisive cuts.Now we’ll talk about the necessity of shrinking, the dangers of tentative actions, and the courage required to cut fat, muscle, and sometimes even bone.
Why Every Successful Turnaround Starts with Shrinking
In the previous blog in this series, we confronted the trap of solving “the problem that isn’t” and why clinging to old plans is deadly. The hard truth: if you want to save the business, you’ve got to shed the excess and make deep, decisive cuts.Now we’ll talk about the necessity of shrinking, the dangers of tentative actions, and the courage required to cut fat, muscle, and sometimes even bone.
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The Problem That “Is” (and the Deadly Mistake of Solving What Isn’t)
In the first post in this series, we uncovered two brutal truths: most leaders aren’t equipped for turnarounds, and time is your enemy when cash is oxygen. If you miss the early signs, you end up in Stage 4 before you even know it. Now let’s get brutally clear about what matters most in a crisis: focusing only on the problem that is—and letting go of plans that no longer matter.
The Problem That “Is” (and the Deadly Mistake of Solving What Isn’t)
In the first post in this series, we uncovered two brutal truths: most leaders aren’t equipped for turnarounds, and time is your enemy when cash is oxygen. If you miss the early signs, you end up in Stage 4 before you even know it. Now let’s get brutally clear about what matters most in a crisis: focusing only on the problem that is—and letting go of plans that no longer matter.
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The Problem with Turnarounds … They Are Hard!
Turnarounds are tough. In my experience, turning a company around is the single most difficult thing to do in business. It is especially difficult when the captain of the Exxon Valdez is the same person who is charged with cleaning up the oil spill. Sophisticated Boards of Directors tend to terminate the CEO who was leading the company when it got into trouble for two reasons:
The Problem with Turnarounds … They Are Hard!
Turnarounds are tough. In my experience, turning a company around is the single most difficult thing to do in business. It is especially difficult when the captain of the Exxon Valdez is the same person who is charged with cleaning up the oil spill. Sophisticated Boards of Directors tend to terminate the CEO who was leading the company when it got into trouble for two reasons:
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Positioned to Win?
I recently came across a brilliant passage in Shane Parrish’s book, Clear Thinking: “Each moment puts you in a better or worse position to handle the future. It’s that positioning that eventually makes life easier or harder… A good position allows you to think, rather than be forced by circumstances into a decision. One reason the best in the world make consistently good decisions is they rarely find themselves forced into a decision by circumstances. You don’t need to be smarter than others to outperform them if you can out-position them. Anyone looks like a genius when they’re in a good position, and even the smartest person looks like an idiot when they’re in a bad one. The greatest aid to judgment is starting from a good position. The company with cash on the balance sheet and low debt has good options when bad times come (they always do), and their options go from good to great. On the other hand, a company with no cash and high debt has nothing but bad options to choose from. Things quickly go from bad to worse.”
Positioned to Win?
I recently came across a brilliant passage in Shane Parrish’s book, Clear Thinking: “Each moment puts you in a better or worse position to handle the future. It’s that positioning that eventually makes life easier or harder… A good position allows you to think, rather than be forced by circumstances into a decision. One reason the best in the world make consistently good decisions is they rarely find themselves forced into a decision by circumstances. You don’t need to be smarter than others to outperform them if you can out-position them. Anyone looks like a genius when they’re in a good position, and even the smartest person looks like an idiot when they’re in a bad one. The greatest aid to judgment is starting from a good position. The company with cash on the balance sheet and low debt has good options when bad times come (they always do), and their options go from good to great. On the other hand, a company with no cash and high debt has nothing but bad options to choose from. Things quickly go from bad to worse.”
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Opportunity Without Structure is Chaos
Let me be blunt: Your big idea is worthless without the structure to execute it. Passion, hustle, innovation—none of it matters if the business runs like a hair-on-fire circus.
Opportunity Without Structure is Chaos
Let me be blunt: Your big idea is worthless without the structure to execute it. Passion, hustle, innovation—none of it matters if the business runs like a hair-on-fire circus.
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Why You're the Bottleneck in Your Own Business
Every decision goes through you. Nothing happens without your approval. You're working 70 hours a week but spending most of it on $30/hour tasks. Here's the brutal truth about why your business is stuck. You’re operating the business instead of running the business. The reality is the business is running you.
Why You're the Bottleneck in Your Own Business
Every decision goes through you. Nothing happens without your approval. You're working 70 hours a week but spending most of it on $30/hour tasks. Here's the brutal truth about why your business is stuck. You’re operating the business instead of running the business. The reality is the business is running you.
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How to Be a Successful Entrepreneur: The Importance of Thinking Time
Most entrepreneurs are so busy working IN their business that they never work ON it. The difference between millionaires and billionaires isn't working harder; it's thinking smarter. Schedule 2 hours of uninterrupted Thinking Time weekly, ask better questions, and watch your stupid mistakes drop by 80%. This isn't theory. It's how I became successful.
How to Be a Successful Entrepreneur: The Importance of Thinking Time
Most entrepreneurs are so busy working IN their business that they never work ON it. The difference between millionaires and billionaires isn't working harder; it's thinking smarter. Schedule 2 hours of uninterrupted Thinking Time weekly, ask better questions, and watch your stupid mistakes drop by 80%. This isn't theory. It's how I became successful.
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Your Guide to Buying a Business: Top Things to Know
Buying a business is not about chasing shiny objects or gut feelings. It's about disciplined financial analysis, strategic clarity, and ruthless due diligence. After reading this, you'll know exactly how to avoid some of the most costly mistakes, identify profitable opportunities, and execute a deal that actually makes you money.
Your Guide to Buying a Business: Top Things to Know
Buying a business is not about chasing shiny objects or gut feelings. It's about disciplined financial analysis, strategic clarity, and ruthless due diligence. After reading this, you'll know exactly how to avoid some of the most costly mistakes, identify profitable opportunities, and execute a deal that actually makes you money.
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