At least when things go wrong…
Today was a busy day.
I had a lot of work to do this morning for a client who launched several new membership tiers.
I woke up to over 70 emails in an inbox that usually has 3 or 4. Constant chat notifications on multiple platforms. And information in short supply.
I’m a big fan of the Ready, Fire, Aim approach, but this was still a shock.
I got through it, mostly in one intense sprint of effort, and I’m putting systems in place to make it easier going forward.
Why are the systems not already in place?
Because a HUGE hail storm just came through the neighborhood.
It started as rain. It got heavier. Then tiny pieces of hail started to appear. This went on for a while.
Then the rain picked up, wind whipped in all directions, and the hail got bigger and bigger.
The biggest I saw was about the size of a marble. Enough to do some light damage, but nothing too out of the ordinary for Colorado in the summer.
Makes me glad that I rent, and that my car was in the garage. Someone else’s problem if anything gets damaged.
The strange thing about this storm was the length of it. The hail kept coming down for at least 30 minutes. It changed directions. It stripped leaves and flowers off plants. It made a hell of a noise.
I always like seeing and experiencing the power of nature, and this was no exception.
What’s the problem?
I had (and still have) a lot of stuff to do!
But when a storm like that is upon you, you can’t ignore it. It steals your focus, whether there’s anything you can do about it or not.
And in business, the same is true of a huge influx of customer questions. Whether it’s expected or not, it can’t be ignored.
It’s loud. It’s overwhelming. It’s powerful.
And just like the storm, it demands your full attention.
You can’t get much else done, or even take the time to go the extra mile on each ticket, when this is going on.
And you can’t work on other things during a big crazy hail storm.
I”m not going to tell you how to control the weather.
But I am going to suggest that when you know something big is coming down the pipe in business, take a little bit of time to make sure everybody is braced and ready for it.
It will probably still be a stressful few days, but anything helps.
Need more help making sure everything is in place before the storm hits?
Get the 80/20 Service Guide here: https://gumroad.com/l/rkbth/VIP
— Mark
