What Makes a Thriving Business Start to Wilt?

crepe myrtleWe learn through our failures. Nowhere is this more apparent than in my garden. My beloved crepe myrtle has succumbed to a blistering attack of withering leaf mold. With loving care four years ago I planted it in a sunny, well-ventilated spot that was guaranteed to ensure long-term vitality. What happened? I happened.

As a gardener, I violated a fundamental truth—RPRS: Right Plant, Right Spot. Each plant has a unique and special place in the landscape. Too much sun causes leaf wilt. Too much fertilizer causes excessive leaf growth. Too much pruning yields a struggling plant. Soil condition, water, fertilization, and placement are carefully orchestrated to ensure long-term vitality.

Sadly, my poor crepe myrtle was not the right plant in the right space. The growing conditions changed over the years. My long-term placement was poor. An ancient beech tree only yards away slowly expanded and enveloped my beloved crepe in a cloak of deep, daylong shade. Weakened by its lack of sun, it became a host to a myriad of bugs and fungal infections. No matter how much fungicide and insecticide I used, the tree failed to thrive.

So, what does this have to do with you?

Right People in the Right Seats

How many of your employees are not RPRS?

As Gardner-in-Chief, that’s your job—to put the right people on your leadership team in the right seats. Perhaps you have a once-shining star that has failed to adapt to new market realities. It’s sad to watch. No matter how much coaching and training you do, they fail to thrive. It’s a sad day when you realize this harsh truth. What will you do? Remember, your job is RPRS on the leadership team. That’s it. For as the leadership team goes, so goes your entire company.

Make the Right People Move

This morning I realized my crepe myrtle’s days are numbered. Should I wait for another season and let it continue to struggle? Or should I be merciful and act now?

Watching the suffering is too much for me. This morning, I will call the arborist to relocate my beloved crepe myrtle to a spot in the garden where it can thrive. What will you do?

Next Steps

 

This post originally appeared on the Positive Traction blog on July 27, 2016.

Related Posts

Eenie Meenie Miney Moe, Where Does This Owner Go?

When you have two owners, how do you decide which is the Visionary and which is the Integrator? Short of playing eenie-meenie-miney-moe or rocks-paper-scissors, who “gets” which seat? Here’s the great news: it’s simple, and EOS® can help!

Read on »

Achieving 100% Rock Completion Is Possible

During sessions with my clients, setting Rocks is a pivotal practice for guiding organizations toward completing their quarterly goals/priorities. However, the challenge doesn’t end with setting Rocks; the real test is in completing them. Achieving 100% Rock completion is possible, I promise.

Read on »

Subscribe to the EOS Blog

Subscribe to the EOS Blog:

LOGIN TO

Base Camp

LOGIN TO

Client Portal

LOGIN TO

ORGANIZATIONAL CHECKUP

Search the EOS Worldwide Blog

Skip to content