Ken Keller: Are You at Your Tipping Point Yet?

Are You at Your Tipping Point Yet?

KEN KELLER

SCVBJ Contributing Writer

Whether you own your company or are a leader in one, you likely understand the concept that people don’t move from where they are unless they become uncomfortable.

“Change” is not popular and getting people to change is difficult. Getting entire companies to change is even more challenging because each employee has to change in order for the company to change.

Discomfort makes people angry, and it gets them thinking about how to get out of their current situation. Only then will they do something about it. Only when they are so miserable, so down, so frustrated, will they consider an alternative.

Visualize George Washington leading the Colonial Army camped at Valley Forge in December, 1776. His soldiers are cold, hungry and lack winter clothing. Desertion is common. Those who have enlistments expiring are counting the days. There is little hope of winning a battle, yet alone winning a revolution against a far superior force.

Pushed against these constraints, Washington reached his tipping point. Something had to be done, and quickly. The choices were limited but all were out of the comfort zone of Washington, his officers and his men.

The general decided to make a bold and unexpected move and attack the enemy hoping that the element of surprise would be enough to win a victory that would reengage his men, providing them with the confidence that they could,

NEED BUSINESS DEBT RELIEF?

Voted 2022 Best Debt Relief Attorney

2 0 2 2 “I Settle Debts For 30-70%

Of The Original Debt Amount”

• No Results, No Fee! • Stay Out Of Court, Avoid Bankruptcy • Improve Cash Flow • Protect Your Privacy • Bank loans, Credit Cards, Invoices, Disputed

Bills, Lawsuits & Judgments Free Consultation Valencia (661) 964-4493

www.debt-mediator.com Ray J. Bulaon, Esq. MORE THAN 6,000 CLIENTS HELPED SINCE 1998

“Change” is not popular and getting people to change is difficult…”

in fact, defeat their enemy in battle.

Of the three groups planning to cross the Delaware River and attack on the day after Christmas, only Washington’s unit made landfall.

Believing he was outnumbered, Washington led his men through a nighttime march in enemy held territory in freezing temperatures, maintaining enough of the element of surprise to attack at dawn. In a short fight, the enemy was routed. It was literally, the first battle the Colonial Army had won against the British.

Most CEOs I speak with want growing companies. They want more clients, better clients, better cash flow, lower costs, larger profits, a sense of urgency and quality and consistent performance from their employees.

The difference between those CEOs who make sustained growth a reality versus those who talk but do nothing else is simple.

The CEOs who are the angriest and most frustrated do the most about it. At this individual tipping point, there is a lot of chaos.

Let me explain about the anger. These CEOs are angry at themselves. They are angry that things didn’t happen before, but few dwell on their own failings or the failings of others for long. The blame game begins and ends at the leader looking in the mirror.

Unhappy and fed up, things change.

One company website I visited demonstrates what this is all about. On the “About Us” page the company created their own “formula” for creative and continuous improvement for growth.

Under the heading, “Hatred for the Current State” it reads: “It isn’t enough to be dissatisfied with the way things are … we need to hate it enough to change!”

This is one company that has taken anger to a new level. Your company can do the same, when you reach your tipping point. 