“A ship in harbor is safe - but that is not what ships are built for.” This quote by John A. Shedd is so interesting for women in business. Most of us spend a great deal of time in our personal lives protecting and keeping safe those around us. So sometimes our instinct in business can be the same: to avoid risk and keep our business ‘safe’.
Occupational and hazardous risks aside, taking risk and moving outside the ‘safe zone’ is something that every highly successful business has done. Read the biographies of any entrepreneur or industry leader, such as Richard Branson or Steve Jobs, and you will see numerous examples of pushing themselves and their companies into ‘risky’ situations.
This is not to say that all their risks paid off: in fact many of them didn’t! And I am also not suggesting that we all need to follow the extreme examples of Branson and Co. in our own businesses.
But as this quote suggests, as a business owner, you have a particular set of skills. You likely started your business because you dared to dream that you could be a success. If you are being ‘safe’ are you doing what you were built to do?
So I am challenging you to re-capture those big dreams! Ask yourself:
- What needs to change?
- How can I do business better?
- How can I exceed the expectations of my customers?
- What can I do to create a truly unique experience for people who come into contact with my business?
- What calculated risks can I take?
- How can I generate passion and excitement amongst my staff to help me achieve my goals?
Are you prepared to try and fail rather than wonder what might have been?
Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender