This week’s blog post is written by our Metrix Team Member, Katelyn Saunders and is inspired by Dan Sullivan’s recent episode on his podcast ‘Inside Strategic Coach’

During uncertain times, the role of the entrepreneur heightened. As entrepreneurs, we are used to some level of uncertainty or anxiety while building our businesses and teams. Becoming familiar with this level of uncertainty or anxiety has helped us to exercise different kinds of muscles to make things work. When a product malfunctions, we resign the model, or when a client is unhappy, we work harder to meet their wants and needs. 

While things may not be normal in the world right now and while we cannot always control what is going on around us, we can control what is going on in our business and make it work.

During these uncertain times, some businesses may not be able to create and deliver value in the normal way they are used to. However, as entrepreneurs we have the ability to create value in a NEW way.

When recreating your value you have to forget about yourself and your commodity, and focus on others. Take this time to reach out and connect to your people and your clients. Dan Sullivan says, “people’s openness to your world depends on your openness to their world”. You have to convince people that the conversation is not about you and your business, product, or service, but rather that you care about, and value, your relationship with them. Take time to reach out and just ask them how they are, it’s as simple as that. As my good friend Jason Abrams says, “Use The Adele Script: ‘Hello, how are you?’”

This is a time to exercise your listening skills. Listening and being present for someone is one of the most underrated and generous acts, and an incredible way to create value for others. 

Uncertain times will cause existing conditions to suddenly change. During normal times we, as leaders, manage our people and our businesses without surprises – we know what needs to be done, and how to do it. However, during uncertain times like we are experiencing today, we have to come up with a new way to approach things — for ourselves, our people, and our clients.

Furthermore, as an entrepreneur operating in uncertain times we have the unique opportunity to have an important and positive impact on other people. When things go awry, leaders are the ones who get their personal acts together the fastest and go back out there and start creating a new direction for the business, establishing a new sense of morale and motivation for the team, and reinforcing relationships with trusting clients.