I saw this quote, “You cannot build fitness on dysfunction” ~ Gray Cook”, on a client’s site in the fitness industry.
We had a very healthy dialogue and I mentioned this quote buried within their site and why it resonated with me.
Immediately, I converted it to the general fitness of a business, as I have periodically encountered “dysfunction” within clients and prospective client’s business models.
Obviously if we are hired to restore function, grow sales, improve customer satisfaction and communications, we need to be able to address the “dysfunctional” aspects first. If a client is not wanting/willing to address these concerns, I feel professionally tied and unable to move them to health and vitality, and therefore recommend they choose another “doctor”.
The problem typically does not require radical change and is a relatively easy fix in our view. A good example is when a client requests that we generate more customers and we discover that their current clients are not being properly cared for. We’d recommend that they take a look at their entire customer life cycle and resolve any issues, before they move forward and grow.
The “Fix” may be creating systems, enabling proper and consistent follow through, training or retraining a current staff member of their team. The main point is that more sales is not always the answer.
I’ve found that there is typically “dysfunction” at some level and to some degree with all companies, mine included. The real value comes in determining if it critically affects your internal team and becomes rampant and/or affects your clients in a critical way. I don’t think we need a degree to figure out what the root cause is and have the will to resolve, heal and come from a place of health.
Maybe start with a few questions: why am I here? What’s the purpose of this business? Who do we serve and how do we serve them best? Is this situation effecting the positive outcome to those answers and if so, what do I need to do to resolve it.
My challenge to you is to pick an area of dysfunction within your business and restore it to health. I’m going to do the same.
Wishing you a vibrant, healthy and fit business!
Gary Evans
