Innovation is not a seamless linear process.
Introducing the next big idea or remarkable invention to the marketplace is full of starts and stops, progression and regression, and forward and backward movement. Each start and stop represents a unique business challenge. Amidst this complex journey, it is easy to get caught up in what seem to be the most pressing business problems, only to realize later that they were merely distractions.
What do you do when you come across problems that appear insurmountable? How do you continue to drive your organization forward when obstacles seem to block every path?
In my experience as strategic advisor and futurist for both large business leaders and small business owners, the most effective strategy when it comes to overcoming issues is just to skip them. That’s right; throw the perceived problem to the wind and focus on something else to set yourself on the right track!
This may initially seem counterintuitive. However, trust me when I say that by skipping what you perceive to be the biggest challenges in business, you open your mind to reveal the real problem. Additionally, you open the door to new business, as well as developing a clearer long-term vision!
Perception Can Inhibit Business Success
Business challenges are a constant for small business and large corporations alike. However, not all challenges are exactly the same. Maybe you are struggling with declining sales, a product that is not performing as expected, or a team that is not meeting its targets.
These issues might seem like the biggest obstacles in your path, but are they the real problems you need to solve within your business processes?
Oftentimes, we focus on our initial perception of a business challenge, letting our initial reactions dictate how we move forward and in what direction. This causes us to choose paths that lead us away from the goal we are hoping to achieve. Ultimately, this also hinders the creation of a company culture that fosters groundbreaking innovation as well.
Most businesses and business leaders focus on the first perception of a problem. But what this does is cause you blind yourself to what the real problem is. You also blind yourself to the solution and inhibit business growth.
Build a Better Business Model with the Skip It Principle
Perhaps an organization is experiencing a sudden drop in sales for one of its products. The immediate reaction might be to assume the product’s features are outdated or the marketing strategy is ineffective. As a result, they invest heavily in revamping the product with new, up-to-date features, but sales continue to decline. As it turns out, outdated features were not the real problem at all.
The real problem was that the organization’s target market is looking for a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. Now, the organization has wasted resources on a revamped product that still does not perform as expected.
The solution is not to cut costs or get rid of products completely. Instead, forget about what you think the problem is. If that problem did not exist, what would the real problem be? Once you eliminate the perceived business challenges from the equation, you are free to discover the true problem and even more importantly, the solution.
This is what I call the Skip It Principle in my Anticipatory Organization® Model and it has led several to become more successful companies.
Hard Trends Help Highlight Business Strategy Issues
Most people love coffee. Nothing is like getting a premium cup of espresso at a local coffeehouse or a more elaborate order from Starbucks.
But doing this every day can prove to be quite costly. Is the cost of premium coffee why some consumers are forgoing their daily order?
At first glance, it might seem so. But by looking past this initial reaction to focus on cost, lowering prices with discounts or cheaper alternatives, you may see that cost is not the crux of the problem. The real issue here is a growing consumer preference for convenience — a Hard Trend future certainty.
Common Challenges Affect Loyal Customers
I have talked about Hard Trends countless times in the past, and they are at the heart of my Anticipatory Organization Model. By differentiating between Hard Trends and Soft Trends, you can better anticipate the real needs of your customers and determine the real problem you are facing.
In turn, integrating these insights into your business strategy allows you to better navigate the many business challenges you face and stay ahead of the competition.
In reality, consumers skipping their daily coffee is not about cost at all but rather the hassle of waiting in line or fitting a coffee run into their busy morning routine. Organizations like Starbucks are the perfect example of using my Skip It Principle. It skipped the problem of cost and instead focused on convenience, offering mobile ordering for faster service experience.
Companies like Breville and Rancilio took it a step further, granting customers the convenience of brewing premium coffee from the comfort of their own homes with at-home espresso machines.
See Beyond the Surface of Business Challenges
As you can see, the Skip It Principle has two main benefits. First, it allows you to see the true issue your small business or larger organization is facing. Second, and most importantly, it grants you the ability to be Anticipatory in your actions.
By skipping what you perceive the issue to be and instead determining the Hard Trends and Soft Trends shaping your industry’s future, you are better able to see disruption heading your way. My goal is to help you see exactly how to pre-solve disruptions before they becomes a problem and even become a disruptor in your industry.
Do Not Let the Wrong Problem Distract You
When it comes to solving insurmountable business challenges and driving innovation forward, it is imperative that you first identify the real problem at hand. You need to recognize that not every problem demands your attention. Likewise, many of them are merely distracting you from the core business challenge.
By applying the Skip It Principle to your business model, you more easily sift through the noise and focus on what truly matters — the Hard Trends shaping your industry and the real needs of your customers. This permits prominent business growth and allows you to redefine your business processes to increase customer satisfaction.