True character is revealed when decisions are made ahead of a crisis, not due to it. Be prepared for a crisis.
Your company may be facing an unexpected challenge right now. You might think that this is the time to show what you’re made of—but it’s too late for that. The best way to demonstrate your character is by making decisions ahead of time so that when things get tough, you can act with confidence and integrity. This will help ensure that your company will be in a good position to survive whatever comes it’s way.
It’s easy to feel like everything is falling apart around you when you’re in the middle of a crisis—and that’s okay! That’s what happens when things go wrong. But if you’ve taken the time to plan ahead and make smart choices before things go south, then you’ll be able to weather any storm with strength and grace.
The more time you spend thinking through the worst-case scenarios, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with them when they happen. Your customers will appreciate it as well—they’ll see that you’re doing all that you can in order to protect them and their investments. The same goes for your personal life. If you’ve been building your character over time by making good decisions, then when things get tough, you’ll be able to rise above the fray and keep moving forward. This is what makes a good leader: someone who can make tough choices when faced with adversity.
I’ve been in the industry for over a decade and have seen many companies come and go. The ones that stay strong are the ones who make decisions proactively, not reactively.
There’s an old saying that goes, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” And it’s true—if you’re only looking for ways to solve problems and make decisions based on what you’ve done in the past, then everything will start to look like something that can be solved with your current approach.
But if you step back from your current strategy and really think about how your business operates across multiple levels—the big picture, as well as the day-to-day details—you’ll be able to identify opportunities for improvement before they become problems.
