Several years ago we were retained by a company that was losing money so fast that they would literally be out of business within a matter of months.
In our first meeting, the CEO stated that the reason for this was that they needed a fresh marketing strategy.
“That may be part of the solution,” I replied, “but we need to take your company through an MRI process to see what else is hurting you.”
Gathering information through the 22-page questionnaire, we identified multiple malignancies that went well beyond marketing. As in many cases, placing a Band-Aid over the company only temporarily treats the symptoms, but NOT the real problem.
Several weeks later we reconvened in the boardroom and walked them through the findings report. Five things stood out.
Then we proceeded with the recommendations:
seven that offered ways to capture market share and expand nationally — but, more importantly, an additional list to reform the company’s management and business culture was shared.
“Implement these things first, and you will be in a strong position to reap the rewards from the new growth and marketing strategy.”
We left them with the report to ponder and scheduled a time to reconvene a week later. When we did, the CEO and COO stated their appreciation for such a comprehensive report. “We really like this,” the COO said, as the CEO nodded in agreement. “We would like to move ahead with it.”
It was then that the Senior Office Manager spoke up, saying, “We can’t do this.”
After a brief pause, the obvious question followed: “Why not?”
“Because it is too different from what we have been doing all of these years.”
I bluntly asked her, “Oh, you mean hemorrhaging another twenty million dollars?”
She then looked across the room toward the other members of the C-Suite to say, “I think we will do just fine with a new website.”
When the meeting was over, Mark and I summoned the CEO and COO into a private meeting with the anticipated questions and head-scratching replies:
“Are you really going to let her call the shots?” I asked.
“We need to. Because if we don’t, we will lose her.”
“She has been with us for over twenty years, so we really can’t afford to lose her.”
“So, you are telling us that she has more clout running your company than you?”
“Well, she is like a part of the family, so we can’t turn on her. These are all great
recommendations, but let’s just redo the website for now.”
Later that week, I mentioned this story at a mastermind meeting I was a part of. As I shared my bewilderment about the one person who wouldn’t implement our recommendations, someone stated:
“She’s a mushroom!”
When asked what he meant, he went on to explain:
“A mushroom lives in shady spots where sunshine rarely exist and therefore little else grows. Because of that, mushrooms have no competition. That’s why she is a mushroom. The Senior Office Manager feels threatened by innovative ideas. It would be like letting the light in. Other plants and grass would flourish, but not the mushroom itself. In fact, it would threaten it.”
What about you?
- Are you running the business or is a mushroom?
- Is your organization permanently stuck in a comfort zone, or are you flourishing with fresh ideas that consistently keep you relevant?
- Perhaps it is time to find out.
Since 1995, John has been a candid adviser who calls out the reasons for a company’s inferior performance.
With 21 years of experience from building and selling his own business’s prior to advising hundreds of companies in the US and Europe, he is an expert for CEOs serious about long-term growth. Healthy growth comes when tried and true recommendations are implemented.
PS: Sadly, “the mushroom was wrong.”