Retreat Must Be An Option

… because being unwilling to retreat may be your biggest liability.

Mistakes will happen because you can’t predict the future. (Even if you’re very good.)

1. You may delegate a task to someone, and then find they don’t execute.

2. You may try a strategy that fails.

3. You may invest in a product that doesn’t sell.

Admitting that your plan didn’t work means taking a loss…

1. Taking back the responsibility.

2. Divesting from a failed strategy.

3. Selling out of product below break-even.

… but being either…

1. Unaware of your progress (not tracking)

2. Unwilling to plan so that you can test small and divest if necessary

3. Unable to admit “My idea didn’t work” to other people

… sets you up to either experiment in an overly expensive all-or-nothing Hail Mary behavior that net-net is very expensive, or fear trying new things because of this very behavior.

The Good News: If You’re Willing To Retreat, You Can Experiment.

1. 1. You can try giving this person responsibility, and if they don’t take it seriously, take back the responsibility.

2. You can un-do your new strategy, without having to re-build your original strategy.

3. You can sell out of your failed product at 50%-below-break even and only lose $1,000.

You can avoid the liability which is not being able to retreat, or even admit you’ve probably tried pushing it far enough.