16. I’m worried about where to get good advice.
16 things keeping SME owners awake
OK, I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve written this series for a number of reasons, but one of the main ones is that I want to demonstrate that RegenerationHQ has been through, thought about and delivered on the issues discussed. To be blunt, if anything you’ve read in the series has resonated with you, I’d like to think that you’d at least reach out for a conversation with us about what’s troubling you. But, in the interests of being fair and balanced, think about some of these things (but only if you want to).
Look for expertise in the issues you’re facing. In considering that, don’t just look for the obvious. For instance, if you’re having cash flow issues you might think you need an expert accountant. I’m sure there are many expert accountants who could help here, but when you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Maybe what you need is someone to take a more holistic approach and find the root cause of the problem so rather than just getting out of the current hole, you’re recalibrating so the issue stops recurring.
Experts come in all different packages. Some are slick and present as corporate heroes. Others are laid back and dressed down and have a conversational style. Neither is right nor wrong. What’s right is what works for you. I’d suggest you do a bit of checking into what other people say about them.
You might have a look around your own industry and see if there is anyone who you could get wise counsel from. My only caution here would be that you should exercise caution about what sensitive information you share with people who have influence in your patch. I’m not suggesting they would use it against you, but information can be power and shouldn’t be sprayed around without due consideration.
Track record is important. Have a look at what the base of knowledge and wisdom is from any expert you’re looking to engage with. It doesn’t have to be an exact match for your specific issue because often in the discovery phase what looks like the issue is more of a consequence than a cause. If you’ve got issues with the team, you aren’t necessarily looking for an HR expert. You’re looking for someone with leadership and team building experience who thinks broadly about what attracts, motivates and retains quality people.
Ask for testimonial support for the claims your chosen expert makes. I am very conscious that there are lots of people out there who have no problem making up testimonials all by themselves, but hopefully you will get a sense of who these people might be and don’t get fooled by them.
Now for a big word of caution. If anyone hears the start of your story and butts in with “I know what the problem is and I can fix it fast”, run a mile. In the world of business advice, this is a preposterous claim. It denies the complexity of life and fails to recognise that no two situations have exactly the same factors. It brings me back to the old line – if you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, run towards an advisor who says, “I don’t have the answer for you right now but the more we talk, the better idea I’ll get about how to approach finding the solution.”
When you’re “interviewing” an advisor, ask some very specific questions about how they have handled similar situations in the past. This will give you a good idea about their methodology for working problems through.
Sometimes you just need to trust your gut. There is no way to know everything about someone else, but if a potential advisor ticks some important boxes and your gut says go for it, do just that.
If at any stage you would like to reach out and talk in more detail about any or all these issues, or even ones that aren’t mentioned, please call me on +64 275 665 682, email me at john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz or book a time to talk, either face to face or by Zoom. Any call will be free, confidential and with no obligation to do anything else.