Caught in the minutiae: the things that make you panic are details in the fabric
The things that panic you are the details in the fabric. Sometimes we get so caught up in the minutiae that we forget to look for the root cause. Minor details are important to the fabric that weaves the success of your small business. But they can take away your focus on the whole, aka, life of your small business.
Executing the little things can be the difference between success and failure. Missing the big picture at the expense of constantly running duct tape over the lint, however, will lead you to panic, after too much attention is given to the details. Let’s take inspiration from Jason Mraz to address this critical issue.
Calm down, take a deep breath and get dressed
When you find yourself running around pulling the strings in your organization, remember that a few bad strings don’t make an ugly suit. What makes a suit ugly is a complete lack of professional maintenance, tailoring and cleaning. And I won’t even touch on the subject of moths in wool. You know those pesky little creatures you never see in your closet, minus the holes in your Italian wool garment. Your entire wardrobe can be affected if a tiny moth is allowed to live poking holes in your collection. Get rid of the moth, you can’t see with mothballs. That’s the quick fix. Now move over and let’s get dressed. You have your business to manage and clients to impress.
If it’s a broken part, replace it.
If it’s a broken arm, then hold it. If it’s a broken heart then face it. Keep everything in perspective when it comes to the overall impact on your business, your life, and the people you trust to make things happen. It’s easy for you to focus on every broken facet that’s in and out of reach. But doing so can damage the confidence of that expert you hired to complement his skills. Stand your ground, know your name in your game, and guide your business down the path you envisioned it would take. Leave the minor details to those you write your paychecks to. Everything will be fine in no time.
Are the details in the fabric
Are your thoughts the result of static? They better not be! This is how a company can get caught up in the minutiae. You have to remember that the details in your company are only a subset of the big picture. As a leader, his vision must remain focused on the rolls of fabric coming off the production line, not the static electricity in his pants, so to speak. When it comes to your business, it’s always worth taking some time to step back and think about core goals or core principles, even if they seem obvious.
Everything will be fine
Even the most highly trained professional will wear too many hats. Physicians incessantly looking over programmer’s shoulder, software engineers are bogged down with important marketing decisions. Trainers and consultants entrenched in the appearance of a booklet in its sixth revision for the correct hexadecimal code. Tech writers are making decisions about brand messaging. Entrepreneurs are mired in the minutiae of everyday projects. The result is undone work, ineffective marketing, an ignored sales process, and customers who don’t get the attention they deserve. Everything will be fine when you stop concentrating on the details of every fabric swatch, every broken part, and who said what on the last phone call you heard answered.
The things that panic you are the details in the fabric. Sometimes we get so caught up in the minutiae that we forget to look for the root cause.