Business Macho vs. Seeking Support: Finding Balance

Seeking support isn't a sign of weakness—it's a strategy for success! Listen to our latest episode of The Water Trough as we dive into the benefits of asking for help in business. Let's redefine strength together. #SupportNetwork #BusinessAdvice #PodcastRecommendation

Episode Transcript

(00:10):
Welcome to The Water Trough,where we can't make you drink,
but we will make you think.
My name is Ed Drost of The SmallBusiness Doctor, and I'm really
excited you chose to join mehere as we discuss topics that
are important for small businessfolks just like you.
If you're looking for ideas,inspiration, and possibility,
you've come to the right place.
Join us as we take steps to helpyou create the healthy business
that you've always wanted.

Microphone (Yeti Stereo (00:41):
Welcome back to the water trough.
This is Ed draws to the smallbusiness doctor for those of us
who are in small business.
We always knew that the daywould come when we would face
problems, challenges in ourbusiness.
It goes without saying thatbusiness problems, challenges
will happen.
In the lifespan of any givenbusiness, we accept that as

(01:02):
being part of the package,

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Micr (01:04):
It also goes without saying that
each of us in small business,particularly owners, founders,
and principals have developed atremendous amount of pride in
what we have put together.
Being able to say that I builtthat business, I created that
business is a privilege.
It's exceptionally rewarding andit really is a personal thing.

(01:27):
It's a sense of accomplishment.
It's also a sense offulfillment.
And so when it comes toaccepting the problems that we
know we're going to face, wehave two different paths that we
can go down.
On the one hand, some of usmight choose to openly embrace
the problems occur, and toactively seek out support,

(01:51):
guidance, and assistance fromour colleagues, from our
employees.
Our co founders, our socialcircle, or trusted professionals
outside of the business.
Each of these groups can supportus in ways to get things done.
In other words, having acceptedthe fact that problems are going

(02:14):
to occur, We openly embrace theproblems and we're okay with
that.
We had no disguised Expectationthat this wouldn't happen.
So therefore we're prepared togo forward and deal with it.
When these things occur, there'sa second group of people who,
because of that aforementionedpride are demonstrating

(02:36):
something I like to callbusiness macho.
Now by macho, I don't mean tosay that these people are aloof.
What I'm saying is that thatpride is actually enveloping
these people.
In a sense of my accomplishmentis too important for me to admit

(02:57):
outwardly that I've gotproblems.
It is something I don't wantpeople to know.
I don't want to show myweakness.
And you can certainly relate toweakness and strength in this
day and age.
People shy away from expressingtheir weakness when in fact
weakness is just simplyaccepting the fact of what is.
But those who have this businessmacho view of things are far

(03:22):
less inclined to seek support.
These folks are apt to try toresolve things on their own.
Now, maybe they can, or maybethey can't.
I'd like to look at the twodifferent camps and give you
some things to think about.

Microphone (Yeti Ster (03:39):
Something as important as having a
business, creating a business,deserves a lot of respect and
consideration.
I have, Limitations as to what Ican and what I cannot do.
I know that I have certainexpertise and I know that I lack
a considerable amount ofexpertise.

(04:01):
I myself am a solopreneur.
I only have myself in thebusiness.
I have no partners.
I have no employees to look tofor support, but I do recognize
That it is easy enough for me toexhaust my own capabilities, and
it's important for me to reachout to others, be they in a

(04:25):
professional support role or.
people that I know who havevarious kinds of qualifications
and expertise, it's importantfor me to be able to reach out
to other people.
And I embrace the fact thatbecause of my limitations, I am
not able to do all things.
When problems arise, I acceptthe fact that, well, there are

(04:48):
things that I can do, and thereare things that I cannot do.
And I'm fine with that.
I guess you could say that whileI'm proud of my accomplishments,
and I'm content with the factthat I've done what I have done,
I'm also realistic about who Iam and what is possible.
That puts me in the position ofbeing able to accept the

(05:11):
guidance, the advice, thesupport of others.
In fact, I actively seek thosethings.
I am unafraid to ask forsupport, to ask for guidance, to
ask for assistance when I needto.
It is not, in my opinion, a signof weakness.

(05:31):
It's a sign of strength,strength as in, I am well aware
of who I am, what I'm capable ofdoing, and maybe more
importantly, what theramifications are of not simply
being able to resolve theproblem myself.
For those that are enveloped inthe business macho perspective,

(05:54):
it's easy to be self consuming.
There are problems that each ofus can resolve that's great.
And needless to say, no matterwhat path we've chosen here, we
don't want to make a show of ourfailures, our shortcomings, um,

(06:15):
of the problems that we face.
We don't want to display them asif we're proud of the fact that
we have problems.
But for those who have abusiness macho perspective, the
idea of putting these things outthere as something.
That they find particularlyabhorrent.
it's just simply inappropriate.

(06:35):
Nobody should know what kind ofproblems I am facing in my
business.
And this sort of protectionism,keeping these things to oneself
does a number of things.
For one thing, It prevents usfrom being able to get the kind
of support that is available tous.
The opportunity to haveperspectives other than our own

(07:00):
is simply unavailable.
when I wrap myself in thisbusiness macho perspective, what
I'm doing is basically saying,not only that I don't want
anybody else to know, But thatthere's nothing else out there
to support me.
And the amazing thing is there'sa tremendous amount of support

(07:20):
out there, but it's very easy.
And I've had numerous clientswho've been in this position.
And I say that because afterhaving determined that that
business macho wasn't workingfor them, they then called upon
a person like myself, thebusiness coach, to support them.
But the idea of trying to fix iton your own when you're not able

(07:42):
to do so, when you're draggingout the reality that things are
not getting better, that insteadof putting out the fire, you're
either throwing fuel on the fireor you're having flare ups in
other locations.
This is not a successful way togrow or sustain a business.

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Micro (08:02):
I realize I've taken the liberty
here of proposing that we do notfollow the course of the
business macho,.
I prefer to be more inspiring,but I do hope that expressing
both sides of the coin will infact be inspiring for those of
you who are in either camp, forthose who feel ill at ease, but

(08:22):
nonetheless accept and embraceyour shortcomings.
and are seeking help, don't feelbad.
I think that you shouldappreciate the fact that you're
getting the support that youneed.
And I trust you are taking thesteps necessary with that
guidance to remedy the problemsthat you face.
On the other hand, if you are inthe business macho camp, I hope

(08:43):
you'll also recognize that it'snothing to be ashamed of.
The amount of pride that we haveas business owners, as business
people is profound.
And for some of us, it's reallyvery difficult to conceive of
the notion that we're havingproblems.
We're still to let anybody elseknow that.
it's a perfectly human constructto go down that path, but I do

(09:08):
hope you'll consider if you'rein that camp, that the
ramifications are that you maybe missing out on opportunity.
To make things better.
It's not a matter of weakness.
It's rather a matter ofstrength.
found through the recognitionthat there are limitations to
what you can do, and that'sperfectly fine.

(09:30):
That is the way that we are.
So I hope you'll take thesethings into consideration.
Whether you are, in the camp ofaccepting and embracing and
seeking guidance and help, or ifyou are in the camp of Feeling
that that is not the path to go.
Either path is perfectly normal,but do give consideration to the

(09:53):
outcome.
Really at the end of the day, nomatter which path you choose, if
you're able to work throughthose problems effectively, then
that's fine, but give credenceto both sides of the coin and
don't shame yourself.
No matter which side of thefence you're on, it really is a
distraction from what Your truegoals are, and that is to build

(10:14):
and sustain your business.
This is Ed Draws with a smallbusiness doctor.
And until next time, I want towish you a healthy business.