April 21, 2025 • 49 mins
Michael and Chuki explore why even the most knowledgeable business owners resist implementing strategies they know would improve their businesses. Discover the hidden barriers that keep entrepreneurs trapped in comfortable but limiting patterns, and learn techniques for overcoming resistance to change. Whether you're struggling with implementation paralysis or simply looking to accelerate your business growth, this episode provides the roadmap for turning knowledge into action.
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Powerful Business Strategies is broadcast live Mondays at 12 Noon ET Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Powerful Business Strategies is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).
Powerful Business Strategies Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/powerful-business-strategies--6198916/support.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The topics and opinions expressed in the following show are
solely those of the hosts and their guests and not
those of W FOURCY Radio. It's employees are affiliates. We
make no recommendations or endorsements for radio show programs, services,
or products mentioned on air or on our web. No
liability explicitor implies shall be extended to W FOURCY Radio
or its employees are affiliates. Any questions or comments should
be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for choosing
(00:21):
W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome to Powerful Business Strategies, where you will find out
that everything you have ever learned about growing your business
is wrong. Finally, a show where you'll learn the right
way to grow your business by learning business and financial
strategies that your competition isn't doing. And now here is
your host. Resident of Next Step CFO Michael Barbarita and
(00:51):
joining Michael for today's show as an executive moderator is
chooky obio.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yes, this is chookey in I believe that gratitude is
undefeated and growth is about the next step. It is
an honor for me to moderate today's discussion with my
good friend Michael. Michael, how are you fantastic cheer k?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Thank you. My name is Michael Barber, the president of
Next Step CFO, and next Step CFO is a fractional
CFO and strategic implementation firm, and business owners hire us
to double and triple their profit using business and financial
strategies that their competition isn't doing. And our vision is
to ensure that overwhelmed business owners achieve the time, freedom,
(01:37):
and consistent profits to build a legacy and the life
they desire. While our mission is dedicated to guiding small
business owners to leveraging their time, exploding their profits, and
building a meaningful legacy, this show Powerful Business Strategies in
our book of the same name, is a step toward
accomplishing that vision and mission. So with that, I'd like
(01:59):
to hand it back to my co author and moderator
for the show, Chicky Obio.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
The title for today's show is really intriguing. So Michael,
here's the title, The Change Paradox. Why business owners resist
the very solutions that they need. And Michael, I've got
to say, given a lot of the feedback that we've
been getting from business owners through the years, you might
provide some powerful insights today. I think Michael, are you
(02:23):
prepared to change lives today?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Michael, I am prepared to change lives and perspectives.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Okay, I love that, so look we jump in, folks.
Michael and I were both affiliated with a number of
different organizations. I currently serve as a managing director of
business development for Vetter Price, a global business focused law firm.
In addition to that, it's truly an honor to collaborate
with Michael to moderate business roundtables and document best practices
(02:51):
from these roundtables. In fact, we packed all of those
best practices into our book, Powerful Business Strategies. But please
note that the views expressed on this show are personal
views based on those successful experiences. My mission today as
a fearless moderator is to ask the right questions to
help you, the listener, learn the best strategies that the
(03:16):
competition isn't doing. With that, back over to Michael.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Thank you, Chicky. So before we get today's show, I
do want to clarify that while we'll be discussing some
psychological aspects of business ownership, I'm not a psychologist, neither
Chucky or I. I'm psychologists or mental health professionals, and
the insights that we share come from our experiences as
business advisors and fractional CFOs, not from any clinical expertise
(03:46):
or perspective. If you're experiencing significant distress related to your business,
I do encourage you to seek that support from qualified
mental health professionals. So business owners, I see the late nights,
the constant worry about cash flow, the misfamily events because
something came up at work. I see the weight of
the responsibility you carry for your employee, for your employees,
(04:09):
your customers, and your family. But here's what I know
to be true. You didn't start your business to become
a prisoner to it. You started it to create freedom,
financial freedom, and time freedom and the freedom to make
your own choices and the gap between where you are
and where you want to be. Is it about knowledge
(04:33):
and it's not about working harder. It's about your relationship
with change. Today we're going to explore why even the
smartest business owners resist the very changes that would set
them free. And more importantly, we'll show you how to
break through that resistance to create the business and the
(04:54):
life that you truly want. And your breakthrough is it
just possible. It's waiting for you. On the other side
of change. So let's discover it together. And let me
start by addressing something that might sound a little counterintuitive.
The greatest obstacle to business growth isn't external, it's internal.
(05:17):
And I've worked with hundreds of business owners across dozens
of industries, and I've observed a really interesting pattern. When
I ask owners what's holding their business back, they typically
point to external factors like lack of capital, tough competition,
maybe even challenging market conditions, economy and that type of thing,
(05:40):
or even staffing staffing difficulties. But here's the reality that
I've witnessed time and time again. Two business owners in
the exact same industry, facing identical market conditions, with similar
resources can achieve dramatically different results. And one remains stuck
in constant firef mode, working seventy hours a week to
(06:02):
just stay afloat, and the other bills a thriving enterprise
that operates smoothly even when they're not present. And the
difference is that market conditions, competition, or even capital. It's
their relationship with change.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Interesting.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
So think about it. If have you ever noticed yourself
knowing exactly what you should do in your business, yet
you're not doing it. And maybe it's implementing the new
customer management system or finally delegating something like bookkeeping, or
raising your prices to reflect your true value. You know
these changes. Would you know these changes would improve your business,
(06:42):
But something always holds you back. And this is what
I call the change paradox. The tendency is resist the
very solutions we know what help us. And I'm experiencing
this firsthand in my own business journey. I mean this
show to me, it is like a therapy session for
(07:02):
myself as well. I need to delegate more to create
better system and focus on high value activities, and I
could even articulate exactly what needed to happen, but I
kept falling back into old patterns. And I keep falling
(07:24):
back into old patterns, doing everything myself, working longer hours,
high on low value activities, and wondering why nothing's changed.
So I'm realizing that my resistance wasn't logical. It was
it was emotional and psychological. I'm not avoiding change because
(07:45):
I don't know what to do. I'm avoiding it because change,
even positive change, triggers uncertainty, and uncertainty triggers fear, not
wiring you know, our brains are wired to prefer the
certainty of current pain over the uncertainty of potential improvement.
(08:06):
It's not but it's deeply human. And this insight is
changing my approach to business growth, both for myself and
for my clients. And I recognize that implementing effective business
strategies isn't just about knowing what to do, It's about
navigating the emotional terrain of change to They will explore
(08:28):
three primary barriers that keep business owner is stuck in
patterns that no longer serve them, and practical strategies for
overcoming these barriers. Because when you change a relationship with
change itself, everything else becomes possible.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Michael, this is absolutely fascinating and I'm just shot in
some notes down here. Look, you mentioned that resistance to change,
and I really want to dig in on this now,
that resistance to change is not logical, it's emotion, it's psychological.
Can you elaborate on how specifically this shows up for
business owners?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, sure, Chicky, so so the emotional resistance to change
kind of manifests in very specific patterns that I see
over and over again among among business owners, and one
of the most common is what I call implementation delay.
A business owners will a business owner will invest in
learning a new strategy. They'll attend to workshop, they'll read
(09:30):
a bunch of books on it, they'll hire consultants and
get genuinely excited about implementing changes. And then they'll even
they'll even start planning the implementation. But then something happens. Urgent,
client issues arise, employees need attention, or some other emergency
demands focus, and the implementation gets put back a week,
(09:53):
then a month, then definitely. And what's happening beneath the
surface is that the brain is manufacturing distractions to avoid
the discomfort of change. It's not conscious sabotage. It's a
subconscious protection mechanism. And another patent is perfection analysis. The
(10:19):
owner convinces themselves they need more information, more planning, more
resources before they can begin. I'll delegate when I find
the perfect person, or I'll implement that system once we're
less busy. And this appears rational on the surface, by
the way, but it's actually the brain creating plausible excuses
(10:41):
to maintain the status quo. And then a third patent
is what I call the comfort zone pull. After briefly
venturing into new territory, perhaps delegating an important task or
implementing a new process. Many business owners experience a strong
urge to to their previous patterns, and they find themselves
(11:03):
might go managing the person that they just delegated to
or bypassing the new.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Process because and they'll say to themselves, I'm bypassing it
just this once, because it feels uncomfortable to operate differently.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
And these patterns aren't signs of weakness or lack of commitment.
They're natural human responses to change. And when business owners
understand that these responses are normal and predictable, they can
develop strategies to work with these tendencies rather than being
derailed by them. And so let's dive a little deeper
(11:40):
into this first major barrier that prevents business owners from
implementing change. And it's what I call the identity anchor.
Your identity, your sense of who you are, is one
of the most powerful forces influencing your behavior. And for
business owners, their identity is deeply interwined with their role
(12:04):
in the business. They're the problem solved, the expert, the
person everyone depends on. This identity has likely been reinforced
for years creating a strong sense of self type, type
of specific behaviors, and when a change threatens this identity,
(12:24):
even when that change would be beneficial, it creates profound
psychological resistance. It's not just about doing things differently, it's
becoming someone different. That's the fear. And let me give
you an example. So a skilled craftsman built a successful
custom furniture business, and he knew he needed to step
(12:47):
away from production and focus on growing the business. But
every time he tried to delegate crafting work, he felt
physically uncomfortable. He'd find himself taking tools out of employees'
hands to show them how it's done, or even redoing
their work after houts. But when he done deeper, he
(13:11):
discovered that his entire sense of self was wrapped up
in being the craftsman who makes exceptional furniture. The thought
of becoming just a business owner felt like he was
losing his identity, even though intellectually he understood it was
necessary for growth. So this identity anchor was keeping his
(13:34):
business stuck and then him along with it. And he
was working those eighty hour weeks and the business had
plateaued because he couldn't scale beyond his personal production capacity,
and the breakthrough came not pushing harder delegation, but helping
it expand his identity to include master craftsman who builds
(13:57):
both beautiful furniture and an exceptional team. And this subtle
shift in psychology or name or whatever you want to
call it allowed him to see developing crafts people as
an extension of his craftsmanship, not a replacement for it,
(14:19):
And within six months he had successfully delegated seventy percent
of production while maintaining high quality standards. And more importantly,
he found genuine satisfaction in his new role because it
aligned with his expanded identity rather than conflicting with it.
And this patent repeats across industries. The account who can't
(14:42):
delegate client work because I'm the numbers person. The marketing
consultant who can't hire other creators creative people because my
ideas are what the client's paid for. The contractor can't
let go of site visits because I'm the guy who
ensures quality. The key insight is that lasting change requires
(15:05):
identity evolution. You try to change behaviors that are tied
to your sense of self without addressing the identity level
you're simply fighting against one of the most powerful sources
in human psychology. So how do you overcome the identity anchor? Well,
here are three practical strategies to do this. First, practice
(15:27):
identity expansion rather than replacement. Try to stop being that
expert craftsperson, a consultant, or technician. Instead, expand your identity
to include developer of other experts or builder of systems
that deliver expertise. This allows for growth without loss. Second
(15:49):
is find role models who have made similar transitions. You know.
Connecting with others who have successive successfully evolved their identity
creates both a roadmap and psychological permission for your own evolution.
These could be mentors, they could be peers in your industry,
historical or public figures, even whose stories might resonate with you.
(16:12):
And then, third, create identity affirming rituals for your new role.
If you've always derived satisfaction from hands on work, find
ways to experience similar satisfaction in your own activities. This
might mean celebrating team achievements as enthusiastically as you would
as you once celebrated personal accomplishes, or creating visible metrics
(16:36):
for business growth. They give you the same tangible feedback
as completing a project yourself. Remember, changing what you do
without changing how you see yourself creates internal conflict that
almost always results in reverting to all patents. But when
(16:56):
your actions align with an expanded sense of identity, change
becomes not just possible but natural. Let me say a
question from a listener.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Yeah, yeah, really impladful stuff, Michael. So let's by the way,
there are actually quite a few questions from listeners. But Michael,
let's just go with this one. You mentioned this idea
of identity evolution and how powerful it is, So let's
explore that when a business owner recognizes the need to
expand their identity, how long does this process typically take
(17:35):
and what might the experience as part of that transition.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Michael, excellent, excellent question. Well, identity evolution, it's really an
overnight change. It's more like growing into a new version
of yourself gradually. In my experience working with business owners,
meaningful identity expansion typically takes three to six months to
begin feeling natural through the through the timeline, although the
(18:03):
timeline does vary based on several factors, how deeply entrenched
the current identity is, how different the new identity feels,
how intentionally the person approaches the transition. So during this
transition period, business owners typically experience what I call the
identity stretch, as sometimes uncomfortable period of holding both the
(18:26):
old and new identity simultaneously. And it's it's similar to
how they are trapees artists must hold on to their
new their new bar before fully releasing the old one,
and this stretch period often includes predictable phases. Initially, there's
(18:47):
usually experimentation, trying on new behaviors that align with that
expanded identity but still having the safety that of established
identity to fall back on, and a business owner might
delegate and important tasks but still still checking, still check frequently,
(19:08):
or they might raise prices for new clients while maintaining
old rates for existing ones. And then next comes a
phase of what I call oscillation, to moving back and
forth between the old and new behaviors as a person
experiences both successes and setbacks. I know I do this
a lot. During this phase, business owners often report feeling
(19:30):
like they're faking it in their new role, even when
they're performing it well. But this imposter syndrome is a
normal pot of the identity transition and certainly not a
sign of failure. And finally, there's integration. When the expanded
identity begins to feel authentic and natural, the business owner
no longer has to consciously think about operating from their
(19:52):
new identity. It becomes who they ought. And what's interesting
is that this transition follows up predictable emotional pattern. There's
typically an initial excitement about the possibilities, followed by a
value of discomfort. When that novelty wears, often challenges of
(20:12):
change become a parent. This is where many people abandon
the process and refer to the old pattern, but those
who persist eventually reach what I call that plateau of
a new normal, where the expanded identity feels increasingly comfortable.
(20:32):
Supporting business owners through the value of discomfort is one
of the most valuable things a business advisor can do,
and so with the right support and expectations, the transition
period becomes manageable, even if it's not always comfortable. So
before I continue this discussion, we're going to take a
(20:53):
ninety second break. Hey, their business owners, let me ask
you something. Are you tied of blending in with your
competitive Frustrated with slow growth and slim margins? Well, I've
got news for you. Everything you've ever learned about growing
your business is wrong. Don't worry. I'm here to let
you in on a secret weapon, your position of market dominance.
(21:15):
It's what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable, and has
customers lining up at your door. My name is Michael
Babarrita from Next Step CFO. I know what you're thinking.
Sounds great, Michael, How do I find my position of
market dominance? Well, that's exactly why we've created our game
changing impleitation program called Next Step to Market Dominance. In
(21:38):
just ninety days, we'll guide you step by step to
a position of market dominance by uncovering your unique strengths
that competitors can't touch. By crafting a message that resonates
deeply with your ideal customer, by building a strategy that
turns you into the go to expert in your field.
Now this is in theory. These are battle tests and
strategies that have helped businesses like you as double, triple,
(22:00):
and quadruple their revenue. Don't let another quarter go by
struggling the standout. It's time to dominate your market period.
Go to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net, forward slash contact fill out
the form and in the message section put the word
dominate or call us at seven eight one three two
(22:21):
six three A two two. That's next step CFO dot
net forward slash contact or call us at seven eight
one three two six three A two two. Welcome back,
and remember any any part of the show you may
have missed, or if you're driving, you could go to
Powerful Business Strategies dot com and check out all of
(22:41):
our replays. So now let's explore the second major barrier
to change, what I call the control illusion. So many
business owners they struggle to implement changes because they're trapped
in the illusion that directly controlling every aspect of their
business creates security. In reality, this approach creates exactly the opposite.
(23:05):
It builds a business as potentially perpetually vulnerable because it
depends entirely on one person. The control illusion manifests in
familiar statements, no one could do it as well as
I can by the time I explained it, I could
just do it myself, or I can't trust anyone else
(23:27):
to handle this correctly. These beliefs seem rational, but they
mask a deeper emotional attachment to control as a safety mechanism.
So financial advisor who was working seventy plus hours weekly
because he personally reviewed every single transaction, every single report,
and every single client communication. When I asked why he
(23:50):
didn't delegate more of this work to his qualified team,
he explained that his particulous oversight was what kept the
business from making costly mistakes. But when he finally analyzed
actual error rates, he discovered something surprising. In areas where
he had reluctantly delegated due to absolute necessity, the error
(24:12):
rates were actually lower than in areas he personally handled.
So why well, because his team had implemented systematic quality
controls while he was relying on mental focus that it
heavily faulted after long hours. His tight grip on control
wasn't creating the security he thought. It was creating a
(24:36):
single point of failure, which was himself. And more importantly,
it was preventing him from doing that high level work
that would actually secure the business's future, like strategic planning
and key client relationship development. The irony of the control
illusion is that trying to control everything actually puts your
(24:59):
bill has a greater risk because it creates scalability limits
that constrain growth. Knowledge silos that make the business vulnerable
if the If the owner becomes unavailable, it creates decision
bottlenecks that slow response times to market changes, and it
creates owner burnout that threatens the business. The business is
(25:23):
very existence, and breaking free from the control illution requires
really a good understanding that real security comes not from
controlling everything yourself, but from building systems and teams that
maintain standards even without your direct involvement. So here are
three practical strategies for overcoming the control illution. First, start
(25:47):
with the control what what I call it control audit,
So identify everything you currently control and categorize each item
as either only I can do this based on unique
skills and legal requirements, others could do this with proper
training and systems, or others could do this immediately, and
that audit often reveals that surprisingly few tasks truly require
(26:12):
the owner's direct control. Second, implement progressive delegation. So, rather
than taking an immediate leap from complete control to complete delegation,
create a staged approach. For example, a marketing agency owner
might move from personally writing all client proposals to reviewing
(26:33):
proposals before they're sent, then only reviewing proposals above a
certain dollar value, and then finally just auditing a sample
of proposals periodically. This progressive approach builds comfort and confidence,
gradually reducing the anxiety that triggers resistance to change, and
it also allows you to refine systems and training before
(26:57):
fully releasing control. Develop control alternatives that provide security without
requiring your direct involvement. These might include things like CHECKLISS,
quality standards, approval threshold, regular audits, or performance metrics. These
(27:18):
tools give you confidence that work and will meet your
standards without requiring your constant presence. So a business owner
in the construction industry created a photo documentation process where
project managers sent him daily site photos with annotations, and
(27:38):
this simple system gave a visibility into project quality without
requiring his physical presence at every job site, allowing him
to grow from three simultaneous projects to twelve while actually
improving quality standards. And this fundamental mind shift is from
I need to control everything to to ensure everything is
(28:01):
done to stand it. The first approach requires your constant involvement,
and the second allows for systems and teams to maintain standards,
creating true security and scalability.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Michael, this is profound inside. In fact, let's take on
a question from a listener just related to this. So,
some business owners might worry that implementing these systems might
make their business feel impersonal, rigid, maybe even robotic. How
do you help them maintain the human touch while reducing
(28:38):
personal control.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Yeah, that is a legitimate concern and deserve some thought.
So the goal of systemizing isn't to create a cold,
robotic business, but to ensure your human touch can reach
more people in a sustainable way. And that the solution
lies in what I call value you based systemation, an
(29:03):
approach that captures not just what you do, but why
and how you do it. And this begins with explicitly
identifying the human elements that make your business special. Perhaps
it's the way you listen to customers. Maybe it's the
extra attention to certain details, or let's see, maybe even
(29:25):
the flexibility you offer in certain specific situations. But once
identified these elements, a delivery deliberately built into your systems
and training. For example, a healthcare provider was concerned that
delegation would compromise the personal connection she had with patients,
(29:47):
so instead of just creating clinical protocols, she developed connection
points specific moments in the patient experience, where team members
were trained to provide personalized IT tension in ways that
reflected her values. And Another effective approach is to strategically
(30:08):
reserve your personal involvement for high impact moments while systemizing
routine operations. So, for example, a real estate agent implemented
systems for transaction management and property marketing, but continue to
personally deliver good news to clients and handle difficult conversations.
(30:28):
This allowed her to maintain the personal connection with MATTED
most while freeing up enormous time previously spent unadministrative tasks.
And finally, remember that well designed system systems actually enable
more constant, consistent delivery of your human touch. And without systems,
(30:49):
the quality of customers experience often it just varies their
experience varings based on how busy or tired the owner is.
Appropriate systems your values, that approach can be delivered regardless
of circumstances. The businesses that most successfully balance systemization with
(31:10):
personal touch don't see these elements as contradictory. They see
well designed systems as the very thing that enables their
human values to scale beyond the business owner's personal capacity.
Michael another question.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Yes, it's also remarkable, Michael, is you know one of
the things that we're focused on in this show is
powerful action, Right, So there's a question that goes to
the heart of that. For business owners that are deeply
entrenched in the control illusion, what's one simple, powerful experiment
that they could start to do right to listening that
kind of grip without triggering overwhelming anxiety.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Michael excellent, Yeah, that's a good question. Well, for control
oriented owners, I would recommend starting with what I call
a controlled release experiment. So it's a it's a deliberately small,
time limited exercise in letting go that minimizes risk while
(32:15):
creating an experience of successful delegation. So let me give
you an example how that works. So you select a
single specific task that you currently control, but that has
three of these three characteristics. Number one, it's relatively low
risk if something goes wrong, it has clear success criteria
so result results can be objectively measured, and it's something
(32:39):
that consumes your time regularly. So examples might include drafting
customer emails, preparing routine reports, handling certain customer service inquiries,
or managing social media posts. Next, identify someone on your
team with the potential to handle this task and create
a simple, clear process document, just one or two pages
(33:02):
outlining how you currently perform the task and what success
looks like and by the way, you can use AI.
Remember that, then implement a three stage release. First, have
them shadow your doing the task, Next, have them do
the task while you observe, and then finally have them
(33:23):
perform the task independently but with immediate review. And the
key psychological safety feature is setting a specific timeframe to
the experiment, perhaps just two weeks with a predetermined evaluation date.
This is yours your control oriented brain that this isn't
permanent and that you'll have an opportunity to assess the results.
(33:48):
When I implemented this approach with a controlling marketing agency owner,
we started with just one client's weekly social media content.
After two week experiment showed equal or better engagement metrics
than his own content, and he was ready to delegate more.
It was just a confidence builder, and so within six
months he had released control of all routine content creation.
(34:12):
By the way, they used AI as well, fringing over
fifteen hours weekly for strategic work. And the beauty of
this approach is that it creates an evidence based pathway
away from the control illusion, and rather than trying to
convince yourself intellectually that delegation works, you develop concrete experience
(34:34):
that challenges your control assumptions, making the next step considerably easier.
So before I continue this discussion, we're going to take
a ninety second break. Hey, dear business owners, let me
ask you something. Are you tied of blending in with
your competitors? Frustrated with slow growth and slim margins? Well,
(34:56):
I've gotten news for you. Everything you've ever learned about
growing your business is wrong. Don't worry. I'm here to
let you in on a secret weapon, your position of
market dominance. It's what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable,
and has customers lining up at your door. My name
is Michael Barber Rita from Next Step CFO. I know
(35:18):
what you're thinking. Sounds great, Michael, How do I find
my position of market dominance? Well, that's exactly why we've
created our game changing implementation program called Next Step to
Market Dominance. In just ninety days, we'll guide you step
by step to a position of market dominance by uncovering
your unique strengths that competitors can't touch. By crafting a
(35:39):
message that resonates deeply with your ideal customer. By building
a strategy that turns you into the go to expert
in your field. Now this is in theory. These are
battle tests and strategies that have helped businesses like you
as double, triple and quadruple their revenue. Don't let another
quarter go by struggling to standout. It's time to dominate
(36:00):
or market period. Go to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net forward slash contact.
Fill out the form and in the message section put
the word dominate or call us at seven eight one
three two six three A two two. That's next step
CFO dot net forward slash contact or call us at
(36:20):
seven eight one three two six three A two two.
Welcome back. So the third major barrier to change is
what I call the competence comfort zone, the tendency to
stay within familiar skills and activities where you already feel
confident and competent. Business growth it evitably requires owners to
(36:42):
develop new capabilities and step into unfamiliar roles. This creates
a powerful form of resistance because moving from competence to
temporary incompetence feels deeply uncomfortable. And at times even threatening.
So a successful sales consult that knew he needed to
build systems and processes to scale his business beyond just himself.
(37:05):
So we had purchased software he hide and operations consultant,
and even block time in his calendar for system development.
Yet month after month he found himself filing or filling
that time with more sales calls instead. And when we
explored what was happening, he realized that sales activities gave
(37:26):
him immediate positive feedback. He was excellent at sales, received
regular validation through closed doors, through closed deals, and enjoyed
the confidence that came with operating in the zone of genius.
In contrast, systems development made him feel awkward, an amateur,
didn't know the right approach, couldn't see immediate results, and
(37:46):
felt his confidence diminish when working in this unfamiliar territory.
And he wasn't avoiding systems work because he didn't valuate.
He was avoiding the uncomfortable feelings of temporary incompetence that
are triggered, and this pattern repeats across industries and roles.
(38:06):
The technical founder avoids marketing activities. The visionary entrepreneur avoids
financial analysis. The operations expert avoids strategic planning, not because
these activities aren't important or they don't think they are important,
but because they they require stepping outside of established competence
(38:26):
into uncontrollable and uncomfortable new territory, the competent zone. The
competent's comfort zone creates a particularly insidious form of resistance
because it often masquerades as productivity. I'm too busy whether
an important client or important client work to focus on
(38:49):
systems appears a responsible statement, but may actually be a
form of avoiding that discomfort of developing new capabilities. Breaking
free from this comfort zone requires understanding that temporary incompetence
is not just an inevitable product growth. It's a necessary
(39:10):
phase of developing new capabilities. Every expertise you now possess
begin with a period of awkwardness and uncertainty. The willingness
to move through this phase is what separates business owners
who will evolve with their growing businesses from those who
(39:31):
become limitations to their own companies. And so here are
three strategies for overcoming the competence comfort zone. First, practice
competence bracketing explicitly acknowledging when you're entering a development zone
where your performance will temporary temporarily decline. This mental framework
(39:57):
help separate your sense of identity and over all competence
from your performance in this specific area. So a manufacturing
business owner created a literal sign on this office door
that read Systems Development Zone temporary and competence in progress
was the remainder of the sign, and as a reminder
(40:20):
when he was working on unfamiliar operational improvements, that's what
reminded him of that, and the simple practice helped him
approach the work with more patient, learning oriented mindset. And second,
he creates create a competence scaffolding, so support structures that
build that bridge the gap between your current capabilities and
(40:44):
your development goals. And these might include working with coaches
or consultants, using templates or frameworks, or breaking complex skills
into manageable components. And we see this one all the time.
A retail store owner who struggle with financial analysis created
scaffolding by first learning to review just three key metrics
(41:07):
with her with her accountants, gradually adding complexity as her
confidence grew, and this incremental approach eventually to developing sophisticated
financial forecasting skills. That changed and improved their business planning. Third,
build competence partnerships. These are relationships with others who complement
(41:30):
your skills and can support your development. They might be
team members, they could be advisors, or peer relationships with
other business owners. As I mentioned earlier, a technology consultant
formed a peer relationship with another business owner who excelled
in market in marketing skills that he was trying to develop,
and their regular exchanges allowed him to learn in a
(41:51):
supportive environment while contributing his own technical expertise to his
partner's business challenges. And the fundamental mindset shift is from
seeing competence as a fixed state to understanding it as
an expanding territory. See, each time you push through that
(42:12):
this comfort of developing new capabilities, you not only acquire
specific skills, but you also strengthen your overall capacity to
learn and adapt, perhaps the most valuable competence of all
for business owners in today's rapidly changing environment. You know
that it's change in itself isn't comfortable, but change is
(42:35):
required for business growth, and so change makes so business
growth makes change, and that's uncomfortable. Any compliments, chooky.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Yes, we do really energized by our Business Complements segment today, So, Michael,
in today's Business Complements segment, we are continuing our series
of highlighting business owners and the great clients and customers
that they serve. So look compliments to MJ. Ryan, who
gave a business review to Mighty Dog Roofing Metro West Boston.
(43:14):
Michael embraced this review from MJ. Here's what MJ noted.
We were extremely happy with the services provided by Mighty
Dog Roofing. The bid for the project was very competitive
and we had no issues or delays with scheduling. In fact,
(43:35):
the crew from Mighty Dog Roofing Metro West Boston arrived
on time and were extremely diligent with protecting our lawn,
our bushes, and the sides of the house from debris.
The crew was very courteous and completed the roof project
(43:56):
in one day twenty four hours. They cleaned everything up
and our roof looks great. How's that for a business review? Michael,
absolutely looking up.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
Should we cannot get them like that?
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Amen to that. I'll please note that Anthony and Amy
Munchak are the local owners and operators of Mightydog Roofing
Metro West Boston and they are making real progress and
becoming the best and most well known roofing company in
the area. For more information, please visit mightydog roofing dot com,
(44:33):
Forward Slash, Metro West Dash Boston Dash M back over
to you, Michael.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Thank you, Hicky. So as we wrap up today's exploration
of the change paradox, let's let me summarize the key
insights that we covered. So we identified three major barriers
that keep business owners trapped in patterns that no longer serve.
First was the identity anchor we are sense of self
becomes interwined with specific roles in our business, making change
(45:02):
feel threatening to our very identity, and we discuss strategies
for identity expansion, finding role models who have successively evolved,
and creating affirming rituals that support new ways of working.
Second is the control illusion, the false belief that personally
controlling everything creates security when it actually creates vulnerability. Those
(45:27):
single points of failure and scalability limits. We exploit control audits,
progressive delegation, and control alternatives that maintain standards without requirement
requiring constant owner involvement. Third, the competence comfort zone, the
tendency to avoid unfamiliar activities that trigger temporary feelings of incompetence,
(45:53):
even those activities, even when those activities are essential for
business growth. We discuss competence, bracketing, scaffolding, and partnerships as
strategies for pushing beyond established capabilities. The thread connecting these
insights is that resistance to change is rarely about knowledge
(46:14):
or understanding. Most business owners already know what they should
be doing differently, The challenge lies in navigating the emotional
and psychological terrain of change itself, and this perspective it
changes how, it changes how we approach business the businesses
the businesses improvement. Instead of just focusing on strategies and tactics,
(46:39):
we must attend to the inner journey of the business owner,
creating the psychological safety and support that enables meaningful evolution.
What I hope you take away from today's discussion is
a more compassionate understanding of your own resistance to change.
It's not it's not a signing of weakness or lack
(47:00):
of commitment. It's a natural human response that every successful
business owner must learn to work with rather than against.
And the most powerful shifts happen when we recognize that
change isn't about doing different things. It's about becoming a
different kind of business owner, one who leads more and
(47:23):
that's less, one who builds systems rather than just completing tasks,
and one who develops people rather than just directing them.
The evolution isn't easy, but it's the pathway that everything
you started your business for in the first place, financial security, time, freedom,
(47:47):
and the deep satisfaction of building something meaningful that doesn't
depend entirely on your personal effort. The businesses that thrive
long term aren't those with the cleverest strategies or the
hardest working owners. They're the ones whose owners have developed
the capacity to evolve alongside their growing enterprises, expanding their identities,
(48:12):
releasing unnecessary control, and continuously developing new capabilities. Remember, the
greatest leverage point in your business is it a strategy
or tactic. It's your relationship with change itself. To get
(48:32):
a copy of the book Powerful Business Strategy, simply go
to our website www dot NEXTSTEPCFO dot net. It's totally
complimentary and until next Monday at noon Eastern time. For
Chucky Obio, my name is Michael Barberrita and remember, don't
keep doing what your competition is doing.
Speaker 2 (48:53):
You have been listening to powerful business strategies, finding out
that everything you ever learned about growing your business is long.
Tune in next week and every week at noon Eastern
time on W four CY Radio with your host Michael
Barbarita of NeXTSTEP CFO and moderator chugy Ovio
The topics and opinions expressed in the following show are
solely those of the hosts and their guests and not
those of W FOURCY Radio. It's employees are affiliates. We
make no recommendations or endorsements for radio show programs, services,
or products mentioned on air or on our web. No
liability explicitor implies shall be extended to W FOURCY Radio
or its employees are affiliates. Any questions or comments should
be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for choosing
(00:21):
W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome to Powerful Business Strategies, where you will find out
that everything you have ever learned about growing your business
is wrong. Finally, a show where you'll learn the right
way to grow your business by learning business and financial
strategies that your competition isn't doing. And now here is
your host. Resident of Next Step CFO Michael Barbarita and
(00:51):
joining Michael for today's show as an executive moderator is
chooky obio.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yes, this is chookey in I believe that gratitude is
undefeated and growth is about the next step. It is
an honor for me to moderate today's discussion with my
good friend Michael. Michael, how are you fantastic cheer k?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Thank you. My name is Michael Barber, the president of
Next Step CFO, and next Step CFO is a fractional
CFO and strategic implementation firm, and business owners hire us
to double and triple their profit using business and financial
strategies that their competition isn't doing. And our vision is
to ensure that overwhelmed business owners achieve the time, freedom,
(01:37):
and consistent profits to build a legacy and the life
they desire. While our mission is dedicated to guiding small
business owners to leveraging their time, exploding their profits, and
building a meaningful legacy, this show Powerful Business Strategies in
our book of the same name, is a step toward
accomplishing that vision and mission. So with that, I'd like
(01:59):
to hand it back to my co author and moderator
for the show, Chicky Obio.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
The title for today's show is really intriguing. So Michael,
here's the title, The Change Paradox. Why business owners resist
the very solutions that they need. And Michael, I've got
to say, given a lot of the feedback that we've
been getting from business owners through the years, you might
provide some powerful insights today. I think Michael, are you
(02:23):
prepared to change lives today?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Michael, I am prepared to change lives and perspectives.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Okay, I love that, so look we jump in, folks.
Michael and I were both affiliated with a number of
different organizations. I currently serve as a managing director of
business development for Vetter Price, a global business focused law firm.
In addition to that, it's truly an honor to collaborate
with Michael to moderate business roundtables and document best practices
(02:51):
from these roundtables. In fact, we packed all of those
best practices into our book, Powerful Business Strategies. But please
note that the views expressed on this show are personal
views based on those successful experiences. My mission today as
a fearless moderator is to ask the right questions to
help you, the listener, learn the best strategies that the
(03:16):
competition isn't doing. With that, back over to Michael.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Thank you, Chicky. So before we get today's show, I
do want to clarify that while we'll be discussing some
psychological aspects of business ownership, I'm not a psychologist, neither
Chucky or I. I'm psychologists or mental health professionals, and
the insights that we share come from our experiences as
business advisors and fractional CFOs, not from any clinical expertise
(03:46):
or perspective. If you're experiencing significant distress related to your business,
I do encourage you to seek that support from qualified
mental health professionals. So business owners, I see the late nights,
the constant worry about cash flow, the misfamily events because
something came up at work. I see the weight of
the responsibility you carry for your employee, for your employees,
(04:09):
your customers, and your family. But here's what I know
to be true. You didn't start your business to become
a prisoner to it. You started it to create freedom,
financial freedom, and time freedom and the freedom to make
your own choices and the gap between where you are
and where you want to be. Is it about knowledge
(04:33):
and it's not about working harder. It's about your relationship
with change. Today we're going to explore why even the
smartest business owners resist the very changes that would set
them free. And more importantly, we'll show you how to
break through that resistance to create the business and the
(04:54):
life that you truly want. And your breakthrough is it
just possible. It's waiting for you. On the other side
of change. So let's discover it together. And let me
start by addressing something that might sound a little counterintuitive.
The greatest obstacle to business growth isn't external, it's internal.
(05:17):
And I've worked with hundreds of business owners across dozens
of industries, and I've observed a really interesting pattern. When
I ask owners what's holding their business back, they typically
point to external factors like lack of capital, tough competition,
maybe even challenging market conditions, economy and that type of thing,
(05:40):
or even staffing staffing difficulties. But here's the reality that
I've witnessed time and time again. Two business owners in
the exact same industry, facing identical market conditions, with similar
resources can achieve dramatically different results. And one remains stuck
in constant firef mode, working seventy hours a week to
(06:02):
just stay afloat, and the other bills a thriving enterprise
that operates smoothly even when they're not present. And the
difference is that market conditions, competition, or even capital. It's
their relationship with change.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Interesting.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
So think about it. If have you ever noticed yourself
knowing exactly what you should do in your business, yet
you're not doing it. And maybe it's implementing the new
customer management system or finally delegating something like bookkeeping, or
raising your prices to reflect your true value. You know
these changes. Would you know these changes would improve your business,
(06:42):
But something always holds you back. And this is what
I call the change paradox. The tendency is resist the
very solutions we know what help us. And I'm experiencing
this firsthand in my own business journey. I mean this
show to me, it is like a therapy session for
(07:02):
myself as well. I need to delegate more to create
better system and focus on high value activities, and I
could even articulate exactly what needed to happen, but I
kept falling back into old patterns. And I keep falling
(07:24):
back into old patterns, doing everything myself, working longer hours,
high on low value activities, and wondering why nothing's changed.
So I'm realizing that my resistance wasn't logical. It was
it was emotional and psychological. I'm not avoiding change because
(07:45):
I don't know what to do. I'm avoiding it because change,
even positive change, triggers uncertainty, and uncertainty triggers fear, not
wiring you know, our brains are wired to prefer the
certainty of current pain over the uncertainty of potential improvement.
(08:06):
It's not but it's deeply human. And this insight is
changing my approach to business growth, both for myself and
for my clients. And I recognize that implementing effective business
strategies isn't just about knowing what to do, It's about
navigating the emotional terrain of change to They will explore
(08:28):
three primary barriers that keep business owner is stuck in
patterns that no longer serve them, and practical strategies for
overcoming these barriers. Because when you change a relationship with
change itself, everything else becomes possible.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Michael, this is absolutely fascinating and I'm just shot in
some notes down here. Look, you mentioned that resistance to change,
and I really want to dig in on this now,
that resistance to change is not logical, it's emotion, it's psychological.
Can you elaborate on how specifically this shows up for
business owners?
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, sure, Chicky, so so the emotional resistance to change
kind of manifests in very specific patterns that I see
over and over again among among business owners, and one
of the most common is what I call implementation delay.
A business owners will a business owner will invest in
learning a new strategy. They'll attend to workshop, they'll read
(09:30):
a bunch of books on it, they'll hire consultants and
get genuinely excited about implementing changes. And then they'll even
they'll even start planning the implementation. But then something happens. Urgent,
client issues arise, employees need attention, or some other emergency
demands focus, and the implementation gets put back a week,
(09:53):
then a month, then definitely. And what's happening beneath the
surface is that the brain is manufacturing distractions to avoid
the discomfort of change. It's not conscious sabotage. It's a
subconscious protection mechanism. And another patent is perfection analysis. The
(10:19):
owner convinces themselves they need more information, more planning, more
resources before they can begin. I'll delegate when I find
the perfect person, or I'll implement that system once we're
less busy. And this appears rational on the surface, by
the way, but it's actually the brain creating plausible excuses
(10:41):
to maintain the status quo. And then a third patent
is what I call the comfort zone pull. After briefly
venturing into new territory, perhaps delegating an important task or
implementing a new process. Many business owners experience a strong
urge to to their previous patterns, and they find themselves
(11:03):
might go managing the person that they just delegated to
or bypassing the new.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Process because and they'll say to themselves, I'm bypassing it
just this once, because it feels uncomfortable to operate differently.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
And these patterns aren't signs of weakness or lack of commitment.
They're natural human responses to change. And when business owners
understand that these responses are normal and predictable, they can
develop strategies to work with these tendencies rather than being
derailed by them. And so let's dive a little deeper
(11:40):
into this first major barrier that prevents business owners from
implementing change. And it's what I call the identity anchor.
Your identity, your sense of who you are, is one
of the most powerful forces influencing your behavior. And for
business owners, their identity is deeply interwined with their role
(12:04):
in the business. They're the problem solved, the expert, the
person everyone depends on. This identity has likely been reinforced
for years creating a strong sense of self type, type
of specific behaviors, and when a change threatens this identity,
(12:24):
even when that change would be beneficial, it creates profound
psychological resistance. It's not just about doing things differently, it's
becoming someone different. That's the fear. And let me give
you an example. So a skilled craftsman built a successful
custom furniture business, and he knew he needed to step
(12:47):
away from production and focus on growing the business. But
every time he tried to delegate crafting work, he felt
physically uncomfortable. He'd find himself taking tools out of employees'
hands to show them how it's done, or even redoing
their work after houts. But when he done deeper, he
(13:11):
discovered that his entire sense of self was wrapped up
in being the craftsman who makes exceptional furniture. The thought
of becoming just a business owner felt like he was
losing his identity, even though intellectually he understood it was
necessary for growth. So this identity anchor was keeping his
(13:34):
business stuck and then him along with it. And he
was working those eighty hour weeks and the business had
plateaued because he couldn't scale beyond his personal production capacity,
and the breakthrough came not pushing harder delegation, but helping
it expand his identity to include master craftsman who builds
(13:57):
both beautiful furniture and an exceptional team. And this subtle
shift in psychology or name or whatever you want to
call it allowed him to see developing crafts people as
an extension of his craftsmanship, not a replacement for it,
(14:19):
And within six months he had successfully delegated seventy percent
of production while maintaining high quality standards. And more importantly,
he found genuine satisfaction in his new role because it
aligned with his expanded identity rather than conflicting with it.
And this patent repeats across industries. The account who can't
(14:42):
delegate client work because I'm the numbers person. The marketing
consultant who can't hire other creators creative people because my
ideas are what the client's paid for. The contractor can't
let go of site visits because I'm the guy who
ensures quality. The key insight is that lasting change requires
(15:05):
identity evolution. You try to change behaviors that are tied
to your sense of self without addressing the identity level
you're simply fighting against one of the most powerful sources
in human psychology. So how do you overcome the identity anchor? Well,
here are three practical strategies to do this. First, practice
(15:27):
identity expansion rather than replacement. Try to stop being that
expert craftsperson, a consultant, or technician. Instead, expand your identity
to include developer of other experts or builder of systems
that deliver expertise. This allows for growth without loss. Second
(15:49):
is find role models who have made similar transitions. You know.
Connecting with others who have successive successfully evolved their identity
creates both a roadmap and psychological permission for your own evolution.
These could be mentors, they could be peers in your industry,
historical or public figures, even whose stories might resonate with you.
(16:12):
And then, third, create identity affirming rituals for your new role.
If you've always derived satisfaction from hands on work, find
ways to experience similar satisfaction in your own activities. This
might mean celebrating team achievements as enthusiastically as you would
as you once celebrated personal accomplishes, or creating visible metrics
(16:36):
for business growth. They give you the same tangible feedback
as completing a project yourself. Remember, changing what you do
without changing how you see yourself creates internal conflict that
almost always results in reverting to all patents. But when
(16:56):
your actions align with an expanded sense of identity, change
becomes not just possible but natural. Let me say a
question from a listener.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Yeah, yeah, really impladful stuff, Michael. So let's by the way,
there are actually quite a few questions from listeners. But Michael,
let's just go with this one. You mentioned this idea
of identity evolution and how powerful it is, So let's
explore that when a business owner recognizes the need to
expand their identity, how long does this process typically take
(17:35):
and what might the experience as part of that transition.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Michael, excellent, excellent question. Well, identity evolution, it's really an
overnight change. It's more like growing into a new version
of yourself gradually. In my experience working with business owners,
meaningful identity expansion typically takes three to six months to
begin feeling natural through the through the timeline, although the
(18:03):
timeline does vary based on several factors, how deeply entrenched
the current identity is, how different the new identity feels,
how intentionally the person approaches the transition. So during this
transition period, business owners typically experience what I call the
identity stretch, as sometimes uncomfortable period of holding both the
(18:26):
old and new identity simultaneously. And it's it's similar to
how they are trapees artists must hold on to their
new their new bar before fully releasing the old one,
and this stretch period often includes predictable phases. Initially, there's
(18:47):
usually experimentation, trying on new behaviors that align with that
expanded identity but still having the safety that of established
identity to fall back on, and a business owner might
delegate and important tasks but still still checking, still check frequently,
(19:08):
or they might raise prices for new clients while maintaining
old rates for existing ones. And then next comes a
phase of what I call oscillation, to moving back and
forth between the old and new behaviors as a person
experiences both successes and setbacks. I know I do this
a lot. During this phase, business owners often report feeling
(19:30):
like they're faking it in their new role, even when
they're performing it well. But this imposter syndrome is a
normal pot of the identity transition and certainly not a
sign of failure. And finally, there's integration. When the expanded
identity begins to feel authentic and natural, the business owner
no longer has to consciously think about operating from their
(19:52):
new identity. It becomes who they ought. And what's interesting
is that this transition follows up predictable emotional pattern. There's
typically an initial excitement about the possibilities, followed by a
value of discomfort. When that novelty wears, often challenges of
(20:12):
change become a parent. This is where many people abandon
the process and refer to the old pattern, but those
who persist eventually reach what I call that plateau of
a new normal, where the expanded identity feels increasingly comfortable.
(20:32):
Supporting business owners through the value of discomfort is one
of the most valuable things a business advisor can do,
and so with the right support and expectations, the transition
period becomes manageable, even if it's not always comfortable. So
before I continue this discussion, we're going to take a
(20:53):
ninety second break. Hey, their business owners, let me ask
you something. Are you tied of blending in with your
competitive Frustrated with slow growth and slim margins? Well, I've
got news for you. Everything you've ever learned about growing
your business is wrong. Don't worry. I'm here to let
you in on a secret weapon, your position of market dominance.
(21:15):
It's what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable, and has
customers lining up at your door. My name is Michael
Babarrita from Next Step CFO. I know what you're thinking.
Sounds great, Michael, How do I find my position of
market dominance? Well, that's exactly why we've created our game
changing impleitation program called Next Step to Market Dominance. In
(21:38):
just ninety days, we'll guide you step by step to
a position of market dominance by uncovering your unique strengths
that competitors can't touch. By crafting a message that resonates
deeply with your ideal customer, by building a strategy that
turns you into the go to expert in your field.
Now this is in theory. These are battle tests and
strategies that have helped businesses like you as double, triple,
(22:00):
and quadruple their revenue. Don't let another quarter go by
struggling the standout. It's time to dominate your market period.
Go to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net, forward slash contact fill out
the form and in the message section put the word
dominate or call us at seven eight one three two
(22:21):
six three A two two. That's next step CFO dot
net forward slash contact or call us at seven eight
one three two six three A two two. Welcome back,
and remember any any part of the show you may
have missed, or if you're driving, you could go to
Powerful Business Strategies dot com and check out all of
(22:41):
our replays. So now let's explore the second major barrier
to change, what I call the control illusion. So many
business owners they struggle to implement changes because they're trapped
in the illusion that directly controlling every aspect of their
business creates security. In reality, this approach creates exactly the opposite.
(23:05):
It builds a business as potentially perpetually vulnerable because it
depends entirely on one person. The control illusion manifests in
familiar statements, no one could do it as well as
I can by the time I explained it, I could
just do it myself, or I can't trust anyone else
(23:27):
to handle this correctly. These beliefs seem rational, but they
mask a deeper emotional attachment to control as a safety mechanism.
So financial advisor who was working seventy plus hours weekly
because he personally reviewed every single transaction, every single report,
and every single client communication. When I asked why he
(23:50):
didn't delegate more of this work to his qualified team,
he explained that his particulous oversight was what kept the
business from making costly mistakes. But when he finally analyzed
actual error rates, he discovered something surprising. In areas where
he had reluctantly delegated due to absolute necessity, the error
(24:12):
rates were actually lower than in areas he personally handled.
So why well, because his team had implemented systematic quality
controls while he was relying on mental focus that it
heavily faulted after long hours. His tight grip on control
wasn't creating the security he thought. It was creating a
(24:36):
single point of failure, which was himself. And more importantly,
it was preventing him from doing that high level work
that would actually secure the business's future, like strategic planning
and key client relationship development. The irony of the control
illusion is that trying to control everything actually puts your
(24:59):
bill has a greater risk because it creates scalability limits
that constrain growth. Knowledge silos that make the business vulnerable
if the If the owner becomes unavailable, it creates decision
bottlenecks that slow response times to market changes, and it
creates owner burnout that threatens the business. The business is
(25:23):
very existence, and breaking free from the control illution requires
really a good understanding that real security comes not from
controlling everything yourself, but from building systems and teams that
maintain standards even without your direct involvement. So here are
three practical strategies for overcoming the control illution. First, start
(25:47):
with the control what what I call it control audit,
So identify everything you currently control and categorize each item
as either only I can do this based on unique
skills and legal requirements, others could do this with proper
training and systems, or others could do this immediately, and
that audit often reveals that surprisingly few tasks truly require
(26:12):
the owner's direct control. Second, implement progressive delegation. So, rather
than taking an immediate leap from complete control to complete delegation,
create a staged approach. For example, a marketing agency owner
might move from personally writing all client proposals to reviewing
(26:33):
proposals before they're sent, then only reviewing proposals above a
certain dollar value, and then finally just auditing a sample
of proposals periodically. This progressive approach builds comfort and confidence,
gradually reducing the anxiety that triggers resistance to change, and
it also allows you to refine systems and training before
(26:57):
fully releasing control. Develop control alternatives that provide security without
requiring your direct involvement. These might include things like CHECKLISS,
quality standards, approval threshold, regular audits, or performance metrics. These
(27:18):
tools give you confidence that work and will meet your
standards without requiring your constant presence. So a business owner
in the construction industry created a photo documentation process where
project managers sent him daily site photos with annotations, and
(27:38):
this simple system gave a visibility into project quality without
requiring his physical presence at every job site, allowing him
to grow from three simultaneous projects to twelve while actually
improving quality standards. And this fundamental mind shift is from
I need to control everything to to ensure everything is
(28:01):
done to stand it. The first approach requires your constant involvement,
and the second allows for systems and teams to maintain standards,
creating true security and scalability.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Michael, this is profound inside. In fact, let's take on
a question from a listener just related to this. So,
some business owners might worry that implementing these systems might
make their business feel impersonal, rigid, maybe even robotic. How
do you help them maintain the human touch while reducing
(28:38):
personal control.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Yeah, that is a legitimate concern and deserve some thought.
So the goal of systemizing isn't to create a cold,
robotic business, but to ensure your human touch can reach
more people in a sustainable way. And that the solution
lies in what I call value you based systemation, an
(29:03):
approach that captures not just what you do, but why
and how you do it. And this begins with explicitly
identifying the human elements that make your business special. Perhaps
it's the way you listen to customers. Maybe it's the
extra attention to certain details, or let's see, maybe even
(29:25):
the flexibility you offer in certain specific situations. But once
identified these elements, a delivery deliberately built into your systems
and training. For example, a healthcare provider was concerned that
delegation would compromise the personal connection she had with patients,
(29:47):
so instead of just creating clinical protocols, she developed connection
points specific moments in the patient experience, where team members
were trained to provide personalized IT tension in ways that
reflected her values. And Another effective approach is to strategically
(30:08):
reserve your personal involvement for high impact moments while systemizing
routine operations. So, for example, a real estate agent implemented
systems for transaction management and property marketing, but continue to
personally deliver good news to clients and handle difficult conversations.
(30:28):
This allowed her to maintain the personal connection with MATTED
most while freeing up enormous time previously spent unadministrative tasks.
And finally, remember that well designed system systems actually enable
more constant, consistent delivery of your human touch. And without systems,
(30:49):
the quality of customers experience often it just varies their
experience varings based on how busy or tired the owner is.
Appropriate systems your values, that approach can be delivered regardless
of circumstances. The businesses that most successfully balance systemization with
(31:10):
personal touch don't see these elements as contradictory. They see
well designed systems as the very thing that enables their
human values to scale beyond the business owner's personal capacity.
Michael another question.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Yes, it's also remarkable, Michael, is you know one of
the things that we're focused on in this show is
powerful action, Right, So there's a question that goes to
the heart of that. For business owners that are deeply
entrenched in the control illusion, what's one simple, powerful experiment
that they could start to do right to listening that
kind of grip without triggering overwhelming anxiety.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Michael excellent, Yeah, that's a good question. Well, for control
oriented owners, I would recommend starting with what I call
a controlled release experiment. So it's a it's a deliberately small,
time limited exercise in letting go that minimizes risk while
(32:15):
creating an experience of successful delegation. So let me give
you an example how that works. So you select a
single specific task that you currently control, but that has
three of these three characteristics. Number one, it's relatively low
risk if something goes wrong, it has clear success criteria
so result results can be objectively measured, and it's something
(32:39):
that consumes your time regularly. So examples might include drafting
customer emails, preparing routine reports, handling certain customer service inquiries,
or managing social media posts. Next, identify someone on your
team with the potential to handle this task and create
a simple, clear process document, just one or two pages
(33:02):
outlining how you currently perform the task and what success
looks like and by the way, you can use AI.
Remember that, then implement a three stage release. First, have
them shadow your doing the task, Next, have them do
the task while you observe, and then finally have them
(33:23):
perform the task independently but with immediate review. And the
key psychological safety feature is setting a specific timeframe to
the experiment, perhaps just two weeks with a predetermined evaluation date.
This is yours your control oriented brain that this isn't
permanent and that you'll have an opportunity to assess the results.
(33:48):
When I implemented this approach with a controlling marketing agency owner,
we started with just one client's weekly social media content.
After two week experiment showed equal or better engagement metrics
than his own content, and he was ready to delegate more.
It was just a confidence builder, and so within six
months he had released control of all routine content creation.
(34:12):
By the way, they used AI as well, fringing over
fifteen hours weekly for strategic work. And the beauty of
this approach is that it creates an evidence based pathway
away from the control illusion, and rather than trying to
convince yourself intellectually that delegation works, you develop concrete experience
(34:34):
that challenges your control assumptions, making the next step considerably easier.
So before I continue this discussion, we're going to take
a ninety second break. Hey, dear business owners, let me
ask you something. Are you tied of blending in with
your competitors? Frustrated with slow growth and slim margins? Well,
(34:56):
I've gotten news for you. Everything you've ever learned about
growing your business is wrong. Don't worry. I'm here to
let you in on a secret weapon, your position of
market dominance. It's what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable,
and has customers lining up at your door. My name
is Michael Barber Rita from Next Step CFO. I know
(35:18):
what you're thinking. Sounds great, Michael, How do I find
my position of market dominance? Well, that's exactly why we've
created our game changing implementation program called Next Step to
Market Dominance. In just ninety days, we'll guide you step
by step to a position of market dominance by uncovering
your unique strengths that competitors can't touch. By crafting a
(35:39):
message that resonates deeply with your ideal customer. By building
a strategy that turns you into the go to expert
in your field. Now this is in theory. These are
battle tests and strategies that have helped businesses like you
as double, triple and quadruple their revenue. Don't let another
quarter go by struggling to standout. It's time to dominate
(36:00):
or market period. Go to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net forward slash contact.
Fill out the form and in the message section put
the word dominate or call us at seven eight one
three two six three A two two. That's next step
CFO dot net forward slash contact or call us at
(36:20):
seven eight one three two six three A two two.
Welcome back. So the third major barrier to change is
what I call the competence comfort zone, the tendency to
stay within familiar skills and activities where you already feel
confident and competent. Business growth it evitably requires owners to
(36:42):
develop new capabilities and step into unfamiliar roles. This creates
a powerful form of resistance because moving from competence to
temporary incompetence feels deeply uncomfortable. And at times even threatening.
So a successful sales consult that knew he needed to
build systems and processes to scale his business beyond just himself.
(37:05):
So we had purchased software he hide and operations consultant,
and even block time in his calendar for system development.
Yet month after month he found himself filing or filling
that time with more sales calls instead. And when we
explored what was happening, he realized that sales activities gave
(37:26):
him immediate positive feedback. He was excellent at sales, received
regular validation through closed doors, through closed deals, and enjoyed
the confidence that came with operating in the zone of genius.
In contrast, systems development made him feel awkward, an amateur,
didn't know the right approach, couldn't see immediate results, and
(37:46):
felt his confidence diminish when working in this unfamiliar territory.
And he wasn't avoiding systems work because he didn't valuate.
He was avoiding the uncomfortable feelings of temporary incompetence that
are triggered, and this pattern repeats across industries and roles.
(38:06):
The technical founder avoids marketing activities. The visionary entrepreneur avoids
financial analysis. The operations expert avoids strategic planning, not because
these activities aren't important or they don't think they are important,
but because they they require stepping outside of established competence
(38:26):
into uncontrollable and uncomfortable new territory, the competent zone. The
competent's comfort zone creates a particularly insidious form of resistance
because it often masquerades as productivity. I'm too busy whether
an important client or important client work to focus on
(38:49):
systems appears a responsible statement, but may actually be a
form of avoiding that discomfort of developing new capabilities. Breaking
free from this comfort zone requires understanding that temporary incompetence
is not just an inevitable product growth. It's a necessary
(39:10):
phase of developing new capabilities. Every expertise you now possess
begin with a period of awkwardness and uncertainty. The willingness
to move through this phase is what separates business owners
who will evolve with their growing businesses from those who
(39:31):
become limitations to their own companies. And so here are
three strategies for overcoming the competence comfort zone. First, practice
competence bracketing explicitly acknowledging when you're entering a development zone
where your performance will temporary temporarily decline. This mental framework
(39:57):
help separate your sense of identity and over all competence
from your performance in this specific area. So a manufacturing
business owner created a literal sign on this office door
that read Systems Development Zone temporary and competence in progress
was the remainder of the sign, and as a reminder
(40:20):
when he was working on unfamiliar operational improvements, that's what
reminded him of that, and the simple practice helped him
approach the work with more patient, learning oriented mindset. And second,
he creates create a competence scaffolding, so support structures that
build that bridge the gap between your current capabilities and
(40:44):
your development goals. And these might include working with coaches
or consultants, using templates or frameworks, or breaking complex skills
into manageable components. And we see this one all the time.
A retail store owner who struggle with financial analysis created
scaffolding by first learning to review just three key metrics
(41:07):
with her with her accountants, gradually adding complexity as her
confidence grew, and this incremental approach eventually to developing sophisticated
financial forecasting skills. That changed and improved their business planning. Third,
build competence partnerships. These are relationships with others who complement
(41:30):
your skills and can support your development. They might be
team members, they could be advisors, or peer relationships with
other business owners. As I mentioned earlier, a technology consultant
formed a peer relationship with another business owner who excelled
in market in marketing skills that he was trying to develop,
and their regular exchanges allowed him to learn in a
(41:51):
supportive environment while contributing his own technical expertise to his
partner's business challenges. And the fundamental mindset shift is from
seeing competence as a fixed state to understanding it as
an expanding territory. See, each time you push through that
(42:12):
this comfort of developing new capabilities, you not only acquire
specific skills, but you also strengthen your overall capacity to
learn and adapt, perhaps the most valuable competence of all
for business owners in today's rapidly changing environment. You know
that it's change in itself isn't comfortable, but change is
(42:35):
required for business growth, and so change makes so business
growth makes change, and that's uncomfortable. Any compliments, chooky.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Yes, we do really energized by our Business Complements segment today, So, Michael,
in today's Business Complements segment, we are continuing our series
of highlighting business owners and the great clients and customers
that they serve. So look compliments to MJ. Ryan, who
gave a business review to Mighty Dog Roofing Metro West Boston.
(43:14):
Michael embraced this review from MJ. Here's what MJ noted.
We were extremely happy with the services provided by Mighty
Dog Roofing. The bid for the project was very competitive
and we had no issues or delays with scheduling. In fact,
(43:35):
the crew from Mighty Dog Roofing Metro West Boston arrived
on time and were extremely diligent with protecting our lawn,
our bushes, and the sides of the house from debris.
The crew was very courteous and completed the roof project
(43:56):
in one day twenty four hours. They cleaned everything up
and our roof looks great. How's that for a business review? Michael,
absolutely looking up.
Speaker 4 (44:09):
Should we cannot get them like that?
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Amen to that. I'll please note that Anthony and Amy
Munchak are the local owners and operators of Mightydog Roofing
Metro West Boston and they are making real progress and
becoming the best and most well known roofing company in
the area. For more information, please visit mightydog roofing dot com,
(44:33):
Forward Slash, Metro West Dash Boston Dash M back over
to you, Michael.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Thank you, Hicky. So as we wrap up today's exploration
of the change paradox, let's let me summarize the key
insights that we covered. So we identified three major barriers
that keep business owners trapped in patterns that no longer serve.
First was the identity anchor we are sense of self
becomes interwined with specific roles in our business, making change
(45:02):
feel threatening to our very identity, and we discuss strategies
for identity expansion, finding role models who have successively evolved,
and creating affirming rituals that support new ways of working.
Second is the control illusion, the false belief that personally
controlling everything creates security when it actually creates vulnerability. Those
(45:27):
single points of failure and scalability limits. We exploit control audits,
progressive delegation, and control alternatives that maintain standards without requirement
requiring constant owner involvement. Third, the competence comfort zone, the
tendency to avoid unfamiliar activities that trigger temporary feelings of incompetence,
(45:53):
even those activities, even when those activities are essential for
business growth. We discuss competence, bracketing, scaffolding, and partnerships as
strategies for pushing beyond established capabilities. The thread connecting these
insights is that resistance to change is rarely about knowledge
(46:14):
or understanding. Most business owners already know what they should
be doing differently, The challenge lies in navigating the emotional
and psychological terrain of change itself, and this perspective it
changes how, it changes how we approach business the businesses
the businesses improvement. Instead of just focusing on strategies and tactics,
(46:39):
we must attend to the inner journey of the business owner,
creating the psychological safety and support that enables meaningful evolution.
What I hope you take away from today's discussion is
a more compassionate understanding of your own resistance to change.
It's not it's not a signing of weakness or lack
(47:00):
of commitment. It's a natural human response that every successful
business owner must learn to work with rather than against.
And the most powerful shifts happen when we recognize that
change isn't about doing different things. It's about becoming a
different kind of business owner, one who leads more and
(47:23):
that's less, one who builds systems rather than just completing tasks,
and one who develops people rather than just directing them.
The evolution isn't easy, but it's the pathway that everything
you started your business for in the first place, financial security, time, freedom,
(47:47):
and the deep satisfaction of building something meaningful that doesn't
depend entirely on your personal effort. The businesses that thrive
long term aren't those with the cleverest strategies or the
hardest working owners. They're the ones whose owners have developed
the capacity to evolve alongside their growing enterprises, expanding their identities,
(48:12):
releasing unnecessary control, and continuously developing new capabilities. Remember, the
greatest leverage point in your business is it a strategy
or tactic. It's your relationship with change itself. To get
(48:32):
a copy of the book Powerful Business Strategy, simply go
to our website www dot NEXTSTEPCFO dot net. It's totally
complimentary and until next Monday at noon Eastern time. For
Chucky Obio, my name is Michael Barberrita and remember, don't
keep doing what your competition is doing.
Speaker 2 (48:53):
You have been listening to powerful business strategies, finding out
that everything you ever learned about growing your business is long.
Tune in next week and every week at noon Eastern
time on W four CY Radio with your host Michael
Barbarita of NeXTSTEP CFO and moderator chugy Ovio
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