As any business owner knows, there are challenges that come with the territory of owning, running, or leading a business. Interruptions and obstacles are frequent, causing degrees of turbulence during even the best of times. How is it that some businesses succeed while so many fail? We know it’s not a matter of avoiding every challenge; it’s also not true that every successful business leader has been extraordinarily lucky.
No, there’s something else that makes the difference. When we consider what sets apart some businesses from others—what makes some businesses successful—we find that there is a fundamental difference in the way that the owner approaches challenges.
The Watchmaker Mindset
We use the analogy of a watchmaker to explain the typical approach to solving problems. A watchmaker works in a world of precision and control. Watches are finely calibrated machines with delicate, intricate parts; they are inanimate objects with no agency or will, passive pieces of the equation. When something breaks, it is up to the watchmaker to identify the problem and find the solution.
The Beekeeper Mindset
Contrast this picture of a watchmaker with that of a beekeeper. The beekeeper understands how the hive functions and what it needs to thrive, but he can’t make the honey himself. His role is to foster an environment that supports the bees to produce honey. What appears to be mass chaos and confusion is actually an orderly process. Appreciating the dynamics of the hive, the beekeeper doesn’t attempt to control every detail. Instead, he depends on creating a healthy environment that creates positive ripple effects to influence areas he can’t reach directly.
Now apply these two approaches to the mindset of a business owner. The watchmaker takes control over every aspect of the business, assuming that nothing will happen without his direct intervention. For the watchmaker, chaos is always a sign that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. The beekeeper, on the other hand, has a natural facility to work with complexity and chaos. He understands that his business is a living, intelligent entity that will continually self-organize around and through its problems and challenges. Understanding that there are a lot of dynamics at play, the beekeeper approach focuses on fostering the right environment for the team to thrive rather than attempting to isolate and fix every problem.
The Best Mindset for Business Owners
Our research shows that it is the leaders with a beekeeper mindset who are able to sustainably grow a business. That’s why our business growth framework, Organizational ReWilding, is designed to give leaders the structure they need to navigate the inherent chaos of running a business; it is not a list of “things to fix.” The structure is based on research and reflects the experiences of more than 1,300 business owners, representing a broad range of industries, locations, and issues. It does not assume that businesses are all the same or that every outcome is guaranteed. It does, however, assume that intentional change will result in positive ripple effects.
To learn more about how you can leverage Organizational ReWilding to improve your business, check out the Element Book Series. Each book delves into one of the 11 elements of an exceptional business and includes practical tools you can use, including a free workbook to track your notes. To find out how other business leaders have been impacted by Organizational ReWilding, view our Testimonials page.