Watch Out For Business Beaver Dams

(By Gil Gerretsen) I was talking with a mentoring client recently and much of the discussion focused on their frustrations with all the business things on their plate. As a result, they were on a sustained business plateau having difficulty doing the marketing and sales behaviors they knew they should be doing. I told them about business beaver dams and how destructive they can be.

Growing up in Western Canada, I know that beavers are the national symbol of Canada, much like the bald eagle is for the USA. They are a fascinating creature. I saw many beaver dams during my youth and I’ve also seen them on many of my vacation hikes over the past decades.

I’ve noted both the good and the damage beavers can do. They build their homes in streams and are known to cause those streams to stop flowing. As a result, the water starts backing up and floods the areas upstream from the dam. Those flooded areas can foster new growth, but sometimes they damage habitats too. In some circumstances, the beaver dam must be removed to prevent damage both upstream and downstream.

In like manner, we often let beaver dams into our business, causing a business plateau or growth ceiling. Over time, certain activities become routine. They might have provided a short-term value, but once the pattern was established, we just let them remain. Over time, they started getting in the way of a smooth work flow, causing backups and delays.

Unlike increasingly cumbersome bureaucracies, s savvy business owner or leader watches out for such business beaver dams and then strives to remove them. Take a lesson from the beaver. Sometimes business beaver dams can be beneficial, but always stay alert for beaver dams that block your vital work flows.

As you go through your daily routines, stay alert for growing beaver dams in your work flow. Ask yourself whether they are still beneficial or whether they may be doing more damage then good. If they are no longer producing the desired impact, remove them.

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