The Rewards of Not Knowing in Small Business

This year, one of the first questions small business owners are asking is how do they navigate through the fog of the unknown? COVID is still very much in the mind of every customer with the uncertain progress of the vaccine as it rolls out across the country.

On the Small Business Radio Show this week, Victoria Labalme who is the author of the new book, “Risk Forward”, and the founder of “Rock The Room®” discusses the rewards of “not knowing”. Her unconventional approach taps into two decades of performing arts experience and her keynotes and workshops for more than 700 organizations and C-suite executives.

Interview with Victoria Labalme

Victoria reminds us that we have always been in a phase of not knowing but live with an illusion of certainty. The COVID pandemic has shown us this to still be true. She believes that how you navigate and embrace the unknown to move forward is key to your success; “this is despite the natural impulse to get to a certain path as quickly as possible since it is ingrained in us to have a goal and execute on it.” But Victoria says that being in a fog is a fertile place for getting the best path forward.

Victoria discusses the five myths of achievement especially the one of the importance of goal setting. She believes that many small business set lofty goals that are ego based and not chosen from within yourself.  Victoria states that “the edge of not knowing is the beginning of the extraordinary.”

She also says that decisiveness is overrated; “leaders have so much pressure that if they are not decisive, they will be considered weak. If you make a decision before you are ready, this can send you down a very costly path and lost opportunities.” Victoria talks about the “wisdom of indecision” because she thinks there is a reason for it. She suggests to  pause and look at it in more detail and your team will respect you for it. Victoria reminds us that “you have more time to make a decision than you realize”.

Listen to the entire interview with Victoria to clear the fog of the unknown.

Image: victorialabalme

This article, "The Rewards of Not Knowing in Small Business" was first published on Small Business Trends