To pause or to pursue: Timing is everything

A phrase that holds true time and time again here at Stratos is, “timing is everything.” In business, it’s important, yet difficult, to know when to pause and when to pursue opportunities. Having strong values that guide our efforts and decision-making processes, as well as team members who wholeheartedly believe in our mission, helps us know when to brake and when to accelerate.

“Sometimes, us business owners are so driven to succeed, we can jump ahead without having the foundation necessary to execute plans at the level we want.” – Stratos CEO Stacy McCall

It’s easy to fall into patterns of stress and overthinking when it comes to business decisions, so a strong foundation of who you are in the marketplace and where you want your company to go is essential. Otherwise, you may get too far ahead of yourself and not have the pieces of the puzzle in place to achieve your desired outcome.

If you find yourself suffering the consequences of pushing ahead before you’re ready, keep calm. While not every negative can be turned into a positive, we can always learn from our mistakes. And, in our experience, oftentimes when one metaphorical door closes another opens. Sometimes, we are steered away from opportunities because a better one is waiting for us down the road. This is something we remind ourselves when we feel disappointed over a delayed business opportunity.

So, how do you know when the timing is right? When is the risk of trusting your gut on timing worth the exposure if you fail? Knowing when to act is embedded in the trust and communication you have with your team. Conversations need to be had to ensure you all are on the same page and so you can talk through any hesitations another may feel. It’s crucial to get the perspective of others, as the excitement and possibility of the opportunity could have you seeing life through rose-colored lenses. Once discussions have taken place and everyone is in agreement, you can confidently step out in faith.

Stratos recently practiced just that with our post-construction team. We had many internal conversations and passed on great opportunities when we felt we weren’t yet poised to put our best foot forward. For example, longtime team member John Wilson currently heads up the post-construction arm of our business. While he has always shown promise in his leadership abilities, we knew it wouldn’t be fair to John to put new work on his plate before his training was complete. These were difficult decisions, of course, because the construction business goes through periods of fluctuation. We were often tempted to take advantage of the influx even though it doesn’t align with our readiness. But, we ultimately knew we had to pause and continue John’s training before we pursued new work. Doing so ensured he had the tools he needed to guide service partners in providing customers the level of service they deserve. Now, we’re proud (and not at all surprised) to say John leads our post-construction branch with maximum effort. He possesses excellent leadership skills and has the ability to satisfy customers’ expectations, which has led to new opportunities at every corner. We’re so grateful John is part of the Stratos family.

Trust, communication and faith are a combination for success here at Stratos because they allow us to gauge whether to pause or to pursue opportunities. How can you adjust how you approach new ventures to ensure you and your team are ready for what lies ahead?