I hope all STANDSTILL agencies have a TERRIBLE start to 2024.
No, I’ve not lost my mind, or my Christmas spirit…
If you’ve read my book, STANDOUT OR DIE, you’ll know that it’s designed to help STANDSTILL agencies improve their performance. A STANDSTILL agency isn’t a bad business, it’s one that is stuck in a rut, plateaued, OK, or just plain average.
But why do I want these agencies to struggle next year?
My son, Callum, is a second year Psychology undergraduate. Yesterday he introduced me to the concept of Region Beta Paradox.
In essence, it’s the idea that in some instances you are better off if your situation becomes worse. Because then you have a reason to actually do something about it.
In business, and in life, you can be stuck in Region Beta. A state of comfortable complacency.
Your friend’s job, for example, is OK, the benefits are OK, their boss isn’t mean. But they’ve been doing the same thing for several years and, deep down, they’re really bored. They should find a new job, but they’re comfortably numb. They would likely be better off if their situation was worse. Because they would have a reason to actually do something about it.
When things are good? No problem.
Things are bad? Great. Motivation to change.
But you can get stuck in the middle, and when you do you’re a STANDSTILL agency.