Someone wrote a blog yesterday “Cash No Flow” in which they cite the well known phrase
In reality I am not convinced that a problem shared is a problem halved. If anything it can become magnified. As soon as you have problems that OTHERS fear then you risk being swept along by their fears and anxieties which are not necessarily an accurate reflection of your own. Pre-conceived notions of why the problem occurred in the first place often leads to you being bombarded with, albeit well-intentioned, but nevertheless inappropriate advice.
A problem shared only becomes less of a burden when you share with the right people who have an understanding of your experiences and can actually come up with practical and sympathetic suggestions on how you can find solutions. There must be follow up too. Accountability, support, back up plans and simple actions plans which effectively tackle the challenges.
Having had a fantastic boardroom session this week, I am yet again reminded the significance of why we have these sessions. If you have an issue – be it cash flow, no cash flow or cash no flow take it to YOUR boardroom. You need to have a group of trusted individuals who know you well enough to understand how best to offer their support and advice. If you have cash flow problems you need direct, pertinent, sympathetic and relevant suggestions that can help you to get over the hurdles that you are facing right there and then.
Business and personal issues that bubble up to the surface are often symptoms of something else. Cash flow for example is often an indicator of a whole host of things going on that might not actually be to do with business. They can be private and at times deeply personal. At other times the issue might be as a result of numerous factors which have compounded over a period of time and as such is much too complex to discuss casually in a couple of blog comments.
I am now wondering about what others feel about sharing problems with others. What sort of issues would you share openly and in public – as on the blogs pages and which would you prefer to discuss in a more discreet confidential and trusted environment?