A Different Perspective on Brexit

I took heart from a blog I read from Fergus King of Shirlaws, some of you will know Fergus has been supporting us in our own business journey.

These are uncertain times.  We are now firmly in uncharted territory.  No state has left the EU before and Article 50 has never been triggered. 

As business people what should we do and how should we react?

There is no doubt that the next few weeks and months will create a blizzard of confusing content for all of us as business people.  However, this challenge is not new.  Every day we work with our clients to help them answer the big questions that face them and their business – and today, rather than a specific business issue, we have a macro issue to face.

The advice and approach remains the same.

When we work with business leaders looking to find a way through their business challenges we help them focus on answering the right questions.  Now is the time to demonstrate leadership in your business.  By addressing the right questions you can focus on that which will enable your business to move forward purposefully.

If reality is perception, then the reality of Brexit is your perception. Perception is how we choose (consciously and unconsciously) to relate to what is going on around us.  For some, Brexit will be perceived as an opportunity and for others a threat.  Each is a context that you hold, that will in turn impact your planning, actions and reactions.

So the first question to ask yourself is, how are you choosing to relate to Brexit?  Be very conscious that this is a choice, and you can choose to perceive uncertainty as a threat, or as an opportunity to be seized.  By choosing your own perception you are taking control and setting the context for the way you will view and act on the information you receive over the coming weeks and months.

Now consider how you set this context for your business.  If uncertainty is the feeling in the business then it is your role as the leader to address this for the business by being clear about how you are choosing to view the uncertainty.  If you choose opportunity for your context, just imagine how you could use this moment to bring your people together, align your team around the intent of your business, and find new ways in which to define and capture the new opportunity that has been presented to us.

It is a universal truth that we create our own reality.  We encourage you to use this opportunity to create the reality you want for your business. 

Some food for thought for all of us in our businesses there I am sure. I am really keen to hear from you on how you see the effects of this impacting on your business.