Last month, I published Setting the Pace. As I was thinking about this month’s newsletter, it occurred to me that last month’s newsletter presumed people are moving in the first place. That’s not always the case.
For some, I just want to shout at the top of my lungs, MOVE! Some people and companies are so stagnant that they are like the proverbial deer in the headlights. They are standing there (not literally, of course) pondering what to do next. To them I say, pick a direction, any direction, and move. Unless you pick a direction that is 180 degrees opposite of where you really need to go, odds are that you will be moving closer to your goal. You can always change course as you move along but the key (even before setting the pace) is to be moving forward.
I’m not suggesting simply shooting from the hip but one is almost always better served picking a direction and changing course than remaining stagnant. Not all that long ago I was working with a client who was talking about selling their business. To me, the pace was intolerably slow; they transitioned to another advisor who I assume was willing to operate at their pace. Since then, my work with other clients has included four transactions (three bolt-on acquisitions and a complete exit) in just over a year.
So, what are the reasons for this behavior? Here are a few that I have seen.
Personality. There are some people that are just inherently slow to decide regardless of the situation. They overthink every decision whether it is weighty or trivial. Both large and small decisions take an inordinate amount of time.
Fear. People are afraid of either making a mistake or making the wrong decision. But that is almost never a reason not to start moving forward. You can learn and investigate as you move along. In my corporate days, we used to refer to this as “paralyses by analysis”. This phrase often rings true.
Intention (or lack thereof). I have found that there are times people will state they are going to do something because it is what they think they are supposed to do (or others around them expect them to do it). They’re paying lip service to a stated course of action but they are not committed to it (sometimes they actually know they have no intention of following through).
There are lots of other reasons of course, but I’ll leave those to the psychologists among us. It’s one thing to need more information, to want to weigh several proposals, or to explore various alternatives. It’s another to be stuck.
Are you motionless on a major initiative? Are you really committed to the goal? Need more information? Afraid? Figure out why you are stuck and deal with that issue so you can move forward.
If your business could benefit from fractional CFO services, I would welcome the chance to speak with you. Please give me a call at (513) 225-8657 or send an email to [email protected]
The archive of these monthly newsletters is posted at the Resources section of homza.com
your cash is flowing. know where.®
Ken Homza
Copyright @ 2026 Kenneth M. Homza