Why Your Tech Problem Is Actually Bob

Many businesses come to me because they think they have problems with tech, marketing, or sales. Many times, when I dive in, I discover a personnel or partnership issue that they’ve been ignoring.

Let’s call that person Bob.

The difference between the clients who are successful and the ones who aren’t comes down to this one thing: their ability and willingness to address the issue with Bob.

And that comes down to a few basic assumptions. You can:

1. Train Bob if he lacks skills and is willing to learn.

2. Put accountability and supportive measures in place to compensate for Bob's natural instincts.

3. Rearrange Bob’s workload to better fit him.

4. Tap into Bob’s existing motication.

But you can’t fix Bob.

I don’t care whether you are a therapist, business owner, or motivational speaker. You can’t fix Bob.

You can love him.
You can support him.
But you can’t fix him.

If you’ve taken “fixing Bob” on as a job description, you’re going to fail.

What you SHOULD do:

• Share your perspective. Let him share his. See what paths forward exist.

• Share your expectations. Let him decide and show that he can meet them

If they can, it’s a win.
If they can’t, it’s time for change.

And the sooner you can embrace that,
the more free you are to love Bob.
Whether it means:
- loving him into being more productive
- loving him into a different job and a different company
- or even loving him into the consequences of not having a job.

Pain is a powerful motivator for change.
And sometimes, intentionally shielding people from pain keeps them stuck.

I’m not saying you should be cruel.
I’m not saying you should be thoughtless.
I’m saying you should stop trying to fix Bob.

Fix systems.
Fix processes.
Love Bob.
No matter if he goes or stays.