It’s been 25 years. I have encountered my fair share of challenges, obstacles, and moments of sheer panic. One valuable lesson stands out: maintaining perspective and not succumbing to the panic of others or, worse, my own anxieties. Deadlines exist, tensions run high, and people allow fear to control the narrative. But nothing gets resolved from panic, and no one wants to work with someone who has insulted their intelligence or raised their voice over a homepage font.
We provide, amongst other things, technology to our clients. While some projects are more important than others, all of them matter to our clients and therefore to us. The key is separating truly significant issues from rants or hostile behavior. Remember: “a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” Let that wisdom resonate.
Over the years, I’ve faced countless situations where panic threatened to overwhelm me and my team. Whether it was a key employee resigning, a competitor launching a similar product, or a major client threatening to terminate their contract, the stakes often felt insurmountably high. Each time, I remember a mentor’s lesson: unless we’re literally curing cancer or saving lives, there’s no need to panic or be swept away by someone else’s anxiety. While our challenges as entrepreneurs are real and significant, they rarely carry the dire consequences we imagine in heated moments.
This isn’t to suggest we shouldn’t take our work seriously or strive for excellence. On the contrary, we must approach all endeavors with a dedication and commitment to being better. However, it’s equally important to maintain perspective and recognize that our daily struggles are just part of a larger narrative.
Panic is highly contagious. You must lead by example, not only for your team but also for your clients. As a service provider, this is easy to forget – call it an occupational blind spot. But with 25 years of case studies to back this up, here’s a secret: absolutely no one will care about this project in a year. Those 2am barn-burners will mean nothing to anyone eventually. In fact, there’s a strong argument for transparency about challenges rather than combativeness. The human element ties us together; hiding behind a veneer of artificial stress will always feel forced.
Success has many faces, many only visible in the moment or made clear with hindsight. Understanding this has been tremendously freeing. Do not panic or give in to someone else’s panic. Everyone you work with, the folks you hire to work with you, or clients you work with will all thank you profusely for it.
