Entrepreneurial urgency is essential for business success. With their emergencies and urgencies, entrepreneurs and leaders often create unnecessary havoc within their teams. As the famous quote says, “Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”
The conversation usually starts with, “I can’t focus on growth (money) projects because of constant distractions, interruptions, and sidetracks this week.” When I have business owners track these issues for a week and send me their list, I’m never surprised by its weight: printing, scanning, letters, emails, phone calls, checks, invoicing, and even booking travel reservations. While important, as the late Stephen Covey advised, these belong in the “not urgent” category.
I won’t dive into unnecessary expenses or process violations—that’s a topic for another post.
Recognizing the Urgency Shift in Business
Entrepreneurs, if your urgency list resembles the above, you’re operating with a managerial mindset. You must immediately delegate these tasks to a team member or hire a part-time assistant who meets with you weekly to offload administrative burdens. Ask yourself: Between meetings, appointments, and commuting, do your thoughts revolve around “I need to book my flight, register for an event, follow up with Bob, check with Sue about the Millers, email Tim about…?” If so, it’s time to shift your mindset.
Stop Reacting, Start Growing with Entrepreneurial Urgency
We frequently receive frantic calls from business owners overwhelmed by financial stress, stagnant phone inquiries, micromanagement struggles, and even fears of layoffs or closing their businesses altogether.
Oddly enough, our favorite calls are those filled with panic, confusion, and urgency. These emotions serve as the greatest motivators. Tony Robbins says, “Where focus goes, energy flows.” We quickly create a short-term action plan to help clients escape the chaos. They leave the call recharged, determined, and focused. By Friday, we meet again to assess what worked, what didn’t, and refine their approach.
Friday Reality Check: Managing Entrepreneurial Urgency
Friday arrives. “I couldn’t complete my leads and revenue reports, outline our marketing strategies, attend a networking event, write an article, or record two short videos because of ‘urgent emergencies’—booking a flight, registering for an event, handling an upset client, meeting with Sue about the Millers, and fixing undelivered work.”
If your urgency isn’t driven by revenue discussions, KPIs, conversion strategies, future planning, creativity, or growth-focused marketing initiatives like book launches, workshops, and podcasts, then it’s time for a change.
Transitioning to Entrepreneurial Urgency for Success
We invite you to explore our blogs and podcasts for expert insights on shifting from administrative urgency to true entrepreneurial focus. Discover how to shift your focus to growth and strategy by sending us an email.
Written by Molly Hall McGrath
