Something sinister could be lurking behind the doors of American businesses. According to Dr. Edward Selby, Ph.D., a recognized expert at Psychology Today, small-business owners are as susceptible to self-sabotage as the rest of the population. But when business owners sabotage their goals by engaging in certain behaviors, it can be disastrous to the bottom line. What’s more, business owners may not even realize they are the reason their business isn’t thriving. Here are three ways you might be sabotaging your business without even knowing it, along with advice from Selby about how to reverse the behavior.
1. Anxiety avoidance. In business, there are two ways to meet a challenge. The first is to meet it head on and make the best decisions you can. But Selby says some people respond to challenges with avoidance rather than facing the difficulty of making a decision. In other words, in an effort to avoid anxiety, they avoid the situation, which can put a small business at risk. “But once people understand that avoiding a problem is self-sabotage, they’ll often be motivated to make the best decision possible, even if it’s not perfect.”
Selby says, “One of the best ways to determine if you are making a decision for an emotional reason is to make a pros and cons list for both the results of making the decision and the results of not making the decision. If on such a list the primary benefits to making a decision are not directly related to the outcomes of the business, then you may want to reconsider that decision.” For example, if you feel that yelling at an employee for a mistake will vent some anger and make you feel better, then the decision is being driven by emotions and you should reconsider it. Similarly, if you’re avoiding giving an employee necessary constructive criticism because you’re feeling anxious about his or her reaction, then you may be letting anxiety interfere with your ability to successfully manage employees.”
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