How Entrepreneurs Develop Resilience to Survive Disruption – Colin Hancock Scott

Business is always full of unexpected twists and turns. So, on the latest episode of The Small Business Show, we have serial entrepreneur and keynote speaker Colin Hancock Scott. Scott talks about how entrepreneurs can thrive amidst disruption.

As a cultural anthropologist, she primarily focuses on conflict resolution in crisis management. She spent most of her career working in international aid and development. She talks about how she has worked in some of the most chaotic regions around the world. But now she helps leaders and teams thrive in the midst of chaos.

Important points:

1. It means different things to different people depending on their relationship to the term chaos. However, by definition, chaos refers to a state of disorder or disorder characterized by a lack of organization or order. Scott believes that many people confuse their busy lives with chaos. She argues that it is how we react to unexpected events that determines our experience of disruption. If entrepreneurs can develop a positive relationship with disruption, they will be able to navigate it more effectively.

2. Scott distinguishes between crisis and chaos. While a crisis often leads to swift action, chaos is the confusion and disorganization that occurs when unexpected events occur continuously, as they inevitably do in new and existing businesses.

3. Scott helps small businesses respond more effectively when challenges arise by following a few simple steps.

• • • Before we know it, the bigger the crisis, the less we get caught up in the mess. “We tend to move towards solutions quickly,” Scott says.
    • But when you see a small accident like someone being late, forgetting an order, or something that had a devastating impact on that moment, you can feel the emotion of the moment. Scott advises entrepreneurs to “accept the worst.” Then you can decide on the goals you aim to achieve.
    • Get everything here now. Break down the chaos into more microscopic missions that you can accomplish now based on your available resources.

Four. Think of disruption as an opportunity for growth, as it teaches valuable lessons and creates new possibilities. History shows that many great achievements have been achieved by persevering through difficult times. Entrepreneurs should therefore view disruption as a way to test and improve their resilience.

Five. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to develop the habit of recognizing situations beyond your control, analyzing your emotional state, and being aware of your default reactions. Scott calls this process “ABC.” In this process, individuals try to avoid the problem, blame others, or complain. However, in the face of confusion and uncertainty, these reactions are of little value.

“Unfortunately, we cannot survive chaos, but we can prepare for it.” – Colin Hancock Scott