Twenty-four years ago I worked in sales at a marketing agency here in Nashville that was attempting to develop e-mail broadcasting software. One of the owners discovered I was fast and efficient at finding bugs in the software and well-versed in e-mail and digital marketing. This led to him “popping in” to my office a couple of times of week to “take a minute” to review the latest version of his creation.
At first, it was fun and interesting. But after a couple of weeks, with the requests coming more frequently and disrupting my day, I had to develop “strategic incompetence” at finding bugs, as well as ineptness at making helpful suggestions, so he would leave me alone and let me get back to selling, which is where I made my money.
My kids use this tactic as well. They’re strategically incompetent about all sorts of chores that need to be done, hoping their total and complete incompetence will deter me from asking them to do anything they don’t like doing. You call THAT a “clean” room? Are you sure you didn’t wash those dishes blindfolded?
In business, I see MSP owners playing the same game. They’re intentionally and strategically “not good” at numbers, sales, marketing, hiring, managing, etc. Pick one. Or two. Or more. The excuse is always the same – “I can’t ______ because I’m no good at it.”
When you strategically suck at cooking, no one wants or expects you to cook dinner.
When you strategically suck at selling, no one would argue that you should own sales.
When you strategically suck at numbers, it’s understandable that your finances are a mess.
But so much of what people suck at is embraced and explained aways as “It’s just who I am.” An intentional bad habit so they don’t have to address an aspect of their business or life that is in serious need of attention.
This is one of the main reasons why someone leaves an accountability group. They are forced to show up every week to be confronted by their peers about their incompetence and lack of discipline. When faced with some ugly truth that reveals an area of neglect, they swat it down hard with a solid excuse, pointing to some external factor as the cause. After a couple of weeks of that, they strategically get “too busy” to do any marketing and stop showing up.
Facing the reality of our shortcomings (and life and business in general) involves contemplating a lot of unpleasant things. Unfulfilled ambitions and goals. Bad choices made along the way that we are likely STILL making.
No matter how productive and accomplished you are, there’s always a list of things we haven’t done, aren’t doing and, if we’re honest, will likely NEVER do. It haunts us…so we ignore it and become strategically incompetent at whatever the habits and skills are that would lead to getting our shit handled. At least then we can say it “wasn’t OUR fault” because we were born with some limitation, lack of knowledge, inability, etc.
Stepping into a new skill or a new initiative to grow your business is scary. There are only two things that are certain: work and cost. The time and money you’ll put in WITHOUT the guarantee of success. Like hiring a salesperson or investing in a new website and SEO plan. It could take a year before you really see such investments pay off, and all the while you’re anxious about how much time and effort you’re putting in with no return, often questioning whether you made the right decision that needs more time or the wrong decision you need to backtrack on.
But here’s what I’ll tell you: You can’t steer a parked car. You also can’t improve a skill or area of your business that is being neglected with more neglect. The fatality rate there IS certain, and choosing to cling to incompetence is going to get you crushed. It’s better to attack and conquer the ugly back office, management, sales or leadership stuff you hate, getting at least “good enough” to move the business forward.
Question: What is something YOU are being “strategically incompetent” about that you know you need to work on? Write it down and get it handled.
Still avoiding the parts of your business that make you uncomfortable — like sales, marketing, or hiring? Stop making excuses and get the help you actually need.
Join us at The AI-Powered MSP Summit in Las Vegas, Newark, or Chicago this September. This is your chance to sharpen your skills, solve what’s holding you back, and move your business forward with real AI strategies that work.
