One of the clearest signs of forward-focused leadership is what you do once you’ve worked to gain clarity. It’s not enough to recognize what story the numbers are telling you {previous blog post link}, you must decide what comes next. At some point, the question becomes: what are you going to do with what you now see?
You have to act on it. Not necessarily sweeping reinvention, but for strategic movement. Strategic leadership means acting early, not just identifying opportunities. Reallocating energy, fine-tuning priorities, and pulling the plug on what’s dragging. Because good businesses spot opportunity. Great ones act on it — early.
Here’s how I think about it when I’m working with a client — or sitting with my own business:
These are the conversations I come back to again and again.
- What’s Working — and Deserves More
There’s always something going right. A service line that’s gaining traction, a teammate stepping up, a campaign that’s quietly converting better than expected. The challenge is we often move right past it — too busy chasing what’s broken to build on what’s working.
A few years back, we were doing too much. Tax prep. Clean-up projects. One-off consults. It all felt necessary — and in some ways, it was. But when we stopped and looked honestly at where the momentum and margin were coming from, it was clear: our deepest impact, our strongest and most rewarding relationships, came from advisory. That was our 80/20. So, we got serious. We began trimming back the noise, started leaning more intentionally into advisory, and are gradually rebuilding the business around what we do best — helping entrepreneurial business owners make better decisions. This shift didn’t just improve our results, but it became the turning point that clarified our direction, reshaped how we work, and brought clarity to our identity.
Questions I’d ask:
- What’s performing better than expected?
- Could we lean into this now — while we still have room to move?
- What’s Not Working — and Needs a Shift or a Cut
This is always the harder conversation. I get it — you’ve already sunk time and energy, which together are the most precious of all resources, into it. But sometimes, the most strategic move is letting something go. (If I wasn’t a breathtaking accountant, I’d be an economist – that is how much I love to identify (and move on from) sunk costs!)
One of our clients had a salesperson who was bringing in deals — but not the right kind. The projects were off-brand, the customers weren’t ideal, the margins were thin, and the team was constantly bending to meet expectations that didn’t fit their model. The volume looked good on paper, but the downstream strain was real. We sat down with their leadership team, reviewed the numbers, then developed a framework to move forward. It had become clear the issue wasn’t a lack of activity (busy = broke!) — it was a lack of alignment. Together, we mapped out a transition plan to wind down that sales structure and shift business development back toward the kind of work they were built to deliver. It wasn’t a dramatic pivot — just a steady shift back toward their lane. And almost immediately, the work got smoother, the margin came back, and the team had room to breathe again.
Questions I’d ask:
- Are we sticking with this because it’s working — or just because we’re used to it?
- If this weren’t already in motion, would we say yes to it now?
- What’s Emerging — and Needs a Decision Before T3
Sometimes opportunity doesn’t come with a label. It shows up in a team member’s idea, an unexpected lead, or a market shift you didn’t plan for.
A client we work with had been stretched thin for a while. The owner was carrying the weight of operations, sales, and strategy — and it was starting to show. When a key team member gave notice unexpectedly, it was the wake-up call they needed. They had a chance to bring in a seasoned operator who had experience managing similar-sized teams and knew how to steady day-to-day execution. It wasn’t part of the original plan, and the budget was tight, so they hesitated. But the symptoms were clear: delayed follow-through, over-reliance on the owner, and too many high-priority tasks falling through the cracks. We helped them run the numbers — showing that the additional salary could be absorbed if they maintained their current close rate and average project size over the next quarter. But more importantly, we helped quantify what that owner’s time was actually worth. By shifting just 8–10 hours a week away from operations and into client development, strategic planning, and team leadership, the opportunity for top-line growth and improved margin more than justified the investment. The math made the decision easier — and it reframed the hire as a growth move, not just a cost. With that clarity, they made the hire. It turned out to be a pivotal decision. Very quickly, priorities were clearer, the team had direction, and the owner finally had space to start planning for the next phase of growth — instead of putting out fires. (Being called a fireman is cool if you’re George Strait… not if you’re a business owner).
Questions I’d ask:
- Is there something on the horizon that deserves a decision — not just a discussion?
- What would it look like to move toward it now?
What It Comes Down To
Clarity is the first step — but it’s not the finish line. The businesses that grow with intention are the ones that act with it.
The goal isn’t perfect planning. It’s timely movement.
So if you’re seeing what needs to shift — lead from it.
Because a good decision now beats a perfect one too late.