Crack. Crack. Boom! Like thunder, but not quite. It was a tree falling over in the woods. Tall, healthy looking, it came down in seconds, along with several branches from other trees along the way. If you’ve never seen a massive tree fall on its own accord in the woods, it is quite a sight to behold. I hiked by the tree the day before and you would never know that it was about to fall over from its outward appearance.
Like trees, businesses of all shapes and size can look healthy on the outside. But over time, the root system and its structure can be eaten away. If you aren’t looking for the signs, it looks like an otherwise healthy structure collapsed without warning.
It’s a good reminder for leaders not just to look at the outward facing portion of a company, but to also look at its foundation and structure to ensure it is healthy too.