I woke up with a bad headache and bad neck pain. It’s not the first time, really. And I didn’t feel helpless about them — my physiotherapist, who fixes my back and neck pains, had given me stretches and exercises to do when the pain starts.

So I went through my stretches and exercises for a good half an hour. I even applied a hot compress on my nape to “loosen” and soften the muscles.

It didn’t work.

So I had to pop a paracetamol pill to address the issue.

Of course, I was not truly addressing the issue: What the paracetamol did was simply mask the pain, mask the symptoms. I knew that my neck muscles are still awry in spite of the absence of pain. But I felt I had no choice but to resort to a painkiller.

This made me think: How many business executives, when faced with painful business issues, apply just a “symptom painkiller and depressor” on their problems without truly addressing their root causes?

In the span of my twenty-odd years of working in marketing and business, I’ve seen clients of all sorts who would simply apply “pain- and symptom-killers” on their business problems.

Sales going down?

Change advertising agencies! Explore new messages and positioning! Run a price-off promotion! Berate the ad agency and brand management teams if the sales needle isn’t moving! Fire them and change them if it gets even worse!

You see, sales going down is a symptom. It signifies something is not working and something needs to be rectified. However, one has to really stop and reflect and analyse what’s behind the trend — what’s causing the slowdown in sales? — and address that root issue.

Knee-jerk reactions are common in business and in marketing. Unfortunately, in my experience, those knee-jerk reactions almost always result to continued negative results and far worse business environments.

When faced with adversities and challenges, I’d advise business leaders to please stop and take stock of what’s happening. Identify the root cause of the symptom. And address that root cause — not just the symptom.

This is particularly true in these trying COVID-19 times. Now is the time for conscious, considered, and duly-diligent thinking amongst business managers and leaders. Symptom-focused thinking is more detrimental to the business and could create more negative consequences that can hamper the prospects of the company.

As for me, I need to see my physiotherapist again. And if necessary, undergo physical therapy again on my neck and back.

Till next time.