There are those who help you reach your goals, and there are those who hinder your progress. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference, especially if someone you adore as a person is the one hindering the progress of your business. However, it’s important to identify these types of people and replace them with someone more fit for the job.

Roadblock Prophets

These people are the kings and queens of thinking of worst-case scenarios. Worse yet, they insist on sharing them. Roadblock prophets are uncannily good at figuring out all of the problems that can happen in any given scenario and spelling them out, one by one, even when those problems are very unlikely to ever occur. Of course, no one wants to make a mistake that was avoidable and easy to fix ahead of time.

But when there's always a little birdy sitting in the background stating every single problem that could ever come up, it's impossible to ever get any ideas off the ground.

Who You Should Keep Instead

At this point, someone needs to go, because unreasonable doubt is the enemy of success. If any idea doesn't actually work, then it's important to discuss it and get it out in the open to protect the company. But that doubt needs to come with reasons and alternate solutions as well. If it doesn't, then it may still be on the table. If you point out reasons and alternate solutions, then you're being useful. Then things can happen, and you and the employee may be able to go places together. Otherwise, it's important to consider alternate options and go separate ways.