Every business goes through a period where the numbers stop moving. Sales flatten and the same effort brings back less than it used to. We all know how it feels.

When that happens, one question usually comes up. Do we change what we're doing, or keep going and push through?

A rough patch is uncomfortable, so we want to act. Changing the model feels like you're doing something. Pushing harder does too. But if we haven't worked out what's causing the problem, we're just picking a direction and hoping.

Plenty of slowdowns aren't caused by a broken business model. Sometimes the parts have just stopped working together. Brand and performance are pulling in different directions. A funnel is leaking somewhere in the middle.

Rebuilding the whole business won't fix that, and neither will doing more of the same.

So before you decide, be honest about a few things:

• Is the demand still there, or has the market really moved on?
• Are people choosing a competitor, or choosing to do nothing?
• Is the problem where you think it is, or just where it’s easiest to look?
• Are you fixing the cause, or patching the symptom?

A real pivot is a clear choice about the job you do and who you do it for. You make it when you are clear, not when you’re worried. When you change the model just to escape a bad quarter, the cause comes with you.

The strongest businesses rarely pivot in a panic. They have built solid foundations that hold when things get shaky. That’s what gives them the room to change on purpose, when it really is the right move.

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This is taken from the weekly email written by one of our directors, Roberto Boi. Every Thursday he shares observations, ideas and perspectives from the work we’re doing day to day at Dilate. If you’d like to get it delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up here.