The Show Must Stop!

While in a commercial plane this week, I experienced something quite strange. The plane was taxiing to the gate when a passenger got up and went to the bathroom. The flight attendant alerted the pilot and he immediately stopped the plane. The flight was already late, and the needless delay due to one person's selfish act really made many of the passengers angry. Moments later the passenger emerged and took the "walk of shame" back to their seat.

The incident made me think about things that might cause my circus to abruptly stop... and what I need to do to prevent them. Some of the key steps for me to take would be:

• Keeping my employees up-to-date on using technology and office equipment as well as diagnosing and repairing problems.
• Having contingency plans in place if an employee doesn't show up for work or is delayed for some reason.
• Maintaining my physical health to minimize time lost to sickeness or lack of energy.
• Always being aware of an alternate way to travel to a destination in the event of flight delays or cancellations.

What about you? What are those things that bring your performance to a screeching halt?