Iceberg Ahead: Exploring The Hidden Secrets That Sink Titanic Organizations in Africa (Part 2)

Records show that the Titanic struck a North Atlantic iceberg around 11:40 pm on the St Valentine’s day of 1912 (14 April 1912). The ship was travelling at a speed of 20.5 knots (23.6 MPH).  Evidence from the survivors indicated that the ship had hit an iceberg. In the same way the Titanic sank due to hitting an iceberg, we are witnessing a number of  established entrepreneurial efforts that initially seemed solid at the outset sinking and going into oblivion in no time.  The big question that boggles the mind is how did the Titanic, with all its sophistication sink? The simple answer to this complex question is that because no one saw the iceberg coming until it was too late to prevent doom and today the writer has turned the demise of the giant Titanic into a metaphor to decipher some of the mistakes entrepreneurs make or are liable to make that may result in their extinction in an iceberg littered entrepreneurial landscape.  Below are some of the icebergs hidden beneath the sea of businesses that have combined forces to sink titanic business companies and organisations:

1. Founderritis (Founder) Member syndrome – The founderistis syndrome is the difficulty faced by organizations where one or more founders maintain disproportionate power and influence following the effective initial establishment of the organization, leading to a wide range of problems.
2. Boiled Frog Syndrome” – is a syndrome that creates gatekeepers who stifle company and personal success growth while at the same time abusing company resources. The boiled frog syndrome is characterised by circumstances and events of managing the business rather than opportunity and in the process slowly boiling it alive.
3. The Corporate Goliath Syndrome– The Corporate Goliath Syndrome is a situation where there is innovation malaise and red tape due to bureaucratic processes that are characteristic of large corporations. Company expenses sky rocket and outperform sales and thereby limiting organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Paralysis of analysis Syndrome- is perhaps one of the most dangerous yet true phrases in today’s world. I have seen entrepreneurs constantly drowning themselves in more and more information and useless activities in the hope of increasing their level of competency and craftsmanship for their business and only to find out that they are barely scraping by to pay their expenses.
5. The Triple “S” (Status Symbol) Syndrome– The failure to meticulously and religiously do the numbers can also lead to business downfall. Propelled by the Triple S syndrome (Status Symbol Syndrome) most entrepreneurs end up spending business money on expensive personal spending and in the process milk the business dry, lifeless and to its subsequent demise or overspending on fancy décor and expensive equipment and ultimately end up running out of cash forcing the enterprise to close.