When The Plan Goes Sideways, Lead Like Mike Vrabel

From unexpected snowstorms to staffing curveballs, KEI Consulting supports small business owners with practical HR guidance when chaos hits

This week’s New England Patriots win was a reminder that sometimes Plan A goes right out the window. That’s not a failure, it’s good leadership.

Vrabel’s original game plan probably didn’t include snow, wind, and an offense that couldn’t get into rhythm. But instead of forcing it, they adjusted. They leaned hard on defense, field position, and discipline. It wasn’t pretty, but thanks to Drake “Drake Maye” Maye getting that final first down with his legs, it worked. A win’s a win.

Sound familiar?

Small business owners deal with this constantly. You start the year with a plan: hire this role, grow revenue, open a new location, finally clean up HR “later.”
Then reality hits. Hiring slows. Cash flow tightens. Regulations change (looking at you, MA). A key employee leaves. What worked last quarter suddenly doesn’t.

The problem isn’t changing strategy. The problem is pretending the conditions haven’t changed.

That’s where KEI Consulting comes in. I work with founders and small business owners who don’t need a glossy, over-engineered HR playbook - they need someone in their corner helping them adjust in real time. Sometimes that means pausing hiring and tightening systems. Sometimes it means shoring up compliance before growth. Sometimes it means building structure so the business can actually scale without burning everyone out.

Good teams don’t win by stubbornly sticking to the original plan. They win by reading the field, trusting their strengths, and adjusting when they need to.

If your business feels like it’s playing in bad weather right now, let’s talk.

Whether you need quick HR guidance, a reset on your people strategy, or ongoing support as things evolve, KEI Consulting helps you adjust the game plan—and keep moving forward. Smash that contact button and let’s get to work (just not on Super Bowl Monday, please and thank you).

WE’RE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!