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Haven't You Dreamed of Getting a Leg Up on Your Competition? Why Not Now?

 

Happy New Year to all! We hope you had a good holiday season, perhaps adding some merriment to the end of a rather difficult year for business. The holiday decorations are likely back in their boxes, so now is the time to look ahead, begin executing your business plans and move toward achieving possible breakthrough results.

Getting started means getting out of the "trees" and seeing the "forest"—in other words, working on your business and not just in it.

To help frame your thinking, check out the following articles:

• Haven't You Dreamed of Getting a Leg Up on Your Competition? Why Not Now? considers the opportunities inherent in the current market cycle.
• Learn From Past Storms ... Even if They Were Less Severe reconsiders the planning and actions you need to take in preparation for, during and after significant economic crises.
• And from the main Blackman Kallick Web site, some counterintuitive insights from one of our partners, Patrick McNally, relating to protecting your company from bankrupt customers. Read article

And a few words about communication

We are strong advocates of telling it like it is, not like you wish it was.

This is especially true in employee communications. Not only do you need to be able to articulate your vision of where your business is going and what you want it to look like when the storm has passed, you need to be open to discussing the challenges your business is facing today and the actions you're taking.

In troubled times, if you don't share your news and plans with your employees, they'll likely assume the worst—that the news is bad and you have no workable plans. They then might share their thoughts with other employees. After a few people hear this "guesswork," it sometimes becomes "news."

Closing your door and avoiding eye contact will dampen morale. Calling everyone together as a team to discuss the game plan will help rally the troops and counter any gossip. If you elicit their suggestions and comments, you'll engage them in the solution.

In short: it is critical to overall morale that you speak plainly about the current crises, letting your employees know the company's plans to weather the storm. Be as specific as you can.

Put your resolutions on paper and share them

During the holidays, we were reminded about the power of writing down New Year's resolutions and sharing them with the people who can help you make them happen.

All you need to do next is add a timeline ... assign a few tasks ... and presto (!) you have a strategic plan with a team to help you execute it.

So write down your plans, communicate them to your team and act on them as a team.

Two quotes to help launch you into the New Year

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."
– Frank Tibolt

"The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them."
– Denis Watley

Thanks for reading our thoughts over the last several months and for sharing your ideas with us. We want to pass along our best wishes to you for a peaceful, happy and healthy 2009.

Sincerely,

Barry S. Cain, former Managing Director, Strategic Services
David Spitulnik, former Director, Strategic Services
Suzanne Lane, Senior Manager, Strategic Services
 

This publication is part of Blackman Kallick’s marketing of professional services, and is not written tax advice directed at the specific facts and circumstances of any person and/or entity. Contents of this publication are of a general nature, and you should not act on this information without obtaining professional advice from your business advisor that is appropriately tailored to your individual needs and circumstances. This written advice is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code.