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Global View

Written by: Paul Bridle

Article Overview: Survive - but also get prepared to Thrive

Global View

It is 2009 and the world is going through an economic shake-up, the meetings industry is feeling threatened and companies are using the opportunity to cut back and downscale their operations. Yet, everyone knows that once this is over, the best companies are those that will have positioned themselves to take advantage of the upswing.

Why are businesses not taking the opportunity to position their company and prepare their people so that they can take advantage of the situation when it arises? Surely now is the time to get focused and get the business and the people ready? However, I am hearing companies cutting back on things that have the potential to get the company in the right place to be able to respond to opportunities.

There should be three questions on the minds of every business at this moment:

Have we got an outstanding product or service?

Have we got an outstanding delivery mechanism?

Do we have the cash flow to make it happen?

Successful organizations across the globe should be thinking about these questions every moment of the day and working to achieve them. Those that have taken the approach that cutting back is what is important now, will realize they are not capable of being able to respond to the opportunities when they arise.

Whilst it is important to ensure that your business can survive through this time, it is also important to consider what state our business will be in when the economic crisis is over. It seems pointless to survive the current climate only to then be out manoeuvred by your competitors. Do you really want to live through this to then be destroyed by lack of customers? It is about quality of life after the illness has been cured. These points need to be considered NOW and planned for.

During this time relationships are being formed, impressions are being made and your customers are forming opinions that will guide their thinking in the future. I spend a lot of time in hotels, on airlines and visiting events and conferences. I understand that they need to do more, with less, and so there is pressure on people. However, I can also tell the difference between a company that is still customer focused and making every effort to make sure that I get as much value as is possible from them.

I can tell the difference between an organization where the leadership at the top is focused on making cuts, driving down costs and squeezing every drop of possible profit out of their business, compared to the business that is thinking about ‘thriving’ in the future.

Making a difference to our customers is so much easier at a time when they are understanding of the issues you face. Are you taking advantage of that?

My experience with your business tells me who you are as a leader ... what experience do you think I'm having? –

Paul Bridle

Leadership Methodologist

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Article Tags: cash flow, climate, delivery mechanism, economic crisis, forming opinions, globe, impressions, meetings industry, moment of the day, nbsp, quality of life, time relationships, upswing



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