Uncertainty = Nonproductivity

As a leader you have to understand that during uncertain times you have to drive people even more than normal. People begin to ask, "Why am I working on this project if it is going to be cancelled in a couple of weeks?" The fear of uncertainty causes this to take place and thus reduces productivity. People begin to review their options, look for new jobs, confirm their severance package, and flat out do nothing.

This is not because people do not want to work and be productive it is because they are uncertain about the vision and strategy. I spoke about vision a few months ago and how important it is for an organization, this is a perfect example. Sure when a company is going through a possible merger or sale there is a tremendous amount of anxiety, this does not mean there should be no productivity. As a leader it is your job to rally the troops and keep the message simple. Today we need to focus on XX. Focus the energy in a positive direction rather than the uncertain one. For the most part people can do one thing great and multiple things ok, find the one thing that needs attention and focus them on it.

Turmoil

A company that is undergoing financial hardship causes turmoil for all stakeholders. As a leader it is not acceptable to say it is business as usual because it is certainly not. As a company shops for investors or a buyer everyone is on edge and the fear of the unknown is intense. Sometimes knowing the outcome regardless if it is good or bad is better than speculation. It is not business as usual because these are very unusual times.

April Fool

Ironically the environment that our company faces today is far from foolish yet more concerning. The financial sector is under a tremendous amount of pressure these days and working for a financial firm is similar to working at the local funeral home. Of course if you work for one of the few banks that have been able to avoid the credit / sub prime crisis this might feel like the time of your life.

An uncertain environment does not work well for anyone in a company. Productivity declines, customer satisfaction deteriorates, and core business practices are changed because people go into a protection mode. I find it alarming when businesses today know they need to make a decision but find it hard to make the tough one. Being a leader is not easy and a CEO of a fortune 500 company is not an easy job but you cannot forget about core business strategy and execute. Plain and simple in business you have to execute or you should be prepared to be executed.

Small Business - Big Business

Today small business is becoming the new big business. More and more people are making a decision to control their own destiny by opening their own business. Years ago you could decide to pick a company to work for and also plan on retiring from there in 40 years. Those days are all but gone and we will never see them again. Big business has a priority to its shareholders to produce earnings and this means growth through acquisition, cost cutting measures, and flat management hierarchy.

Small business does not have to deal with these same issues but can create a business that is just as agile as big business. Small business can take advantage of technology enhancements, 3rd party vendors, and outsourcing all the while creating an infrastructure to compete with big business. Sure there is more risk as a small business from an initial cash flow standpoint but the ROI is much higher than the normal course of employment. I have always worked for big corporations mainly because of the belief that is is safer. Of course my former business was outsourced and my current business is under extreme financial pressure. So I guess my question is why should I work for a big business?

Value Added

I once worked for a leader who always talked about value added. What value are you adding to the customer, employees and the business? So many times in large corporations value added is a buzz word and not a measurement. You simply cannot use the word value add unless you are willing to quantify the results.

Recently, I have been working on a project that is an effort to transform our culture. I have been pushing to ask what are we learning? How are we making an impact? What is the ROI? Sure in business it is not always about the bottom line but if you never get to the bottom line there is a problem. If you want to create value and prove your self worth make all of your projects or sales calls value added.

Coaching

If you read the book Good to Great by Jim Collins he explains how important it is to have the right people on the bus. Recently, I was asked to lead a sales coaching session for a team in a different line of business. The experience was great and I really felt I was making an impact. After the meeting I was asked to come back 2 more times to continue the training that we were developing. Although this is not in my job description it is certainly something I enjoy and am passionate about.

After thinking through this request for a while I began to wonder why there is no one else leading these sessions? I am concerned if the right people are on the bus and if not how will this change? In my expereince as a culture evolves you have to be willing to find the right people and if the model changes you will likely need fresh talent. Very few people will be able to adapt and change to a new enviroment. I am not saying people cannot change but the time it takes to make these changes can sometimes be the difference between success and failure. One of the first things you will every read in a marketing book is about being the first to market and how important it is. The same goes for people if you let your employees lag your culture will not change thus forcing you to lag the competition.

Ohio State Recognition

If you are a sports fan last night was a big night for college football. I am frustrated with the lack of recognition for the Ohio State Buckeyes and what they accomplished in 2007. In 2006 Ohio State lost nearly their entire offensive powerhouse and had little expectations for the 2007 season. Early in 2007 people in the media and college football analysts were not even predicting Ohio State to finish in the top 10 let alone play in their second consecutive National Championship Game. Yesterday's loss to LSU was not acceptable to Buckeye fans but I would argue this was one of the best coaching years Coach Tressel has had at Ohio State.

Over achieving is something that becomes lost in sports and in business. Once you achieve top performance on a regular basis this becomes the new standard for future results. Jim Tressel has raised the bar for the Ohio State program over the past few years and for that he should be rewarded and recognized rather than ridiculed. In business, the same phenomenon takes place every day with top sales people. Rather than rewarding them and thanking them for their hard work we raise their goals and ask them to do more with little appreciation for a job well done. Remember the Rainmakers of an organization will continue to drive forward and reach new heights however if they are not recognized, rewarded and appreciated it might not be for your organization it might be for your competition.