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What Would You Do? |
Last Issue's Dilemma:
Dagnabbed economy — any alternatives to layoffs?
The economy stinks. What else is new? But instead of complaining, I'd like to learn from other businesses. How has the economy affected your business? Are you cutting back? I'm contemplating layoffs. Are you considering them or alternatives? What advice would you give other business owners?
— Worried in Wisconsin (name and company withheld)
Summary of Advice Received
Blues Clues
by Meryl K. Evans, Editor, Professional Services Journal
The Dow drops a few hundred ... Layoffs hit hard ... Big name retail stores close ... GM closes a factory ... Enough, already! We could all use Calgon to take us away from the depressing news about the economy.
Wal-Mart Founder Sam Walton's quote might give you comfort and another way of looking at the situation. "I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to participate."
C'mon. Things can't be that bad according to Guy Kawasaki in Guy's Index of Absurdity: The Top Ten Ways to Tell If Things Are Really Bad.
If these don't make you feel better, Gayle Gregory, co-founder of Workplace Evolution, and Marlene Chism, founder of Stopyourdrama.com, provide tips for switching your gears from panic to regaining control.
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Acknowledge fear
Fear influences us in more ways than we realize — in how we make decisions and take action. Start by accepting and acknowledging fear and uncertainty are here to make us twitch.
Depressing times provide managers with the opportunity to rise to the occasion even when the economy doesn't rise. Gayle Gregory, co-founder of Workplace Evolution, advises that taking advantage of the situation helps us to build stronger relationships, provide support, invite innovative solutions and give employees a chance to participate in setting the company's future.
Stop the fear with a little inner dialogue as Marlene Chism suggests. "When someone else starts a conversation that triggers your fear, you can get drawn into the addiction or you can simply say, 'the drama stops here,' and you can refuse to spiral down," she says.
Treat tough times as an opportunity
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Companies naturally react to bad times by cutting training, stopping pay raises, freezing hiring and letting employees go. Instead, companies need to take on a different perspective. "It's an opportunity to hone the skills and transform communication. Employees will find themselves better poised for success when the economy kicks back into action," says Gregory.
Gregory's point makes sense because companies can unite the team members when involving them and getting their buy-in on decisions. Instead of fearing the future, when energizing workers, a company changes its focus to creating a different and more efficient future that can sustain them through current times.
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Professional Services
Journal Survey . . .
Marketing — How will your firm handle marketing in 2009?
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Professional Services Journal, in our ongoing efforts to serve our readers, is asking our audience to tell us how you plan to market your firm in 2009 and what marketing and business development topics you’d like to hear more about in the coming months. This will help us deliver content that is on-target with your interests and professional development.
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Sometimes holding employees accountable doesn't support them. Instead, making them responsible is the result of a manager's automatic reaction in hopes to compel them to put the company first. So instead of letting fear take over, evaluate the reality of the situation with trust and openness. This, according to Gregory, helps the company reach new levels of productivity no matter the economy's situation.
Take a proactive stance
When we feel we don't have control over something, we go into "reaction mode" and feel powerless. Powerlessness leads to feeling down, panicky, insecure or all of the above. To get started on taking your power, make a list of your skills, talents and experiences as well as things you're thankful for such as a roof over your head and food on your plate as Marlene Chism, founder of Stopyourdrama.com, advises.
"Reminding yourself of all that you have already created for yourself is a great mood booster and a reminder that you can create whatever is necessary to move forward," says Chism.
No one can tell you whether layoffs and cutbacks are the right thing to do. As Gregory puts it, too many variables exist in every organization that would make them the right or wrong things.
"Instead of following mob mentality, focus on getting the facts. Be your own authority and look at all sides of an issue so that you don't get off focus and swept up in the tidal waves of negativity. Remind yourself that there may be a bigger picture than what is immediately apparent," Chism says.
This is also a great time to mention the words of Audre Lord, "When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
About the author
Meryl K. Evans is a senior editor at InternetVIZ and content maven behind The Compliance Advisor, Connected Digest, Email Marketing Insider and Professional Services Journal.
