- Stop Retrenching. Strike instead. Historically, economic downturns show winners don't retrench out of fear, but strike early.
- Think Strategy, Not Tactics. Make sure you know how to outmaneuver the competition and position yourself in the new competitive landscape.
- Avoid Getting Sucked into Operations. Most managers are spending too much time in operations, versus leading their teams.
- Recheck Your Mission Statement. Does your culture inspire passion for the strategic result?
- Hire the Brave. Not the desperate. Cowardice stops employees from challenging the status quo, holding others accountable and exposing weaknesses.
- End Politeness. Politeness stops the essential act necessary for accelerating profits: telling the truth.
- Jettison Dead Weight. Keeping marginally performing employees and sticking with doomed projects far too long are the best way to shove profits down a slippery slope.
- Say "No" to Customers. Assess the return-on-customer, and focus on the top profit player.
- Encourage Group Think. When everyone thinks like a CEO, they realize how every decision affects the balance sheet and cash flow.
- Question the Answers. The new "normal" means reconsidering everything you know is right. Refocus on what customers and employees really want now.
DON SCHMINCKE [www.HighAltitudeLeadership.com] is a dynamic speaker and author, authoring the bestseller The Code Of The Executive and High Altitude Leadership with co-author Chris Warner.
