Why isn’t my phone ringing? This is the question that I awoke to 6 weeks ago. In theory, this should be a time of abundance for my work. I know it’s a bold statement, when so many others are also experiencing the effects of the economic downturn. To explain with a bit more humility, I have to wind the clock back to 2001.
It was in late 2001, when I recognized something was out of balance with the company I had been with since 1985. My position was director at a prominent telecommunications company and we were experiencing the fallout of the technology industry downturn, very similar to what all industries are experiencing today. As I observed the daily decision making process of our executives, it became clear to me that we were no longer operating from the core values that had supported this company’s success for almost 100 years. Customers, employees, innovation, excellence & integrity were not important to the executives, who were clearly operating from fear. Now fear can sometimes lead to new and better opportunities when it becomes the stimulant for leaders to look inwardly and take responsibility for the situation. This includes reviewing past decisions that have contributed to the downturn and making a commitment to correct the mistakes. In accepting responsibility, there has to be a recommitment to the purpose, values and vision. This implies that everyone will have to make an adjustment, maybe sacrifice a bit, to get the company back on track for the long term. Instead, what I unfortunately observed were decisions that were based in fear of losing personal wealth and position. The company became a political snake pit, turning the collective leadership into reptiles fighting for survival. In 2002, after 17 years of leadership experiences, 3 presidential level recognitions, an international assignment and projects with some of the most committed people that I have ever known, I made the decision to leave. With no purpose, values, leadership or vision it was obvious to me that this company was dying a slow death. My guess at that time was that this 100-year-old company would be bankrupt in 5 years.
After taking some time off, I started a consulting business in 2003. It is the foundation of this work that leads me to believe that abundance is right around the corner. One of many things I learned during my corporate work experiences was that every success was rooted in our core values. Our teams always incorporated what was best for our customers and employees into our decision-making process. We created a space that empowered employees to capitalize on innovation and excellence. Lastly, we always promoted dialogue that enabled us to question integrity, without judging anyone. This led to a very healthy interaction amongst our employees and kept us all on our toes. While I recognized that our technology was state of the art, I knew it was that the employees who were responsible for our success. The output of any company is only as good as the organization behind it. Products and brands do not create long-term sustainability for companies, but people do. Interesting thing about this approach is that it actually attracts customers. Customers are intuitive. Customers will trust a company to the degree that they see a company’s commitment to it’s own. Customers’ interaction with a company’s employees gives them all the information they need to assess the health of the company. Would you buy a dog that you saw attacking one of its puppies? Could you trust such a dog around your loved ones? A life-depleting environment will scare customers away. Conversely, life-nurturing environments attract customers for life, thus creating a long-term sustainable business. These concepts have been the foundation of the change initiatives offered to my clients during the past 6 years. Along the way, I have met others who offer similar services for their clients and it has been rewarding to learn that I’m not alone in this approach. I expect my colleagues in this work to experience an increased demand also.
With so many companies struggling, why shouldn’t I believe that this time offers nothing but opportunity? It’s the perfect time for companies to:
- Create and implement strategies for developing new products
- Reduce costs
- Improve employee productivity
It’s the perfect time for leaders to give the fire fighting responsibilities to trusted staff members and take responsibility for the longevity of their company by implementing new approaches. It’s the perfect time for leaders to develop a new, trusting relationship with their employees and tap into the unlimited wisdom that they possess. Interested leaders should contact me today. Remember, I’m the one waiting by the phone, but not for long.
By the way, I was wrong about my old company going bankrupt in 5 years. On January 14, 2009, the company filed for bankruptcy, which actually made it closer to 7 years.
