For many of us 2009 was a challenging year. Now is the time to focus on your accomplishments, rather than focus on what didn’t get done. Celebrate what you achieved.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Becoming more nimble and flexible in the way you do business as the economic environment worsened and then seemed to get stuck in a holding pattern. Along the way you learned a few things.
- Learning to do what you dislike. Be it calling customers to collect past-due amounts or tightening customer credit to protect cash flow. It wasn’t always easy but it was necessary. Your business is stronger for it.
- Re-focusing the business services back to core competencies even at the risk of disappointing certain customers. Overall operations will be more efficient and profitable.
- Parring expenses to what was needed to operate not what was desired. Yes the belt tightening was annoying but the cost of not surviving was even more annoying.
- Cross-training staff to both economize on labor and develop employees’ latent skills. Without realizing it you created a training program that will help you to grow in-house talent!
- Using down-time wisely to create new product and/or service offerings and to shore up systems and procedures. With the “luxury” of time you invested in your business future.
- Exploring the world of social media and determining what makes sense for your business and the customers you need to attract.
- Interacting live with your customers and listening to what they need from your business to be successful. You have enhanced the relationship.
- Asking for help. Perhaps you joined a CEO forum or formed an advisory board. The important point is you stopped trying to go it alone.
What else have you done that you can share with us? Leave a comment and let us know.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
