Lean Times Require Great Leadership

Lean times require leaders to step up and lead. Manage the process. Dig out and recover. Some tips to make sure your recovery in difficult times is successful include:

1. Avoid any type of panic. Stay away from words like crisis and avoid emergency meetings. These things reinforce how bad things are becoming.

2. Keep routines. Maintain as many regular events as possible. This sends the message that all is going to be alright.

3. Improve visibility. During tough times it is absolutely critical that leaders increase their visibility and approachability. Again, this will have a calming affect.

4. Increase communication. Leaders must use the impetus of a slow down as a chance to increase communication and insure that all team members are hearing the same message from the same source.

5. Think lean and not slash. Look at opportunities for improved efficiency and not just cost cutting for cost-cutting's-sake. Aggressively attack vanity tasks. Better processes and leaner methods will last even when tough times subside.

6. Manage both sides of the income statement. The approach of looking only at the expense side is short-sighted. Look also at options in enhancing revenue. Is there income or income potential being ignored?

7. Use issue as a rally point. A challenge can be a great organizational rally point. When times are tough, use it as a single focus charge cry for all team members.

8. Refer to history. History (and old age) tells us that all downturns are cyclical. They come, they cause pain, and they go. Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

9. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Unfortunately, tough times often bring out the worst in people. Some will become territorial. Some will throw others under the bus. Some will paint unclear pictures about their value. The only way to debunk these is to keep them close.

10. Return to basics and core values. Slow downs and down turns are great times to return to core organizational values and the basics of service delivery. Remember the reason that you are there.