Leadership: recession but no depression

Published: 2008-11-26   please add a comment below

Times are tough - economically, but also psychologically.  Calls to a national executive counselling service are up 25% year-on-year, according to a report I read today.  And, training and development budgets are getting the chop.  We're all under pressure: to maintain business performance, cut costs and hold our jobs.  There’s no easy answer, but being smart beats being depressed.

The first step is recognising you're not alone: we're all under pressure.  Whether in big business or small; whether you’re the chairman or leading a front-line sales team; whether you're old or young.  This recession isn't discriminating - by race, age, gender or religion.

But, it is a recession, not a depression.  The world has seen worse before, and governments responded less effectively and much slower.  So, it'll be tough but not hopeless.  So, if it's not an economic depression, let's not make it a personal one either.

So, what are your options.  As above, you can find a counsellor and get help to keep your spirits up.  A possibility; but, it may at best only get at part of the problem.

For a fuller solution, you need a plan.  Nothing new in that.  Leaders plan all the time.  For product launches, IT upgrades, new manufacturing programs.  But never leadership action plans.  They're the missing link in business planning.

How do you make one?  First, find the key questions your followers need you to answer - so they want to follow you, even in these tough times.  If you sat with your team, would they say it's more about "where are we going?" or "can we do it?" or perhaps "what output is required?"  Once that's clear, select actions that answer their concerns?  Actions are the language of leadership.

And, once you've talked to your people and developed a plan, then meet with a counsellor or coach, if that can help you implement better.  But, as with anything else, the plan is where you start.  And, that's what my Leadership Action-Planning tool exists to do.  And, happily for these tight times, it's a big business tool at a small business price.  Plan now, then act.  Depression: forget it!

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Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership^®

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