Inside This Issue
- Managing the Stress of Harsh Economic Times
- Enacting resilience
- Message from the President
- Marketing Matters
- Consulting Tools
- Industry perspectives
Managing the Stress of Harsh Economic Times
To manage the stress of uncertain times and a harsh economic climate, we need to become resilient in all that we encounter. To understand the components of resilience, there is a need to look no further than the most salient memory of adversities or trials in your life. As a dipping economy and a lackluster job market has revealed, the concept of resilience and its relationship to our lives should continue to receive inquiry. Research over the last two decades has focused upon the value of understanding resilience processes and its importance to long-term leader and follower efficacy. Formal resilience can be defined as “…the process of, capacity for, or outcomes of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances”. Furthermore, it is suggested that, “…resilience is predicated on exposure to significant threat or adversity, and on the attainment of good outcomes despite this exposure”. Through the pursuit of attaining good outcomes rather than adverse ones, a healthy and positive outlook can become a normal reaction to life’s challenges.
Message from the President
“…resilience is predicated on exposure to significant threat or adversity and on the attainment of good outcomes despite this exposure”…
As we see both the public and the private sectors undergoing change and attempting to manage uncertainty, the tendency is for panic to become the order of the day. At J.C. Enterprises, we believe that grasping what we have termed the 3 C’s will allow us to weather any temporal concern. The 3 C’s are (a) consistency, (b) continuity and (c) confidence. Our clients must understand that momentary panic should not change the mission, vision, and goals of their business. Consistency is what adds value and gains the loyalty of repeat customers; furthermore, continuity dictates long-term market penetration and heightened awareness of your brand. Lastly, confidence in concert with resilience is the hidden equalizer that will allow long-term buoyancy through down economic times and uncertain financial markets. For example, how often have we seen organizations succumb to panic and the latest fad as a reaction to negative corporate news? We advocates a both/and approach, sound planning, but building positive capacity to combat uncertainty. It is only then that our clients can be ready for whatever comes their way.
Marketing Matters
“…potential problems occur when the consultant lacks authenticity”.
A key component of any organization’s long-term initiatives is the correct marketing mix. Many individuals and organizational leaders question, “What is marketing”? This very inquiry requires serious consideration when trying to attract several diverse individuals and groups to align themselves with key initiatives. For this reason, the following considerations are important when framing long-term marketing goals.
1. The most important element in your marketing plan is spelling out what differentiates your company from more established firms serving the same market.
2. Find the “thing” – the service, products or way of doing business that sets you apart from your competition. Then develop a clear, concise, powerful way to convey that message to customers.
Keep these points in mind when trying to attract new business or generate excitement with existing customers.
Consulting Tools
Consulting can be a very beneficial investment for organizations that seek to add value to their objectives and overall organizational framework. For this reason, consultants must be able to help and not hinder the organization’s ability to achieve their goals. However, potential problems occur when the consultant lacks authenticity and the ability to share with their clients the true nature of the barriers to performance or the areas that can be maximized with more of a strength focus. Clients should keep in mind the answer may not always be the one they are looking for and sometimes change in its purest form can be very uncomfortable. In the final analysis, leadership should ask, did the consultant add value and reveal systemic barriers that would ultimately impact the company’s bottom line? Or did they miss key opportunities because they wanted to be liked and accepted by the organizations leadership?
Industry perspectives
The Consulting industry is becoming keenly aware of just how important maximizing human capital really is to the long-term success of organizations. The human resource component is quickly becoming the industry standard for training and continuing education content. In other words, maximizing the human resource component of leadership should not be ignored. If your team can benefit from any intervention that will help get their job done more efficiently and effectively, leadership must move to maximize that opportunity. Remember that other competitors are also moving to maximize their every advantage.
