Al Walsh on Are YOU a True Leader?

Managing Hard Times

Thoughts for corporate executives on managing change.

If you’ve been properly managing your area of responsibility, whether it be Departmental or Corporate-wide, there shouldn’t be any major surprises for you, and you should be able to weather change effectively.

Regardless of your station in the corporate pecking-order, you should have been maintaining your own Strategic & Operational plans, and adjusting them to circumstances. People who exercise this discipline rigorously are seldom surprised, and usually have contingency plans developed for anticipated new developments. There are usually signs that change is in the wind, if you’re paying attention.

If you’re not doing this, or something fundamentally similar, I suggest that you START IMMEDIATELY; before it’s too late.

A key factor of quality management is a forward-looking posture; always anticipating what’s ahead and thinking about how you will adjust - just as you should be looking ahead regarding employee development - and to succession-planning in the event that you are promoted. People who exercise this discipline are better-prepared to deal with change; even on those rare occasions when it comes by surprise.

▪ Take stock of your talent and think about what you will do if a down-sizing occurs. Don’t wait for your boss to give you the bad news before you develop your plan. If you’ve got a marginal performer you’ve been tolerating, it’s time for them to go. Could you get by with fewer employees, or a leaner budget?

▪ If you see financial pressures building, think about what you can do NOW to cut expenses in your area of responsibility. Don’t wait for someone to pass an edict down.

▪ Go back to your last capital budget and review how you might implement less-costly alternatives, or temporarily shelve the parts that haven’t been implemented yet.

▪ If staff-cuts are possible, and cross-training needs to be done between targeted employees & those who would remain, start it NOW.

These are just a few of the ideas you can enact, but the operative words are THINK! and NOW!

When the down-sizing occurs, will you be perceived as a true leader or just another follower?

Your own job may hang in the balance. Get a leg up while you still can, and make it a permanent part of your leadership discipline. Operate lean, mean, and aware!

Good Luck!


Al Walsh is a Los Angeles area "Unrepentant Capitalist"
CAREER ROLES:~ CEO - V.P. - CFO - COO - Entrepreneur~ Executive Committee & Board Member~ Partner and Advisor to CEO's, COO's & Boards~ Multi-Disciplined Consultant & Contractor