Terry
Petra is one of our country's leading trainers and
consultants. He has conducted in-house programs
for organizations and firms in the U.S., Canada,
Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England,
and Russia.
Uncertainty
and indecisiveness permeate our economy, while the
potential for a worldwide recession serve as a backdrop
for the international war on terrorism. Old alliances
are being tested while new coalitions are redefining
the meaning of world order. All of this impacts your
clients and the consuming public creating an attitude
of caution and concern. Any way you measure it; this
is not a "business as usual" environment.
Therefore, your response to these circumstances should
be creative, yet reasonable.
There
is little doubt that America and its coalition partners
will ultimately prevail. However, your actions must
reflect both the challenges and opportunities that
are present during this unparalleled time in our history.
An
appropriate analogy would be that of a NASCAR race.
The outcome of the race is certain; someone will win.
Nevertheless, the events that occur between the start
of the race and the finish line are not predictable.
The race becomes a process of positioning and the
proper use of limited resources. Many times the outcome
of the race is determined during the yellow flags,
the times of caution during the race when each driver
must maintain their position until obstacles and debris
can be cleared from the track. Many of the champion
NASCAR drivers take advantage of the yellow caution
flags to make unscheduled pit stops. They seize the
opportunity presented by the yellow caution flags
to change tires, add fuel, make adjustments, and prepare
themselves to resume the race with renewed energy
and resolve.
In
many ways, our economy is currently running under
a yellow caution flag. With uncertainty being the
norm, the margin for error is shrinking while most
organization's available resources are being stretched
to their limits. This is particularly true for an
organization's human resources. Even with highly publicized
layoffs and cutbacks, the brightest and the best remain
in short supply. Nevertheless, many companies recognize
that opportunity exist during this time of caution.
In
similar fashion to a champion NASCAR driver who views
the yellow caution flag as an opportunity to replenish
resources for the home stretch, visionary organizations
realize that now is the time to replenish their human
resources. Mediocre performance can no longer be tolerated.
Higher levels
of productivity must be achieved while decreasing
the costs associated with conducting their businesses.
More must be produced from fewer resources thereby
decreasing costs across the board. Herein lies the
opportunity.
Now
is the time to meet with your managers and supervisors.
Gain an understanding of the challenges they face
and the impact of the economic uncertainty on their
markets and customers. Discuss their plan for identifying
and confronting both opportunities and threats. Identify
with them the challenges that must be met and how
best to utilize their human capital assets to the
fullest. Keep the discussions on the overriding theme
of, "how can we improve our productivity?"
Think
of your managers and supervisors as the NASCAR driver
and car. You are their pit crew ready to provide the
resources necessary to respond to the challenge, seize
the initiative, replenish the human resources by providing
them with the key competitive advantage; properly
qualified and motivated employees.
During
this yellow flag time of caution, the people who make
up your organization should do more than make a difference.
They must be the difference. The difference between
survival and prosperity. The difference between waiting
for the future and creating it today. The difference
between succumbing to the challenges and seizing the
opportunities.
Now
is the time to boldly step forward with confidence
and courage, forge new and stronger partnerships with
your managers and supervisors, and together, take
advantage of the yellow flag. History has demonstrated
that companies, who take the initiative during times
of caution, establish a focused momentum that allows
them to positively impact their bottom line profits.
Terry
can be reached at (651)738-8561, fax (651)730-6657,
or e-mail: Terry@tpetra.com.
To
learn more about his background and services, check
out his web site at http://www.tpetra.com.
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