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Call the process downsizing, outsourcing, right sizing, reengineering or whatever other euphemism you like this week, the fact is that layoffs are an inevitable part of the shrinking process (along with age and sex discrimination litigation and all the other petty rules and regulations which our courts and congressmen have planted directly in the path of those companies finally trying to retain their competitiveness). Given that layoffs will occur, it's critical that we spend as much time thinking about the survivors as we do plotting to make the necessary cuts as quick, efficient and painless as possible. After all, it's the people that you're hoping will stick around that your business and future success will really depend on after you've settled all the lawsuits. But, as obvious as this seems, we usually don't apply ourselves to this essential task very well. There seems to be three main reasons: (a) we're generally so emotionally drained by the severance process that it's hard to generate the enthusiasm necessary to rally the remaining troops, (b) we're not sure that anyone will regard our efforts as sincere (assuming they are), and (c) we are sure that everyone who remains will want to know what the plan is for the future and where they fit. The problem is that too many times we don't always have a simple new "vision" and a clear plan to share with them at the moment. As a result, we often do little or nothing. This is the worst possible result. While I don't think there's a simple answer or a standard procedure for every case, here's some thoughts in the category known as "Let's Get Real."
Our success is in each of your hands, and each of you owes it to the company and the rest of us to subjugate your departmental concerns in favor of doing what's right for the business and for all of the employees even if these choices and decisions are likely to make your own life worse for some period of time. There is a mindset that is critical right now (besides simply getting your heads into the game) and that is that:
There are many reasons why this is critical (especially since our actions in the next few weeks and months will determine a great deal about all of our futures), but one of the most obvious is that:
If we pretend that things will take care of themselves or that simply reducing our headcount (instead of fundamentally changing how we do our business) will get us to where we so desperately need to be, we're just wasting our time and deluding ourselves. So let's get real, and stop the wishful thinking. Let's face some facts. First, let's understand that there are severe structural problems with the business which we must address. We've made some serious mistakes, and we're in trouble. These are not problems that will disappear any time soon. But they won't ever disappear if we ignore them.
We have to assume responsibility for our problems and their solution and move forward even if we make some mistakes in the process. If you're afraid of making mistakes, you're in the wrong place because it's almost inevitable. The biggest risk today is not that we do things which don't work out or appear wrong in retrospect, it's that we don't do anything until it's too late and someone or something forces our hand.
We're not going to get off the hook that easily because we can't afford to wait any longer. We get paid to make and implement the hard decisions. As they say in this business:
We've got plenty of frogs for everyone. Second, you've all got to start making a difference in everything that you do all day long every day. This is no business as usual and even more importantly every dollar every minute and every day really counts and really matters.
Don't think for a minute that we're going to win this battle with grand gestures, remarkable new inventions, and assorted knights in armor on large white stallions. We're going to win it because we're going to pick ourselves up off the floor, dust ourselves off, roll up our sleeves, and just get on with it. Every day. All day. Try to remember that:
Fix something today. Fix something every day. It adds up, and it matters, and it tells our people that we're trying. Forget being a hero. Just get something done and done right. That's hard enough. Third, these are difficult times, and they require different skills and strengths than those abilities that got us here. This doesn't mean that anyone's a bad person or that someone can no longer make a substantial contribution to our success it simply means that many of us will be asked to do new and different things things we may be unaccustomed to or even nervous about doing but which need to be done. Since it may be your turn at any time to have your chance to look foolish, be very careful about how you judge and evaluate the others around you who may have the unfortunate privilege of going first. Remember two things:
Fourth, please don't waste your breath or our time with rationalizations. When there are mistakes, when the system goes down or isn't backed up for the umpteenth time, when we guess wrong or lose a deal, when you don't have enough people or tools to get the job done, or when any of a hundred other things happen, explanations and excuses don't mean a thing. What matters is immediate and effective corrective action and concrete changes. Not talk but affirmative, aggressive action.
We need to learn from our mistakes. We need to avoid repeating them. And we need to make sure that they don't happen again not by helplessly shrugging our shoulders, but by taking the necessary steps to eliminate the causes. We want to focus on how and where we slipped and not where we fell. Finally, we have a new vision, and each of you needs to make it your own now. No more apologies. No more long explanations. We're dealing with "what nows" and not "what ifs" or "what might have beens." We're setting out to be the best company that we can be, and we're going to do it. Get with the program today. No one can hope to effectively lead someone else without showing him or her a future, a path, and a real hope of achieving the shared goals. We have the people. We have the talent. And we have the opportunity. In addition, the absence of any alternatives has an amazing way of clearing the mind. This is not the time to "try harder," this is the time to "do harder," and it's in your hands. As Bruce Springsteen says:
And one last thought for the people still looking over their shoulders:
Comments? Tullman@aol.com
October:Page 5
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