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Purposeful Leadership In Challenging Times Can Transform Your Business

These past couple weeks have been a wake-up call for all of us. In response, I want to reach out to all my #business, #entrepreneur and #marketing peers to share challenges and ideas for taking more proactive measures to protect our businesses.

Times like these evoke a “fight or flight” response: We either batten down the hatches, don’t look outside, and hope we survive after the storm has passed, or we make purposeful decisions, look our sometimes-invisible enemy straight in the eye, and figure out how we’re going to fight and emerge stronger.

After reflecting back on the last recession, the clients we served who came out on top were successful by design. I believe companies in today’s climate will succeed by doing these two things:

  • First, invest in your businesses in new creative ways. Smarter organizations will look at down-time as a way to reinvent and work on needed strategic projects that are always put off for lack of time. This can mean adapting to a remote workforce, establishing a stronger digital footprint, and shifting more of your business online, which can make the difference between thriving and closing your doors. For others, it means initiating aggressive new campaigns, setting up an e-commerce website, sharpening messaging, or reinvigorating the brand while their competitors focus solely on cost-cutting measures.
  • Second, have a bold vision for what the economy and your market will look like after the dust settles and align your company accordingly. Make some immediate shifts to keep revenue coming in but realize that emergency measures will not last forever. Desire to emerge stronger with more clarity, bolder positioning, and better resources to serve customers through innovation.

What I’m getting at is that hope in and of itself isn’t a strategy.

I’m not saying that lightly. There are many experiences that require a deep sense of hope and faith, to trust what’s unseen. But I also know that hope is well served by a thoughtful, deliberate, and sometimes bold plan of action. To be clear, I’m not suggesting businesses make irrational moves, but instead be proactive, and provide the leadership to show your teams how you can reinvent yourselves and think creatively together during this time, and how to continue once the world returns to a new normal — whatever shape that takes.

Because I love new ideas and helping others, I’m offering the following action steps that we can all take now:

  • First, I would love to hear from you about what your plans and implementations are around bold new business strategies during this time. Message me directly or post a comment in this thread to share with all our peers. I think sharing ideas and sparking dialogue is extremely helpful and eye-opening, and other businesses will be encouraged with new ways to move forward. 
  • Second, I enjoy connecting with other like-minded leaders and I’d love to open my network to new connections. We wouldn’t be here without the power of community, and now is the time to humanize our list of networked connections. So, if you need to connect with someone I may know, or need help with something, let me know and I’ll do what I can to make the connection.
  • Finally, if you’re a business (big or small), and you need some creative ideas, let me know. My company, Minds On, is making time to provide FREE creative thinking for 2–3 companies per week, because we believe that the power of the collective creative mind is unstoppable. I’m fortunate to have an incredibly creative team that knows how to push boundaries and come up with bold new ideas. At a time like this, a group that can help you think creatively and develop new ideas may well be your most valuable resource.

The only way we’re going to arise from this unprecedented situation stronger is to work together, support one another and move forward with intention.

Thanks for taking the time to be engaged.

Tom Augustine
President, Minds On

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