Bad news is everywhere. The recession is dominating the headlines. On a daily basis we hear about bailouts, layoffs, and bankruptcies. In light of all the bad news, how are we to react? If there ever was a time when one could step back and just mail it in, this would be it. I mean who can blame you for not making budget this year? In light of what’s going on in the economy, “they” should be happy if we make any money at all. I mean look at the banks and the auto industry. With some of this country’s most respected institutions teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, mere survival should be applauded. Right?
Wrong. True leaders emerge in times of crisis, and I think the current economic environment qualifies as a crisis. It is crucial that you understand and accept that there can be no excuses. Sure, it would be easy to hide behind the recession. You could even reasonably argue that many of the justifications you would come up with to explain your failures and mediocrity would be legitimate. But in order to lead, you must accept the responsibilities of the reality and deal with them. There’s a quote that says, “The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse.” Are you going to be the one who finds a way or the one with the excuse?
This is an opportunity for true leaders to step forward and show that they have a vision of not only how to survive the current crisis but actually thrive in it. No excuses. Let me be clear, this vision, this plan, must be real. It can’t just be empty rhetoric. People are too smart for that. The leader must be able to articulate a detailed, reasonable plan that will allow the entire team to meet its objectives. The plan must be specific. The plan must be credible. And most of all, it must be communicated effectively. People are looking for something to believe in and someone to follow. This is the time for real leaders to give them both.
I can guarantee that finding success, despite the economic environment, won’t be easy. At times it will be like swimming upstream, but it can be done. Salmon do it every year because they know the reward they’ll receive when they get there (I’m talking about the survival of the species!). It will be exhausting, but if you can avoid making excuses and continually focus on what needs to be done to meet your objectives, you will succeed.
As you embark on this journey to success, you will constantly be faced with roadblocks. With each one you must ask yourself, “What must I do now to still meet my goals?” The game plan will need to be adjusted with each new challenge. But if you face each new dilemma with the belief that there are no excuses and you must find a way to prevail, you will. If you don’t meet your goals, it’s not because of the economy. It’s because you didn’t do everything necessary to succeed. If you don’t believe that, you’ve already failed.
Dan Oswald, is president and publisher of M. Lee Smith Publishers, which produces the Employment Law Post and HRhero.com as well as many online and print products and live events with information from experienced employment law attorneys in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada, to help human resources and business professionals comply with state and federal employment laws.