The Beginning of the End

For many 2008 was and is a year that we would like to forget.  While I have noticed that this year’s holiday season was, in many ways, more subdued, I am certain there is much anxious celebration with regard to 2009.  There is nothing magical about turning the page on the calendar from one month to another.  Yet, there is this sense that putting a new calendar on the wall represent a fresh,clean starting point.  This is the time where many establish their goals for the year, vow to make changes, commit to better health habits, etc.  The traditional new year resolution has become a habit for many to make and a challenge for most to keep.

As we look ahead to 2009, we are coming out of one of the more tumultuous economic periods on memory.  The good news is that there are a lot of things to look forward to.  The bumpy, scary and uncertain economy is not yet behind us.  But, I do believe, that 2009 is the year where we will begin to see the end of it.  Change is already underway.  The transition to new leadership in Washington, DC in January is symbolic of the changes that are underway.  Calendar year 2008 represented a very painful course correction for the global economy.  Over the past 20 years, businesses fell into careless and short-sighted habits.  Their recklessness has been flushed out and the adjustments to these activities will be seen in 2009.  There still exists the ripple effect associated with this storm.  However, I am confident that the current of change is already taking place.

I look forward to 2009.  Successful businesses are going to be smarter.  They are going to be more nimble.  They are going to be leaner.  They are also going to be more attentive.  If you are simply looking to make it through 2009, I am concerned for you.  Survival is not a tactic.  To be successful in 2009, your business is going to have get in shape, make some big changes, have a clear direction, and know where it is going.  Most importantly, you have to know what makes your business truly great and you have to focus all your efforts on leveraging that value into 2009.  Along the way, break the bad habits, stop doing things the same way you have done them, and embrace the changes that will make your business strong.  Changes have already started to take shape.  You need to make certain that you are implementing change in your businesses processes, too.   Remember, economic changes are merely survival tactics.   Your most impactful and successful moves will be the ones that are cultural, leadership, and strategically oriented.

Is 2009 the beginning of the end for your business?  Or, is 2009 the beginning of the end of a very bad economic cycle?  What 2009 becomes, is entirely up to you.  I wish all of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!