The state of the economy is always at the forefront of the media as well as top of mind for people. It goes without saying that there is a legitimate concern with the financial status of our government at all times.
There is a constant sense of anticipation in the air as it pertains to careers, businesses and the world economy at large. Everyone has a stake in the health of the economy; some folks are worried about losing their jobs while others worry about failing in business. In either case, the state of the economy weighs on your mind.
The good news in all of this is that no matter what the media portrays and regardless of how the economy is doing; some folks still tend to do very well. It seems no matter how bad things seem to be, there are professionals and business owners who almost always seem to be moving up even in a down economy.
Do you want to be one of these individuals?
The goal of this article is to provide you with some tips on
how you can ensure that you continue an upward momentum even in a down economy.
For
Professionals
If you have a career and you want to ensure that it keeps growing and getting better, there are definitely some things you can do to achieve the results you desire.
There are 2 key things you must remember at all times and then endeavor to make sure that every move you make is aligned with at least one or both. You should be certain that whatever you do in your career that you are either making or saving your company money.
This is the main reason most companies exist – to make a profit. If you can understand that, then it should be pretty easy to grasp the concept of making or saving your company money. You don’t have to perform duties that are in direct correlation with either of these activities; however, at the end of the day, your role must tie back to at least one or both.
There are a few adjustments you can make to improve your status among your colleagues and management teams. These tips will help ensure that they see your relevance as it pertains to one or both of the keys.
- Embody the company mission – make sure that you understand this inside-out and then align your actions with it every chance you get. If you don’t believe in the company mission, this will be extremely difficult for you. Start each presentation and project plan with the goal of fulfilling the company mission.
- Start solving problems – choose a problem that your company has and then solve it. First make sure that you can quantify the resolution in dollars and cents; either by how much the company will make or how much it will save as a result. If the resolution to the problem does not directly or indirectly tie to making or saving the company money, choose one that does.
- Increase productivity – find ways to get more done in less time; this alone can solidify your stature in the eyes of the brass. I don’t mean that you should kill yourself trying to do this; I mean work smart and locate alternative resources that will help you achieve the results you desire.
- Request a meeting with your boss – this is where you let your boss know that you are thinking about the future of the organization; in this meeting you want to ask for his/her input on the main things you ought to focus on in order to help the company achieve its objectives. This move shows initiative; it is just the type of proactive stance that companies look for and keep.
If you really think about this, there are many more tips you
may be able to add as well depending on where you work and what you do. Just make
sure that what ever you do is either making or saving your company money. If
you are not doing one of these things either directly or indirectly, watch your
six.
If you don’t have a mentor, now is a good time to get one. In fact, get 2 or more and make sure that one of them is an influential person within your organization. This is what influential people live to do – influence! Trust me, you have only to ask a few people to be your mentor and if your reputation is in good standing, I doubt you have any trouble.
An influential mentor can come in handy when it’s time to hand out pink slips – guess who won’t be getting one if your mentor likes you. No one gets rid of their protégé unless it is absolutely necessary.
Moving up in a down economy demands that you stay fresh and
relevant to the decision-makers. You have to remain visible; in order to do
that, you must be part of high visibility things. Being a part of the solution,
increasing output and reducing time and being proactive are all highly visible
elements.
For
Entrepreneurs
If you are a business owner, your main concern is losing profits. You obviously need a certain amount of revenue to sustain your business and a down economy does not necessarily make that easy.
Here’s the silver lining for you; if you can begin viewing the state of the economy as an opportunity as opposed to a problem, you’re half way there. Furthermore, that attitude will put you light years ahead of the competition. You see, the most common thing that entrepreneurs do when the economy is down is join the Nay-Sayers in their negative thinking.
The most positive and productive thing you can do for your business is to think differently. Observe the masses and do the opposite. While your competition sees problems, you see solutions to improving customer service.
What successful entrepreneurs know is that no matter what state the economy is in, their main focus is always to create and distribute value to their customers. They understand that once they continue to look for new and better ways to fulfill their customers’ needs, their value to those customers will increase immediately.
One of the chief goals of consumers, especially in a down economy, is to feel secure and valued with the people with whom they do business. There is no question that if your product or service is relevant and you find ways of creating and distributing value to your customers, your business will continue to grow. You will move up in a down economy.
Those who do not focus on this crucial aspect of their
businesses will undoubtedly kill
their profits. If you want to continue moving up in any economy, focus and
creating and distributing value to your customers. With consumers holding on
tighter to their wallets, what will make them open them up to you? You must
offer something of value
to them – that is the only way.
Keen
Awareness
For anyone who wishes to continue moving up in a down economy, it is important that you raise your awareness of the definition of value as it pertains to what you do. It is your responsibility to decipher the best ways of adding value in your capacity. Simply knowing the ropes and technical aspects of your role is no longer enough to sustain you.
Whether you are in a good or bad economy, your primary goal should always be seeking newer and better ways of adding value. Regardless of your job description, what type of career you have or type of business you own, focusing on adding value will undoubtedly yield greater rewards.
When your level of awareness is at a high level, you will be able to hone in on specific areas wherein you can add the most value. Knowing what the people around you need most is crucial in delivering the best value.
If you work for someone else, you should also pay close attention to your goals as they pertain to your company’s goals. Make sure that you evaluate these periodically to ensure alignment. When things fall out of alignment, you can easily get caught in the activity trap only to discover too late that you were chasing the wrong rabbit.
If you own your own business, evaluate your goals often just to make sure that the ends and the means work harmoniously. The last thing you want to do is harm your reputation by doing something that goes against your principles. Whatever you tell your customers you’re going to do, you must do exactly that. Do not cut corners otherwise your customers will eventually cut you. Be sure to survey them often so that you remain in the know about their most urgent needs and then meet them.
The bottom line is, endeavor to continuously raise your
awareness about what you do and whom you serve. If you make this a habit you
will have no trouble moving up in a down economy.
Discover successful habits that allow you to discover, master and unleash your remarkable untapped human potential through the Powerful Principles of Personal Growth Newsletter.
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