It wasn’t that long ago that a client said to me “ In times like these I grow my business!” With a bemused look on my face, I asked him to explain what appeared to me to be a very courageous “play”. This guy had serious form in the residential real-estate market. He is considered to be one of the best. He got there through determination, hard work, a little intuition and a whole lot of trust. Trust in himself that he knew what he was doing and his play was counter cyclical. He told me that whenever the market tanked, whenever things got tight he started hiring. He aggressively grew his business and took market share by approaching the best talent. Of course, you would have to wonder how he would make any money with his overheads spiraling out of control! His response was that “the down times are always quickly proceeded by market prosperity”. As things turn the opportunists jump back into the market and thus the market runs again. uncertainty

It is at this point that his business is well resourced with the best talent and he would seize the moment
and dominate! He would have every street, every corner, every vendor covered. His business would then experience a second wave of growth as he tendered to his client’s requirements and delivered on his promise.

Sounds easy doesn’t it, and it can be. We have now entered a time of global uncertainty. Interest rates are falling, negative inflation is being spoken about, unemployment at least here is steady and at relatively low rates, political correctness is being decried, boat people are being “pushed back”, and Islamists ( I shan’t say anything on this topic!). Governments are being sacked and then there is Brexit. The world is changing, and the speed of change will only accelerate, particularly if Donald Trump gets elected. However, many fundamentals don’t change. People need jobs and governments and companies need good people to be successful. That is why we cannot lose sight of the “main game”. Don’t be drawn into a cycle of indecision. Remain optimistic. Be proactive about seizing the moment and taking control of your destiny. You have heard the expression “don’t put off what can be done today”.

So in times like these look at your strategy and how you are going to achieve it. Analyse the performance of your environment and if it is not prosecuting the strategic plan then change it! Find the talent to do this and don’t put this off until tomorrow. Be like my client who took control of his destiny and surrounded himself with the best. If he couldn’t find them he would grow them in double time.  It starts with courage and is sustained by perseverance. It is a winning formula that works!

Finally, we will eventually get a result with the Federal Election. It might not be what we need as a nation but things will return to a “relative normal”. One thing is for sure however and that is there will be a wealth of people who will sit around, “intoxicated” on indecision who will watch their competitiveness evaporate as their competitors seize the moment!

Paul O’Loughlin – Executive Consultant

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