Bill Nelson

This months question is:

The economic climate seems to be developing some positive momentum?. As a leader what do you believe I should be narrowing in on because of this change?

This is an interesting questions and as I was asked to leave school at year 10 (16 years old) I am probably not in a position to answer it from the perspective of economic education I will orientate my answer around the tittle.

Has the sky stopped falling?



Catchy tittle hey?

The reason?

Well, going back 12 months nearly every economic forecaster was pretty much predicting the end of the world as we know it and the way they were talking, it sounded a lot like Chicken Little predicting that the sky is falling.

Now to be completely honest, I am not sure if the same people are now saying things are on the up and up, but there are a lot of people that are. And hopefully, through your experiences, you are one of them.

So if things are getting better, if business and consumer confidence is growing, if economic uncertainty is being reduced, then what are the things as a leader should you be focussing on so as to gain full advantage from this resurgence?

What areas should you be working hardest at to make the most of the current situation?

Lets take a look at a few to get you started and then you can continue your mission on what to do to help those you lead, to increase their confidence in what the future might bring.

1. Collaboration
When things get tough, there is a natural reaction to look after ones self. So in the economic climate we have just witnessed, there would be people that would have just gone it alone and from that action, there would have been a corresponding level of division within the team and therefore, an increase in internal competition more than likely based around the element of survival.

Now is the time to get everyone heading in the same direction and working better together. Retaining the opportunity for independence, but highlighting and regaining the benefits for interdependence.

2. Focus



No doubt for many of late, the focus has been on survival. Now I don't believe everyone is out of the woods just yet, but I do believe it is time to start focussing on purpose.

Purpose of approach. Purpose of action. Purpose of intent. Purpose of focus.

3. Morale
One of the huge negatives (amongst many) that many would have witnessed first hand through the recent past, was the unfortunate situation where friends and colleagues were laid off.

Whenever this happens, it has an effect on morale. A huge effect on morale. When it happens in numbers, when it happens consistently and when it happens over extended periods of time, you can only imagine the unease of everyone.

Increasing, improving and reinstating morale will come about for many reasons, however as a leader, you have to know what those reasons might be and then, begin the challenge of putting as much of that information into everyday action. And as you work your way through the day-to-day implementation, you will begin the process of increasing the levels of morale within and around those you lead.

4. Enjoyment
Once again, there are many reasons why people enjoy what they do and no doubt, there will be many reasons why they don't. I think it would be fair to say that what most have had to experience in recent times, there hasn't been too much enjoyment involved.

Now is the time to introduce the element of change. Now is the time to increase the levels of enjoyment.

Look at the non physical environment, what can be done to pep it up? Look at the social aspects on what can be done to enhance those? What can be done there to increase the levels of enjoyment?

Take time to recognise and reward the things that you know are going to have the team feeling good about themselves.

Think outside the square, inside the square and anywhere else you need to, so the people you lead start to, once again, enjoy the things they do.

5. Creativity and Innovation


Because of what the recent economic climate has produced, one of the key strategies to deal with it has been the concept of going back to basics. And rightfully so.

I think the basics should be there in good times, bad times and at all times.

However, I also believe as things are starting to improve, it is now time to start increasing the levels of creativity and innovation.

Not to a point of being crazy, but to the point where you can perhaps get the jump on those that are still waiting for Chicken Little to tell them that perhaps he got it wrong.

6. Communication
I would imagine that as things got tougher, your levels of communication went up, so as to keep everyone up to speed, to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Now is not the time to decrease your levels of communication, but it is time to start changing your approach.

• Be more proactive


• Be more up beat


• Be more visionary


• Be more confident


• Be more real

How you talk at this time, will provide a very relevant platform off which to build everything else we have discussed in this paper.
How you talk at this time, will provide a very relevant platform off which to build everything else we have discussed in this paper.

7. Confidence



Obviously through what we have outlined above and the implementation of these parameters, there will be a corresponding increase in confidence.

However, don't just leave it to chance. Now is the time to start increasing confidence in many different ways and directions:

• In the future


• In you


• In the team


• In what is possible


• In the opportunities that exist


• In each other


• In themselves

And in many other ways as well.

As I said in the beginning, this list is to help you get your thought process into what you can start to do. It is not a complete list and it is not meant to be.

But please, use it to get the momentum going with your thinking and action and expand the list to get your team not only back to where they were, but above and beyond of where they have ever been.

The Journey Continues!