The Pressure to NOT Keep What Works

Companies are looking for every avenue to cut costs. Of course, people cost a lot, but we're usually averse to dealing with people issues. Instead we turn to areas such as travel budget, insurance, and amenities first. Then we cut people.

Here's the challenge: Why not cut what doesn't work and do your best to keep what does work?

If you have employees who make a difference and truly pull their weight--fight tooth and nail to keep them. If you have a health insurance program that is a differentiator for your employees, fight to keep it. If you have an end-of-year celebration for employees that is a highlight for them, a real motivator, do what you can to let it live.

But...that means if you have an employee who doesn't pull her weight, or a client who is a perennial money-loser, or there's a plan to upgrade to a cooler software system merely because it's cool--have the guts to pull the plug.

Keep what works, delete what doesn't.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com
LaBov Sales Channel
PB&J Newsletter

I wonder how the boss is going to make up for the sales we lost?

I consult a corporation undergoing a massive downsizing. Their product is no longer in demand, customers have defected and their industry is in despair.

One of their employees was bemoaning all this, and asked, "I wonder how they (the boss and execs) are going to overcome all this?"

Well, the truth is if you leave it all up to the execs, they'll be pressured to find the most efficient way to save money - laying-off employees. There is a fundamental shift that will need to take place, and we will all be seeing it firsthand: No longer will jobs be entitlements. No longer will order-taking be a secure position in a company.

The sooner we all understand this, the sooner we can save jobs by increasing sales or by expanding client relationships or by cutting waste. But if we wait for the boss to do it, the quickest way to savings will be massive job cuts.

The best thing for each of us to do is not wait. Act now to be a resource in your company to grow business, to expand customer relations and to reduce unnecessary spending. The alternative is not as pleasant.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com