strategy

The heartbreaking stories from the devastating earthquakes across the globe recently — Haiti, Chile and China — invariably talked about the increased destruction and loss associated with poorly constructed commercial buildings, schools and dwellings. Absent well-designed and constructed foundations and infrastructure, these structures collapsed or at a minimum experienced far greater damage than the rest. A clarion call for building structures securely in the first place and for avoiding the misery that can ensue otherwise.

I think this is a great metaphor for businesses.

Being strategic is not always about initiating something new. Sometimes it is as simple as going against the grain to take actions contrary to convention — and as a result, getting ahead of the curve.

Recently we have been writing to you about trying to stay ahead of the curve in these tough economic times. We have cautioned against concentrating solely on the present (although there are more than enough problems to solve) and delaying critical preparation for what lies ahead.

Employees are reporting high levels of anxiety during this economic time, yet 50 percent say their employers are doing nothing about it.