Three things you need to know to survive and thrive in 2009

Shake-ups have been happening in many industries for months now.  Retailers are closing stores, financial services companies are going under, and rumors are flying about possible impending bankruptcies in the automotive and airlines industries.  The popular sentiment appears to be that we'll start seeing an economic recovery in late 2009 or possibly 2010, but that may be too late for some companies. If you want to survive (and even thrive) in 2009, there are three steps you should take immediately.

1. Set SMART performance goals for your organization or department
2. Actively re-recruit your star performers
3. Tighten up your service delivery

Step 1: Set SMART goals

Goals provide much needed direction for your organization or team.  The SMART model (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) ensures your goals are easy to understand and following.  For example, I've seen an organization with a strategic goal to "improve customer service".  This goal is so vague that it becomes hard to pursue.  Applying the SMART model to this goal could yield, "Increase our average monthly customer satisfaction survey score from 90% to 95% by December 31, 2009."

Toister Performance Solutions offers a free worksheet to help you set SMART goals.  Click here to download it or visit our TPS Tools page.

Step 2: Actively re-recruit your star performers

Many firms have taken drastic steps such as layoffs, hiring freezes, and pay cuts to get their cash flow under control as revenue sags.  Even if your company hasn't done this your employees may be nervous.  These steps may help a company tread water in the short-run but employee engagement can easily erode in the process.  Your star performers will be the first to leave when the job market improves.

Smart bosses should act proactively to ensure your best employees stay put.  One suggestion is providing job enrichment opportunities such as assigning your stars to interesting new projects or providing company-sponsored training.  Another way to help them stay put is to hold open and frank discussions about the company's current and future prospects and your employees' potential for growth as the market improves.  Finally, use whatever discretion you have to offer your top employees higher raises and bonuses, even if it means lower raises (or none at all) for your mediocre or poor performers.

Toister Performance Solutions offers a free worksheet to help you evaluate employee engagement.  Click here to download it or visit our TPS Tools page.

Step 3: Tighten up your service delivery

Disgruntled employees and tense customers can create a toxic combination that leads to poor customer service.  Your customer service deserves a close inspection, even if your company has a reputation for stellar service.  Last weekend, my wife and I encountered two Southwest Airlines employees in a row who were rude, unhelpful, and uncaring when we asked them to fix an error that another Southwest agent had made that put us in the "B" rather than the "A" boarding group.  Simple, hassle-free solutions were available, but both employees were clearly harried by the busy holiday crowds and wanted nothing to do with us.  (A third employee finally solved the problem.)

Toister Performance Solutions offers a free worksheet to help you evaluate your team's customer service.  Click here to download it or visit our TPS Tools page.