I wrote a couple weeks ago about some of the things I think are key to being successful when the economy is a bit out of the norm, and today's circumstances certainly fit that bill. While I am still not sure how much of the current situation is real vs perception, it doesn't matter any more. The actions being taken with job layoffs, cap ex spending cuts, travel lockdowns and the like make it real and an environment we all have to address. As I talk with a lot of partners across the country, there are still only a few that are seeing any significant change in business. HTS had another decent month in November, which is traditionally softer for us anyway. But the key is to keep your eyes and ears wide open and be ready to take action if warranted. It is time to PLAN and hope you never have to actually carry out the plan.
In a way you can consider the planning to be disaster recovery for your company. If the economy truly tanks for us in the SMB sector, the impact will be external to us, but it will be real none the less. We need to have a strategy in place to be able to pull the trigger and take action if things get bad, rather than be paralyzed by needing to figure it out under the gun. It is a lot better to take the time now to decide how you will adapt rather than get down to the last dollars in the good old checking account and have to take drastic action because you can't make payroll any more. I encourage you to put a plan in place with trigger levels that will cause aspects of that plan to be set in motion. It is time to prepare before any possible disaster strikes. It is different than a hurricane, tornado or earthquake in some ways, but the results can be just as devastating if we aren't ready. I would love to see how you are preparing to deal with a tough economy in 2009. Now is the time to get ready! HTG will be focused on making sure we are all ready to weather whatever storm comes our way this year. Together we can tackle it much better than on our own.
Showing posts with label disaster recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disaster recovery. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
HTG3 meeting in Canada
I am up in Vancouver in the nation north of us to meet with the folks in HTG3. This group has been together a while, and has some unique attributes, but the thing they really get is how to have community. They connect regularly - almost hourly it seems - and work on life together. It makes me smile to see it in action - the power of peer groups in action.
Their assignment for this meeting, among the regular stuff, is to prepare their personal disaster recovery plan. What happens when something happens to them. I have had a lot of interaction with the group as they try to prepare for this meeting. No one wants to think through the things that can happen. Death is the obvious one, but what about an extended illness, even a short term illness or what some fear most, a permanent disability. Do you have a plan to address all those things.
You need to evaluate it in several different ways. First the impact any of those events might have on your family. But what about your business - and if it is not you who has the event occur - what if it is your partner or key employee? Do you have a plan for your business too? I have been facing the reality that I need to get this lined up for my parents who are in their 80's. As an executor, I will be dealing with their estate and honestly am not informed nearly enough. So it makes a lot of sense to spend some time getting the info now while I can get it easily rather than wait til something occurs and then try and figure it out on my own. Sort of like asking directions when I am driving - I never do that even when I am hopelessly lost. But when it comes to personal planning - the stakes are a lot higher than a few wasted gallons of gas and some lost time.
So this exercise is important, and while it has been extremely challenging for some, who seem to think they are immortal, I guarantee than everyone who prepares will have that plan executed at some point in the future. It will happen - I can't tell you when - but I can tell you without a doubt it will happen! So don't be like the shoe cobbler - do what you tell your clients to do and get a plan for your future!
Their assignment for this meeting, among the regular stuff, is to prepare their personal disaster recovery plan. What happens when something happens to them. I have had a lot of interaction with the group as they try to prepare for this meeting. No one wants to think through the things that can happen. Death is the obvious one, but what about an extended illness, even a short term illness or what some fear most, a permanent disability. Do you have a plan to address all those things.
You need to evaluate it in several different ways. First the impact any of those events might have on your family. But what about your business - and if it is not you who has the event occur - what if it is your partner or key employee? Do you have a plan for your business too? I have been facing the reality that I need to get this lined up for my parents who are in their 80's. As an executor, I will be dealing with their estate and honestly am not informed nearly enough. So it makes a lot of sense to spend some time getting the info now while I can get it easily rather than wait til something occurs and then try and figure it out on my own. Sort of like asking directions when I am driving - I never do that even when I am hopelessly lost. But when it comes to personal planning - the stakes are a lot higher than a few wasted gallons of gas and some lost time.
So this exercise is important, and while it has been extremely challenging for some, who seem to think they are immortal, I guarantee than everyone who prepares will have that plan executed at some point in the future. It will happen - I can't tell you when - but I can tell you without a doubt it will happen! So don't be like the shoe cobbler - do what you tell your clients to do and get a plan for your future!
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