“Company think” isn’t going to get you through tough times. Yes, there are core beliefs that every company is founded on, and there are some core beliefs that ring true no matter what, such as honesty, integrity, clarity, focus. Nevertheless, there needs to be intense scrutiny about what you are doing when it isn’t “business as usual.”

So I’m going to throw out a few things for you to think about as you navigate your business in tough economic times.

• Is your definition of success achievable? Can your “global” definition remain but be modified for the short term so you continue to succeed not fail? Or do you really need to rethink what success means to you? Mix in realistic thinking with your dreams. This is important because continual failure despite our best efforts and intentions can bring about depression and discouragement.
• Think about how you’ve handled crises and tough times in the past. What did you learn? What helped you successfully navigate the choppy waters? What mistakes did you make?
• Take responsibilities for your decisions. Do you have a I-have-no-control attitude or do you take control and do the best, or even better, for the circumstances at hand?
• Is it time to revisit your company’s vision, mission and purpose? What new opportunities may be on your horizon? Not everyone is wallowing in bankruptcy or depressed finances.

I will leave you with a definition of “crisis” that may change the way you think of that word. In Chinese, the word “crisis” is written as a combination of two characters ~ “danger” and “opportunity.” Which half do you ascribe to? The glass is half empty side or danger? The glass is half full or opportunity?