I was coaching a client today who is in the process of re-inventing herself during an already difficult life transition.   I could say that the emotions of that transition were clouding her self-awareness, but that would only be partially true.   This particular client just has a hard time holding  a mirror to herself and identifying her value and abilities.  Sometimes we  need someone else to hold that mirror for us as we seek clarity and create a vision for the future.

It may seem elementary, but tough times are a reminder to take a fresh look at the basic traits vital to success in business (and life).

Work is defined as physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something; the means by which one earns one’s livelihood, a trade, craft, business or profession Work is an action verb. It means to be doing, making or performing. There is an expected result of the work activity in which we engage.

Ethic or ethics means any set of moral principles or values; also rules or standards governing the conduct of the members of a profession. Ethics, then, are the moral quality of a course of action. Ethics are a standard of expected conduct.

So a work ethic describes the standard of behavior in the workplace, but certainly can be extended to anything in life that requires the doing, making or performing of something. Work ethic can be applied to the boss or the employee.

Back to business basics:

• Attendance – This one is about as basic as you can get. Show up whether it’s physically or virtually, whether it’s a set or fluid time schedule. In the case of a sole proprietor, attendance is even more crucial because if you don’t show up to make your business happen, who will?
• Character – I’ve talked a lot about character in previous blogs so I won’t elaborate here. It goes without saying that how you perceive tough economic times will influence whether you pass, fail or excel in the months ahead. Are you seen as a person of character in your dealings with your colleagues, employees and customers?
• Communication – A plethora of books, articles, teaching manuals, DVD’s, etc have been developed on effective verbal and nonverbal communication. Do your communications skills need a tune-up? Does your communication style effectively display your leadership abilities? If need be, get thee to a bookstore or a seminar or whatever it takes to brush up. How can you be sure if you are an effective communicator? Ask your colleagues, employees or significant other.
• Respect – Blues queen, Aretha Franklin, once sang a song about respect. Rodney Dangerfield bemoaned the fact that he couldn’t get any. People listen to people they respect. Are you respect-worthy? Do you treat others with respect? Do you respect yourself and your ability to rise above tough economic times?
• Teamwork – Again, I have already addressed teamwork but remember that a strong team multiples your effectiveness. That team could be your company’s workforce or that team could be your personal board of directors. What are you doing to keep your team dynamically engaged in your business?

This is just a refresher course. Authors far more knowledgeable than I am have written thousands of words about work ethic. The important thing is to take a fresh look at your work ethic and see if it has the staying power to get you through, and even excel, in tough economic times.

Tough Times Call For will be continued in my December 2008 newsletter. It’s free, all you have to do to receive it is sign up! Thanks to Alice Arredondo from the Department of Economic Security who penned an article in the Arizona Republic on work ethic and from whom I received inspiration for today’s blog.

I was sitting at a traffic light the other day and found myself reading the back of the vehicle in front of me ~ you know, things like the license plate and the bumper sticker. What caught my eye was the name, Pathfinder, which seemed like a fitting moniker for a sporty all-terrain SUV. I got to thinking about what it means to be a path finder, and it occurred to me that in today’s business climate, just finding the path wasn’t going to cut it anymore. Tough economic times call for path makers. So what’s the difference?

The trusty dictionary defines to find as to come upon by accident; to come upon after a search; to come upon through experience or study; to arrive at. So a path finder is one who finds the path either by accident, search or experience. The definition of to make is to create; to give new form to; to cause to become, acquire a stated characteristic or to behave in a particular manner. So a path maker is one who creates or gives new form to the path.

The distinction may seem subtle but it’s this kind of thinking that could make the difference in how your business fairs in these tough economic times. You can choose to adopt the mindset of a path finder. Through accident, trial and error, seeking and ultimately applying what you learn, you may find the path that keeps your business alive, or even prosper regardless of tough economic times.

Or you could be a path maker where you actually create the path that is most beneficial to your business ~ a path that may not even have existed before you caused it to “be.” Several years ago, a popular book espoused the virtues of leaving behind the you-should, this-is-how-it-must-be approach to life and take the road less traveled. Being a path maker is the same kind of thinking. It goes beyond finding a path that already exists, perhaps a very well-worn path that is no longer useful. It calls for a machete knife and good hiking boots because you will be creating your very own path to success.

So are you a path finder or a path maker? The choice is yours.

“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?

Unsettled times can cause unsettled feelings ~ unsettled feelings can cause you to take your eye off the ball and take an erratic swing at any pitch that comes your way. Not a good way to keep your head above water and your business afloat. Now more than ever is the time to take a keen, critical look at every aspect of your business, whether you are a one-person operation or have several employees. Every person and every policy has to be focused on positioning your company to weather the current storm and come out the other side hitting home runs. With the right decisions, your business might even thrive during the current difficult economic conditions.

You don’t have to tackle this on your own. Even a sole proprietor can pull together a team of trusted advisers to act as a sounding board and source of counsel. Your team could be paid professionals such as your lawyer, accountant, business coach. Your team could be respected business people in your community or your key employees.

Think of it as your personal board of directors.

Of course, if your company already has such an operating team, then you are ahead of the game. Just make sure that you all get together for vigorous and frequent batting practice because there is no such thing right now as a sure bet or an unbeatable team.

A person’s character underlies every decision, every comment, every action a person takes. And nowhere has character been more lacking than in the events that led up to, and the current dealing with, the mortgage debacle and financial crisis that we are now facing in the United States. I’m not about to get on a soap box regarding this matter, enough pundits are doing that ~ I’m more interested in what we can take away and apply to our conduct in life and business.

So what is character? It’s defined by the dictionary as the combination of qualities or features that distinguish one person, group or thing from another; the combined moral or ethical structure of a person or group; moral or ethical strength, integrity, reputation. So our character both defines us and sets us apart.

Our character is based on our belief system ~ and our beliefs are based on truths we have come to acknowledge and accept. The key question is, “Are your beliefs based on a solid foundation or does your ‘truth’ fluctuate with the situation?” The latter used to be called situational ethics, meaning decisions were based on the shifting sands of whatever was deemed to be truth at that moment ~ or should I say what your perception of the truth was. Perception can be faulty.

Faulty or ever-shifting perspective means fluctuating or inconsistent ethics which translate into inconsistent behavior. I call this lack of character.

A person of character is someone whose belief system is rock solid, and who displays a set of characteristics that take others into account and are not based on purely self-centered motives. A person of character is someone who can be counted on to act a certain way.

Can your customers, business associates and strategic networking partners count on the consistency of your character? Are you consistent? congruent? trustworthy? rock solid? or do you shift based on the business discussion-of-the-moment or how desperately you want the deal?

In my October newsletter which posts on October 6th, I will write about creating a personal board of directors to help you walk the walk, talk the talk and more.

Every March, teams of sled dogs run an 1,100 mile race across the state of Alaska in as little as nine days, often enduring heavy blizzards and temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. After 10 years of studying these animals, Michael Davis of Oklahoma State University attributes their long distance stamina to a unique ability to “reprogram” their bodies’ reaction to stress.

Cell damage occurs during athletic activity and it normally takes the body a day or two to recover. This process is repeated every time the body is subjected to physical stress. Unlike human athletes, after the first day of activity, racing sled dogs are somehow able to adapt their bodies not only to the repeated physical stress but to other bodily stresses as well. This remarkable adaptation means no further damage to their cells during the race, which accounts for their amazing endurance.

Very successful entrepreneurs are like endurance athletes. Some, like ex-quarterback Fran Tarkington who has started 15 businesses to date, are serial entrepreneurs, taking up the challenge of starting new businesses again and again. Some, face incredible odds just to get one business successfully off the ground. The question is ~ what makes some entrepreneurs successful while others fail given the same set of circumstances?

Like the uber racing sled dog, I think that these endurance entrepreneurs are able to adapt to, and reprogram themselves to deal with the inevitable stresses that come with the territory. Whereas the dogs adapt physically, these entrepreneurs adapt attitudinally. In the face of difficult odds and even failure, they are able to reprogram their attitudes. They survive on a diet high in self-reliance yet surround themselves with mentors, deal with the facts, craft and execute a plan but are flexible when necessary, and believe in themselves. They are able to take the hits but remain passionate and committed because they have both the inner and outer resources to preclude self-damage.

(I will be publishing both a new post and October’s newsletter next Monday. Information on Iditarod Sled Dogs from Jeanna Bryner, livescience.com)

Creative thinking is open-ended, often original, non-judgmental and unpredictable. On the contrary, while risk-taking can include a measure of creative thinking, it also involves analysis and a prediction of the outcome. It’s important to understand the distinction between the two, otherwise, the early stages of creative thinking will be unnecessarily hampered by risk assessment. That comes later.

Creativity involves a break from conventional, tried-and-true ways of thinking, exploring and operating. This separation gives your brain and/or your team the space to breathe, to craft new approaches, concepts and products. The goal is to provide an environment in which free exploration and expression of creative thought are encouraged.

The focus of your creative thinking should be in areas that are suitable for your business. If you are in the fashion world, you wouldn’t be thinking of better ways to prepare fried chicken. That chicken, however, may be the result of a session on how to create a talked-about gala that will launch your new summer line.

“Rules” of engagement to begin the creative process:

• Openness not restriction of thought
• Allow for limitless possibilities
• Judgement free
• No pre-determined outcome
• “Reach for the moon”
• Perfection not allowed
• Willingness to lose face, lose control, experience failure

When you are ready to drill down and focus, that’s the time to implement your risk analysis. (Refer to my September 2008 newsletter, Coaching Risk Taking, in the Resources Section of my website. If you aren’t already signed up to receive or access my newsletters, you can do so on the top left column of this page.)

For further information, including a list of references, refer to www.stressdoc.com/creative_risk_taking.htm

I believe that we all come equipped with an in-born creativity. It never ceases to amaze me how naturally creative little kids are. If allowed, they are continually in a state of inventive thought and action. I think that our natural creativity gets squelched when it comes up against conformity of thought perpetuated by socialization, our public schools and other lock-step systems. Certainly, without these systems, anarchy and chaos would rule, but somewhere along the way we threw out the baby with the bath water.

Creativity is the hallmark of innovation. Imagination is the starting gate for change. I like the way John Maynard Keynes puts it ~ Ideas shape the course of history. William Blake said ~ Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination and What is now proved was once only imagined.

Powerful words. Powerful concept. Powerful force. Creativity is to be embraced, not distained or held at a fearful distance. Our brains thrive on a heady and seemingly contradictory mixture of creative and “safe” thinking. Boredom sets in with too much routine. Too much chaos sends us diving for security. However, an essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid of failure.

A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free. ~ John Maynard Keynes. It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all. ~ Edward de Bono.

Creative thinking is particularly important in today’s global economy. The old-think of business as usual just doesn’t cut it anymore. I read that over fifty percent of the 500 largest companies in the U.S. have in-house programs focusing on problem-solving or creative thinking. New-think companies actively encourage the continual flow of new ideas. In other words, they encourage an entrepreneurial spirit within a corporate framework.

Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking. ~ Anita Roddick.

In next Monday’s blog, I will write about strategies for incorporating creative thinking.

My husband and I recently attended an exhibit featuring glass artist, Dale Chihuly. If you aren’t familiar with his work, google his name. There is great disagreement in the art world as to whether Chihuly is an artist, a craftsman or a mere technician, but that academic debate does not impact my astonishment and sheer enjoyment of what this man and his team of collaborators have done, and continue to do, with blown glass. As we walked from room to room looking at dazzling, extremely colorful displays of glass work, the word creative kept coming to mind. This man, building on the vision of glass artists before him, has caused me to look at art glass in a new and very creative way.

It also got me to thinking, just what is creativity anyway, and is it confined to the art world? So the first thing I did was grab my trusty dictionary and look up a few related words. To create means to cause to exist, bring into being, originate, to give rise to, produce. Being creative is having the ability or power to create things, characterized by originality and expressiveness, imaginative. A creator is one that creates. Creation means the act of creating.

I couldn’t find a single definition that made “art” the sole vehicle or end product for creative thought and action. Sure, there was a reference to “expressiveness” and “imaginative” but those words do not exclusively belong to the domain of the art world. Certainly architects can be expressive. Inventors are imaginative. And the list goes on.

So creativity is thinking outside the box. It’s looking at something familiar and tweaking it. It’s also inventing whole new things, thoughts, actions.

Next Monday I’ll look at the relevance of creativity in life and in business. In the meantime, check out a press release from John Hopkins University that “sheds light on the creative improvisation that artists and non-artists use in everyday life.” Entitled This Is Your Brain on Jazz: Researchers Use MRI to Study Spontaneity, Creativity, it can be found at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press_releases/2008/02_26_08.html