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2001:
Using It to Your Advantage As we are in the middle of the Holiday Season and are looking to the New Year, it is important for us as individuals and business people to take stock of what has transpired, and very importantly where we want to go. We have much to be grateful for and much to look forward to in the future! The year 2001 dawned with a great deal of promise. The stock market was still climbing to dizzying heights and there was faith in the "new economy" and its great technological advances in communication. The Internet promised great improvement in business communications and everything we do. In March ominous clouds appeared on the economic horizon and indicated that "an idea" without a solid business plan, strong Human Capital, a way to deliver value to customers, and more importantly a way to make a profit, wasn't viable. As summer approached, the economy taught many businesses painful lessons. The events of September 11th put profit, work, family, and spirituality in real perspective. None of us will forget what we were doing that faithful day of September 11th. I was meeting with a client who was sponsoring a symposium for executives and I was presenting the opening keynote program entitled, "Taming E-Chaos: Managing in Today's Business Environment". My son, who works with Morgan Stanley, spent his day guiding (by cell phone) six trainees from his branch out of the World Trade Center to a secure location and giving them comfort until he secured transportation for them by car to Florida. As we struggled in the aftermath to find ways to get our lives back to normal and businesses functioning properly, we had no idea what we would do to cope with this crisis. This event according to the Conference Board, a non-profit organization that tracks economic development, was the event that plunged us into the deepest recession that America has had for one-hundred years. While all of these events have been difficult and traumatic, good will come from it. As individuals, we found greater spirituality and increased value in the things of life that are truly important, such as living each day, relationships with family and friends, and being of service to clients and others. As business we found increased efficiency and focused on delivering value to our clients. It appears that 2002 will indeed be a very good year. While there is still some doubt as to exactly when the recovery will take place, most experts place it at the end of the first quarter and certainly by the end of the second quarter. According to the Conference Board, the leading US indicators rose .5% in November indicating slight economic growth, which signals the beginning of real recovery. This indicates a great opportunity for businesses and individuals that are ahead of the pack. As we prepare for 2002, the big questions are, "What did we learn and gain from the events of the past year?", and "How will we take advantage of the opportunities that will surely be presented to us in 2002?" Every year people make resolutions. It has almost become a joke that people make these resolutions that are broken before the bowl games end. I can think of no better time than now to take stock personally and professional of where you are now and where you want to go. While most businesses have endured difficult times, if viewed properly and used they can make the organization and the individual stronger. We must clearly assess where we are and develop the plans to accomplish our objectives. We must have the strategies, plans, and actions that ensure our success. The coming year will reward those who seize the opportunity and increase sales and improve customer satisfaction. It is very important to get a quick positive, fast start to the New Year. We will send our eNews early because it will contain ways to take advantage of improving economy and better business conditions. We will show how businesses can increase their performances and profits. As
we reflect on this year and look to the promise of the next, we
would like to thank our clients and friends for all their help and
support. We would like to wish each of you a Great Holiday Season
and a Great Start to 2002.
For more information on how to book Wayne for your next event contact us - Click Here Outlaw Group, Inc. 900 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Suite 115 •Charleston, SC 29464 • 800.347.9361 • fax 843.881.1758 • info@outlawgroup.com www.outlawgroup.com ~ www.wayneoutlaw.com ~ www.smartstaffing.net |
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