These are difficult times, and they require difficult actions but very important actions. So let’s talk about what the best organizations, that pull ahead during calamities and recessions, are doing differently. What are the organizations that always seem to make it, and pull ahead of their competition during difficult times doing right now.

Pulling Ahead in Difficult Times

The first thing that most organizations and their leadership will do is they’ll run to all the responsive activities that are required. And even though those are important, what’s more important is at the same time that they’re also engaging with their very best, most profitable customers.

So even though it’s important to get through the whole list quickly and ask them how they are doing, what’s even more important is that you’re scheduling calls with them, whether they be an interactive virtual conversation or however you’re going to do that. Ask them what their concerns about what might happen are? What kind of resources do they think that they’ll be needing to be pulling ahead?

But the most important question is, at the end of this, when you’ve pulled ahead of your competition, what does that look like for you? Because it’s not until you understand that…, that you can really help them, and it’s not until you asked that question that you will pull them out of reaction mode. So start quickly to have those conversations with your best customers. Calm their fears, bring them ahead. This is when leadership really counts!

– Roxanne Emmerich

Please watch the video above and share it with your exec team and board.