A CEO to CEO Newsletter
from the desk of Bob Wilson

Hope Through the Deluge

Dear Fellow CEO:

I know many of you have a tougher row to hoe than we do. Some of you are in or have significant business with the auto industry. Others of you are connected to home building or the furniture manufacturing that fills those homes that aren't being built. Even those clients in the world of medicine are feeling the pinch. There are very few industries and / or organizations within them that are escaping this recession unscathed. We're certainly not among them.

As the CEO of ADVISA, there are days during these times when I can't help feeling beaten down. A recent day began with finding a large unexpected cost that we had to absorb. That inspired an early, "Oh no!" Not much later, a significant cancelled order brought on another groan. Of course, this would be a day when, in the middle of an email, the server went down. "Geez Louise!" Mid-afternoon, at a point when I've already figured that anything that could go wrong, already has, an employee filled with promise emailed their one day's notice resignation. When reached by phone they answered the question, "Why are you leaving?" with, "I just feel it's time". I was glad I wasn't on an upper floor near an open window. The bad news had become a deluge. And this was just a day in the life of this recession.

How does one come into work and inspire confidence when it seems the good news is so sparse and the bad news so omnipresent? How can confidence carry when it seemingly takes a beating daily, weekly and monthly? How does one manage to put on a happy, confident, resilient face when just not that many good things are happening?

Here's the good news and the bad news all rolled into one: the reality is that it doesn't matter. Get over it. Put on your happy, confident, resilient face regardless. You're the CEO. It's time to put on your big boy / big girl pants and add a significant dollop of hope to the stew you find yourself in. That's your job. It may not be what you thought being a CEO was all about, but that's probably the most important element of our current job description: showing confidence and hope to the troops - even on days like the one described above - even if / when we've had a week or a month of them.

How does one do that?

First, latch onto those things that will assure you get through these times successfully. For us at ADVISA (and I think for most of you, because you utilize our services), we'll survive and in fact thrive in the long run because of our people. Talent trumps trouble and we've got talent in abundance. Our folks are rising to the call of the times by continuing to find opportunities and capitalize upon them on a daily basis. Last week, Sally Jacobs (one of our ADVISA Hiring Partners) was at a check up with her doctor and uncovered a hiring opportunity. Selling isn't her job, but she was looking to find us work - and did! Everyone on our team is pitching in to assure our success. What could provide more hope for us all than that? Thinking about Sally and everyone else on our team just gets me excited!

Stay focused on the future and the opportunities in front of you. I've been talking on and off with Dana Harrison, a connection through a friend about her career and where she would best be suited. We've didn't have openings when she was available and when we had openings, she wasn't available. In spite of everything else, our stars aligned and we've brought her on board to manage our ADVISA Hiring operation. Every day I spend training her and watching her absorb what we do crystallizes the reality of her transition from potential talent to successful consultant. The opportunity Dana brings to enrich ADVISA is nothing short of exhilarating. That gets me excited!

Deal with the problems that you're confronted with and put them behind you as soon as they've been solved. Then, don't look back; keep focused forward - on what's ahead of you. Yes, that day a couple of weeks ago was a real bummer. Heather (our COO) and I wrestled with each of the newfound calamities as they came up, discussed alternatives, took action and then came face-to-face with another problem - almost immediately. But, each time we survived and got through it. At the end of the day we shook hands and thanked each other for our efforts. While there's no question that we were at times dispirited, we had made it. We'd taken blow after blow, but we were still standing at the end of the day. And yes, the next day was filled with follow-on problems popping up in the aftermath of the previous day, but we made it through that day too. Each day we'd come in together knowing we'd made it through another day, and we were focused not on the failures of yesterday but the opportunities of today and tomorrow. The tough times do make you stronger. And we (and you, too) are stronger and better because of it. That's hard to keep in mind sometimes, but it is a fundamental truth. And, it's a truth that each of us needs to use to add to our confidence in the dark hours. We've done it. And we can continue to.

Do your best to put on a happy face. Boy, I know that can be hard. I can get grumpy when things aren't going my way. Remind yourself or have a trusted advisor remind you (as, I've got to say, Heather has said to me), "Hey! Snap out of it. You've got a job to do - you know, inspiring confidence? And, well, you're not doing so well right now…" Just thinking the words puts a smile on my face. And that's all you need. Smile and your troops smile with you. Frown, and people get worried - more than they already may be.

Finally, recognize that all you can do is your best. There will be days when it's awfully hard to smile. And times when you get a little mopey because so much has just not gone your way. But know throughout that your people are the ones who will help to pull your organization through this recession. It's your job to do your best to give them the confidence that says, "We can do it." You can do it too.

Thanks for reading.

Bob Wilson  

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