Peter Georgescu's Five New Rules for Corporate Success, from his book (see previous post):

1. Creative capacity and the brand integrity that grows from it are an organization’s most important assets
2. Enlightened leaders inspire creativity through understanding, co-operation, and respect
3. Competence and execution are as important as ever, but they must be aimed at building intimacy with the customer
4. Alignment is the critical concept for the twenty-first-century organization
5. Great companies don’t happen without leaders who have transformed themselves

The one good thing about a downturn is it forces you to stop and look at your strategy and competitiveness. I like Georgescu's framework as an aid to breaking out of business as usual and reassessing where real value actually lies. Also, point 5 is vital. Bosses busy cutting and changing everything else in their organization to help cope with the downturn need to stop for a minute and look in the mirror. Take the opportunity to change yourself, as others won't accept 'imposed' change; they'll only go along with it if they see you changing, too.

Labels: 21st century organization, customer intimacy, customer service in a downturn