Flexibility on the Edge
Even the worst decision is better than no decision
By Maxim Behar
An excerpt from my book “The Morning After.”
The question of how a company can keep its team despite all the difficulties caused by COVID-19 has no easy answer, but the key to it lies in the word “flexibility.” If a company is hesitating on whether to let someone go or reduce its expenses, it should take a very in-depth look at itself because, in times of crisis, problems have to do with the spending side, not the income side of the business. I have always said that I have never thought about expenses;
I have always thought about income! Simply because it would take me the same amount of time to focus on how to save 1,000 dollars as it would to focus on how to make that same amount of money. If I think about how to save a certain amount of money, it’s not very certain if I can make that happen. The possibility of making it is much greater, and the time needed for either of those operations is the same. During a crisis, however, and especially when a company’s finances are on the edge,
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there must be a much stronger focus on the spending than the income part,
of course, with the clarification that management should think several moves ahead. Now, however, the essence of the crisis is such that it is easy, even unwillingly, to reduce expenses, which in “peacetime,” one would not even think of cutting! The fact that everyone is working from home tremendously reduces every company’s expenditures such as office rent, utilities, transportation, and all kinds of other things.
The question is whether money can be saved from other expenses as well.
That is why “flexibility” is the most precise word. You must be extremely flexible and make quick decisions. This brings me to rule №1 from my book 111 Rules on Facebook,
“Even the worst decision is better than no decision.”
This rule applies even more force today. How come, as a leader and manager in a moment of crisis, are you not going to make a decision within a few minutes? If you don’t do that, it’s certain that your entire business will go to the dogs. Regardless of the decision, if you think it is the right one, you must make it immediately without putting it off.
“The Morning After “ is available on Amazon.com and BeharBooks.com
