In hard times, I think leaders need to: * Have rigour to decision making – constrained resources mean decisions are harder to reverse and more costly to get wrong. * Be willing to make hard decisions and stand behind them – it’s inevitable that you have to make (more) hard decisions in a tough market. * Be intensely focused on delivering value – in hard times leadership is measured less by vision and more what is actually accomplished. * Build systems of accountability – and use them, when layoffs are more likely, it’s all the more critical that the team you have is structured to be successful. * Understand constraints (of resourcing, time, or money) and how to operate within them – this feeds into decision making, and also the need to say no. Find cheaper and more sustainable ways to motivate and align people – when you can’t promote people or pay them more, what else can you offer them?
