Are We There Yet?
When I was growing up, we used to take road trips in the family Pontiac. I remember sitting in the back seat, stiffling, hungry, and ready to be there, asking into the front seat, "Are we there yet?" And I remember the response. Early on it was a wry smile and no comment. Later on into the trip, say, two days later, the response came a little more quickly, "Stop asking!" And that's what I feel like right now. Actually, I have two questions to ask: "Are we there yet?" and "When we get there, will things be different from what I remember?" The market has rebounded nicely. Actually, we have a long way to go, but at least it doesn't look like things are going to go down that much farther, if any. We just finished four weeks that summed to a gain in the stock market, the first in a while.
So, are we there yet? Will things be different when we arrive? Some say consumers are more frugal (Kliner, 1). Some companies are making "gutsy bets on new strategies" (Weber, 37). There will be "more startups, fewer giants, and infinite opportunity" (Anderson, 99). That's what they say.
We're just going to have to wait and see. In the interim, make sure you have the right people on your team, join with them to make a plan and implement your plan. Now.
Anderson, Chris. The New New Economy. Wired. June 2009. 99.
Kleiner, Art. How Real Is the New Normal? strategy+business. Summer 2009. 1.
Weber, Joseph. Hunting for Growth. BusinessWeek. 22 June 2009. 37.