Page 128 - Free the Idea Monkey

A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH

Two key assumptions are necessary to make this approach a suc-

cessful reality. First, you should already have in place a solid strat-

egy; one that has identified your company’s competitive advantage

so you know where to

place your relatively big “Nobody ever defended anything
bets. (If you don’t have successfully — there is only attack
a sound strategy, you and attack and attack some more.”
are at a huge disadvan-
tage.) And second, I am General George S. Patton

assuming—and I con-

cede it is a huge assumption—that you have the intestinal fortitude

to react to the problem at hand in a way that is not like everyone else.

If you are the chief executive officer, you can make this gutsy call

on your own—assuming, of course, you get the board to go along.

The rest of us probably need to take a two-pronged approach.

First, when the word comes down from on high that you need

to belt-tighten, go through the usual drill. Explain that, instead

of flying everyone in every three months for a meeting, you’re going

to make the meetings every four months instead—cutting that travel

expense by 25 percent—and that you can probably get by with 12

people in the department as opposed to 13.

But then go to your

It is well documented that brands that boss and say, “Instead
increase advertising during a recession when of dealing with the
need to cut like every-
competitors are cutting back can improve one else, why don’t we
market share and return on investment at use these hard times
lower cost than during good economic times.

as an opportunity.”

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