Dear Friends,

We agree that things are difficult right now and that now more than ever we need to stay focused, calm and upbeat!

You have heard the news: The U.S. stock marketdespite recent gains in the past 10 days is still down over 40%, and the government bailout packages already in place look like just a drop in the bucket of what will be needed. Citibank's share price is below $3, AIG received billions more in bailout assistance, and the auto industry reports they will be broke and file bankruptcy by April without additional bailouts.

Clearly, we are living in unprecedented times, and most economists forecast that the recovery will not come until mid-or late-2010 at the earliest.

So how do we remain positive, and position our businesses and personal brands for long-term success, when everywhere we constantly hear bad news--bad news that is expected to continue for quite a long time?

This month's theme and article, "Finding Opportunities in Difficult Times," is a call to action for all of us to do something different starting right now! Clearly, yesterday's strategies, yesterday's products and yesterday's customer service, will not be the keys to future success. New thinking, new strategies and new ways of bringing value to the customer are the keys.

Clients we talk with regularly are focusing now on new customer segmentation initiatives, understanding customer's current needs, and adapting product and service offerings to be relevant in today's economy.

A good example of this is Hyundai, which recently advertised to consumers that it will buy their cars back if consumers lose their jobs. Now that's innovative thinking that speaks directly to the fears that may be holding some consumers back from buying a new car.

Keeping a positive attitude and outlook is another important foundation stone for each of us. Personally, I am glad that during winter we work from the firm's office in a sunny, warm climate. It helps our disposition to wake up every day to beautiful weather. But regardless of where you live, you have to deal with how to keep a positive outlook in times like these.

A former partner of mine at Deloitte Consulting taught me a good lesson many years ago: "Never worry about things over which you have no control." No doubt this is easier said than done. But we all need to pay less attention to the day-to-day dismal news on Wall Street and more to how we can be innovative in our businesses and delight our customers
in ways they have not previously experienced.

EC, for example, is launching the new, innovative Power Circles coaching and connections program. It provides our best clients with an exclusive, invitation-only membership to a virtual club of 8-10 C-level executives who become resources to help build their businesses or personal brands.

We offer several compelling tips in this issue’s article, "Finding Opportunities In Difficult Times." Use them and put them to work in your business and they will definitely pay dividends in 2009.

And take exceptionally good care of yourself personally during recessionary times like these. Find your natural forms of stress relief (exercise, meditation, etc.), eat healthier, and make sure to get the rest you need. We all need to be at our personal best during times like this. Remember to focus on polishing and buffing up your personal brand; it will be the difference between winning and losing in this type of economy.

Bottom Line: We need to be keenly aware of our environments and be physically, emotionally and spiritually ready to catch all opportunities!

All the Best,

Jeff Gundersen, CEO jgundersen@executiveconnects.com
and Lorraine White, Chief Coaching Officer
Executive Connections, LLC
Executive Search, Executive Coaching & Consulting for Top-Level Executives
Direct: 941-323-8300 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              941-323-8300      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.executiveconnectionsllc.com

 

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Finding Opportunity in Difficult Times

"Oh, dear!" cried Chicken Little, "The sky is falling. I must go tell the king."

The expression "the sky is falling" has become synonymous with a person jumping to an irrational conclusion and working everyone they meet into a panic. It can be argued that this is happening with the current economic situation--the public is being whipped into mass hysteria.

Whether or not you believe the economic "sky" is falling (or that it's already crashed around you), tough times have always provided great (and lucrative) opportunities. The idea here is to know what to look for.

So, how exactly do you find opportunity during these tough times?

Read full article.

 

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Wondering Why You Should Join the "Power Circles" Program from Executive Connections?

Over the next few weeks, EC will create a few "Power Circles" of senior executives and provide executive coaching, consulting and advising in both a group call and one-to-one. You"ll receive a blended coaching and advisory solution and derive great benefits from new relationships with other Power Circle members.

Just a few of the myriad benefits:

• Expand the number of relevant, C-level senior level connections available to you.
• Become part of an exclusive, invitation-only, C-level executive "virtual" club.
• Gain new insights and fresh perspectives from discussions with C-level professionals in a private group setting.
• Discover EC connections that can help you land jobs and close deals.

Learn more about Power Circles - Contact Jeff at jgundersen@executiveconnects.com or 941-323-8300

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New EC Website Launched: Why It Matters to You
We're very pleased to announce the launch of our redesigned, renamed website: www.executiveconnectionsllc.com. WE HAVE BEEN BUSY! We embarked on this effort late last year as part of our mission to be your "go-to" resource for critical, up-to-date information on personal branding, career opportunities and successful transitions, and leadership development. To that end, you'll find on the new site:

• Topical, important, relevant articles from other industry sources; we'll be your clearinghouse.
• An archive of our own tips, articles and highlights, organized in a way that makes them easily accessible.
• Quarterly guest columnists who will share from their expertise on such timely topics as: compensation for top-level leaders, leadership training and development, financial meltdown for leaders, reaching the boomer generation, and more.
• New books, book reviews and book excerpts.
• Self-assessment tools for C-level leaders.

Please have a look around our new site, and forward it on to your colleagues. We would like to provide these resources for more people. www.executiveconnectionsllc.com

New Ask Our Coach Website: Did You Know About This Opportunity?
Our website www.askourcoach.com has been up for a year, but it's getting new life as we reorganize it and renew the look.

What's puzzling to us is that not enough of you are using this tremendous resource. This is your opportunity for direct, targeted, personal coaching and consulting that costs you nothing and benefits not only you but countless others in your situation.

We highly encourage you to use this resource. Given today's fragile and volatile economy, you want to have as much savvy, expert input on the issues you weigh day in and day out. That's what you get on www.askourcoach.com: experienced advice and coaching directly from Jeff and Lorraine. Ask us a question today.

 

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"Of the many emails I get on a daily basis, I've found the Executive Connections ezines to be some of the most informative and useful. Jeff Gundersen and his team are clearly tuned in to the key issues and considerations for senior marketing and communications professionals. I find the topics covered and the perspectives presented are always relevant and insightful. Additionally, Jeff is a wonderful personal connection. He is knowledgeable, genuinely personable and consistently responsive. He's a great friend to have in this industry."

~Gregory T. Walker, Senior Marketing/Communications/Multicultural Executive

 

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