Managing a company today, whatever its size, is becoming a challenge, as economic indicators, markets, customers, suppliers, and prescriptions become fluctuating, not to say unstable.
How do you avoid losing your mind in this maze of contradictory movements and information, where visibility is in the range of a few weeks to 3 months at the most?
It may be provocative to suggest keeping calm in such circumstances, but it must be recognised that this is the best way to resist. The economic situation is not conducive to euphoria in many industries, but it is the ability to project oneself that will perhaps make the difference.
When the storm breaks, it is the captain’s responsibility and burden to reassure passengers and crew and to show determination.
To hear certain economic actors who are very inclined to polemic, the state must provide for the cash shortages caused by the pandemic. Either the economy requires strong centralized actions to support markets and consumption, but everyone must hold their own and show responsibility.
The cake to be shared will not get bigger thanks to subsidies and other contributions, it will simply subsist in the same proportions, except for a few industries that will have to change their business models in depth.
Have short-term profitability and the increasingly crazy demands of investors found their master in the person of the pandemic?
We can dream of a return to more “traditional” forms of business, even if this may seem a little outdated : A realistic medium-term vision, an acceptable quality/price ratio, and favoured short circuits will perhaps be the new cardinal virtues of the markets.
Consumers will have to play their part and accept certain constraints: pay a little more to consume locally, consume less but better to reduce the environmental impact, think twice about whether compulsive purchases are still topical, whether cheap travel is necessary, whether optimising each franc represents a good economy, etc.
The next few months will shift the sliders in almost all areas. Will it be for a good or an evil? We will see. But one thing is certain, everyone must do their part and not wait for the holy grail from others.
Happy reading and good autumn.