Friday, February 6, 2009

Share a Positive Breakthrough

Woke up the other day to a pleasant surprise—some big, positive business news.

“Johnson Controls gets Ford hybrid deal” led broadcasts and topped page 1 of the paper and the business news websites in our Milwaukee market. What a nice break from the funeral march the news cycle has become.

Then it struck me: There must be many more upbeat economic tales out there. And I want to hear them. I bet you do, too.

At Scheibel Halaska, we figured it was time to cultivate some positivity. So we started a new group on LinkedIn called Positive Breakthroughs, a place to spread good business news. Go check it out and chime in.

No need for your stories to be as big as Johnson Controls’ new contract. We’re also looking for the smaller-scale successes, the kind of stuff that’s often overlooked and unheralded:

- The non-profit organization that gets an unsolicited donation that ensures viability for another year.
- The Third Ward retailer that declares commitment to staying in business despite the slowdown in the economy.

Now more than ever, we need to emphasize the victories, large and small. We’re mired in a slump technically, physically and mentally, and it’s up to us as businesses leaders to change the tone and focus.

No, a brighter outlook alone won’t suddenly end the recession. But if negativity breeds negativity, a positive approach is the right counter move. It shows leadership vision and creates business cultures that are strong enough to survive—and thrive. .

OK, then, who’s got good news? The more the merrier, so share your Positive Breakthroughs today.

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