Trust and Agility Keep Small Companies Going in Tough Times
by Lois MelbourneI recently read a great blog* that addresses several reasons why many small companies are gaining business while so many large companies are suffering. Not surprisingly, one of the main reasons is trust.
As CEO of a small company, I know that building and nurturing mutual trust at all levels of our organization creates an atmosphere of dedication and spirit that not only gets us through the ups and downs of the economy, but is also perceived and appreciated by customers and prospects. The larger a company gets – or is – the harder it is to effectively maintain that trust balance.
Although not mentioned in that article, I think another reason is that smaller businesses are more agile. Our release cycles can adapt to the market – as well as to innovation and customer needs – more readily than big organizations and without sacrificing quality. Our customer service support reps can work with customers in multiple ways without transferring them around a labyrinth of support tiers. Our developers have the ability to test and innovate within an incredibly supportive team.
Now I’m not saying that trust and agility are exclusive to small businesses. I work with many large companies that have both qualities in abundance. And not all small businesses are built on trust, integrity and respect. But certain characteristics of many small businesses – such as being privately held, built on integrity, customer-oriented, and directly in control of products and services – naturally foster trust and agility.
Right now, we know our customers need our support and help more than ever. They are the HR departments dealing with Reductions in Force, broken succession plans, and the integration of merged workforces. They are over-worked and over-stressed and often working with heavy hearts in this environment. I’m glad we’re in a position to help them and I hope we never get too big or too comfortable to stop.
*Why Small Businesses Will Win in This Economy, Peter Bregman, Harvard Business Review.
Cheers,
Lois
You may also like...
Related Blog Post
Leadership and Crises: Some Companies Disgust Me!Related Blog Post
Scary Times Success Manual
