With a “can do” attitude anything is possible!

With high street retailers closing at a rapid rate it’s vital that businesses adapt to this seemingly never ending recession and the fact that the way we, as consumers, shop is changing just as rapidly.

I was recently at a conference where after we’d sat through all the usual “state of the nation” and “how are we bearing up” speeches there then came some more motivational speakers that stepped up and it struck me that when times are hard – and all the evidence says that there will be less customers in the market with less money to spend and therefore volumes and profitability is likely to go down – bucking the trend can only be achieved through making staff believe that it can be done.

I am sure many line managers especially in the motor trade are forever shaking their heads when given their annual budget targets when they have scrapped by last year and there is nothing but bad news in the air, and their paymaster decide to ask for more! But guess what? In any organisation and very much in the motor trade, there has always been a fireclay competitive spirit amongst some and a refusal to accept second best which always astounds me when seemingly “out of this world” targets are often not only achieved but smashed.

This is due mainly to a state of mind and a belief that customers will buy and profits can be maintained, but it is a state of mind and vision which must be shared and delivered by all the staff members who have a stake in the business and who are suitably skilled and motivated to ensure this happens.

The introduction of motivational talkers and the “can do” attitude is one which is vital when the odds are against success. Indeed you only need to look at the recent exploits of Chelsea and their European Cup success to see that if you truly believe it is never over and victory will ultimately be yours truly anything can be achieved, and that was in a team that had Jose Bosingwa in it!

Let’s face it if you try and convince staff in the retail world that success can be achieved on the facts as they stand it will be fairly unbelievable however if you can get them to believe that the ultimate can be achieved by the total of individual and collective determination almost anything is possible.