As those of us in the northern hemisphere return to our post-summer-vacation work, we face a grim set of economic circumstances and forecasts that suggest that worse may still be ahead.  That will lead many of us, and the organizations for which we work, to scramble frantically in search of quick solutions to the economic woes confronting us.
 
Alas, the hard economic lesson of our time is that there are no silver bullets.  Our individual and collective quests for instant gratification have actually produced the circumstances we now face.  More of the same - seeking quick, easy fixes - is clearly not the answer.
 
So what does this mean for those of us who have responsibility for shepherding our organizations through these tough times?  It means that we must roll up our sleeves and do the hard, day-to-day, unglamorous work of making our organizations work.  It means that we must lead with integrity, while redoubling our efforts at effective (two-way) communication and inclusiveness.  It means that we must create organizations that can and do learn, and in which employees have the wherewithal and the motivation to give their very best to their work.
 
This requires discipline and rigor.  There are no magic one-size-fits-all best practices or 12-step cures.  But the good news is that the time has clearly arrived to do what many have long yearned to do: work on what is truly important, creating worthy organizations that can weather storms and sustainably compete and prosper.
 
So where do you start?  Our advice is that you start by taking a hard-nosed and clear-eyed look at where your organization stands.  Identify its strengths and weaknesses, and target which of these are most likely to help or hinder your efforts to navigate the challenging waters ahead.