The recent economic crisis directly effects the way businesses operate and make decisions, regardless of the level of direct impact.  How does an executive team make positive decisions given the economic uncertainty when trends, analysts and economic professionals project doom?  How does one allocate profit or plan for growth when the results are not tangible?  How does a business balance the short and long term to make good choices?  What is most valuable to each company and how does that commodity measure up to the rest of the core expenditures when there is no profit or significantly less profit?
 
The answers all come back to the overall idea of change.  Change is constant and is almost always met with resistance and confusion.  It is both rational and emotional in nature.  Aleta Norris, a member of the Impact Consulting Group, recently said "we're either changing or dying."  Compare IBM to Apple or Sears to Target.  The differences are clear and they all center on the concept of forward thinking, change management, recognition of a shift in market and the evolution of people.  "Change" also served as the buzz-word in what will likely be touted as the most successful political campaign of our lifetime.  President-elect Obama understood that without text messaging and an aggressive internet campaign, he would not gain the momentum necessary to attract the public to his intense charisma.  He changed, and he won.
 
Grzeca Law Group is in the business of human capital.  We help guide businesses through the web of government to recruit and then retain smart people with sought after skill sets and experience from all over the world.  As laws change, it is our responsibility to be ahead of the curve, to strategize with clients, to seek out new innovation, and to promote forward thinking.  We are not immune to economic turmoil.  In fact, many of our clients are experiencing profit loss and working their way through significant changes and reinvention.  Through all of this, we have a bird's eye view of companies who are successful.  We can report that long term success is due, at least in part, to persistence and perseverance in insuring that their top commodity and what they value most - their employees - remains at the forefront of their business decisions.  
 
We have worked with a particular woman from Europe for many years.  She initially entered the U.S. as a Training Manager for a newly renovated hotel.  Utilizing her experience with this opening she developed her managerial skills and gained experience in Human Resources (HR).  Recognizing this, her company then transferred her to another property to fill the managerial position of Assistant Director of HR.  After a short time, she was promoted to the Director of HR.  While in this position, her company assisted her with applying for and receiving U.S. permanent residence.  She now holds a highly coveted position as Regional Director with the Corporate Office in their Human Resources department.  This particular woman has been an extremely valuable employee to her company.  She has been through various visa scenarios and processes with the assistance of Grzeca Law Group, as her company recognized her value early on and did everything they could to assist in her growth and training.  There are thousands of talented foreign nationals similar to this woman whose potential is discovered early on in their careers.  Recognizing a person's value and the potential return on investment is part of a successful company's vitality and overall culture.
 
So, how does an executive team make positive decisions in uncertain times?  Recognize that change is occurring and that our most precious resource is our people.  Understand that smart business owners and executives would not choose to spend thousands of dollars recruiting foreign talent if it wasn't necessary.  Realize that the most beautiful and extravagant facilities cannot operate without people, and even that innovation and forward thinking are what make businesses successful.  Even when times are tough, fostering the innovation to think well into the future and remembering that people are our most precious commodities will lead to success.