Bob Weidner has been CEO of the Metal Service Center Institute (MSCI) for nine years. When he was recruited for the position the organization was in need of a turnaround. It was losing members and people were questioning the value proposition of organization. Today he is in the black and growing when most trade associations are in dire straits.

Bob's executed change on all fronts: he turned over staff, upgraded the senior management team, changed the way the board operates, streamlined his educational offerings, overhauled the magazine, changed vendors for research and data, and more... all to turn a dinosaur into a world-class operation. You can read the details in my recent Fast Co piece, Turnaround Built on Nonstop Unrelenting Change.

The point is, sometimes to get great results, you need to bring fundamental and powerful adjustments to the whole system. Too many organizations are mediocre when they could be world-class.

In today's market, this kind of massive surge can make all the difference. I am talking about an intensity of effort that speaks to current pressures. Many organizations have done this to increase penetration in difficult times.

Burger King, Hyatt and IHOP all began during the dramatic worldwide economic downturn of 1958. FedEx, LexisNexis, and Microsoft began operations in 1973 during the most severe recession in the US since World War II. CNN and MTV began in the difficult economic climate of 1980. And just recently in 2008 Hyundai surged ahead in the US by offering insurance that covered car payments when a customer lost their job. I give the steps to conducting a surge in my recent article on American Express' website, Surge Forward When Times are Tough.

Executive Seminar and Fundraiser: Driving Growth in a Sluggish Economy

I will be sharing strategies and tactics for building and expanding business in our challenging market  at the Washington DC Board of Trade, Thurs, Dec. 9, 7:30-10:00 am.

This executive presentation focuses on how to grow when the market is not, drawing lessons from companies that have successfully expanded while competitors were being marginalized.

Conventional thinking says there are two ways to grow: (1) Deliver a commodity in scale, or (2) break into new markets with innovative high-margin offerings. But, there are other options. In this seminar I will show you how businesses engage their customers to identify and deliver high-value markets ripe for expansion that support and reinforce their base offerings - and, as usual, I will provide many tips and techniques on how to carry this out as immediate takeaways.

100% of proceeds will benefit Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, a DC organization dedicated to helping the visually impaired achieve independence. I serve on the Lighthouse's advisory board and am proud to invite you to attend in exchange for your tax-deductible contribution. CLB's CEO, Tony Cancelosi, will be on hand to introduce several of their newest initiatives including a mobile van unit and specialized support for veterans. Please read more and RSVP here.