We're seeing patterns of behavior resulting from the downturn. Of course each environment is different, however there are repeating symptoms of the ongoing stress associated with substantial revenue shortfalls. Most organizations have responded quickly with deep cuts, which then generate extensive re-organizations.
We observe the affects of these changes at two levels; at the top and in the middle of some organizations. At the top, it seems there is a "wait-it-out" approach being employed by some management teams. "Lets not make too many changes that could impact the future... lets not change the mission, we'll just ask the fewer resources to work a little harder..."
Disturbingly, we continue to see pet projects maintained (i.e. not killed) and little thought given to life after the down-turn in terms of how decisions today could/may impact strategy in the future. There is a collective short term focus/survival mentality now in many places.
From the middle/bottom-up perspective we've observed a lot of confusion partly due to fear (of "losing my job") and as a result of the re-organizations--as resources shift to fill the vacuum left by departed employees, contractors, and consultants. The behavior seems to be bimodal in that at one time there is panic, frantic action, lots of survival meetings and at the other there is no motion at all while people wait for something to happen.
Much of this behavior and some of these symptoms are the result of poor portfolio planning and resource re-allocation decision-making. Less resources combined with same mission (or changed mission requiring pre-downturn resource levels) are seriously stressing people and organizations.
The time for making the "hard decisions" or choices seems to be extending, like in the case of all those "doubled assets" that the banks seem to want to avoid actually valuing (i.e. mark to market decisions).
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