Improvise-Adapt & Overcome

Improvise-Adapt & Overcome©
By: Michael Loewenthal


A motto of the United States Marines is, Improvise, Adapt & Overcome. Can we learn from this and apply it to our businesses?-ABSOLUTELY.

On September 1st, 2008, a new economy was thrust upon the American scene. Every business owner, large and small has already or will feel the effects of the changes that came along with this change. The biggest of the big companies were collapsing or are in dire financial striates, and we, through our government had to come to the rescue.

Now, we must be sure to rescue ourselves.

IMPROVISE: The American Heritage Dictionary defines improvise as “to make or provide from available materials, or perform with little or no preparation”.

To provide from available material, what does this mean, what available material? That is a fair question; I submit to you that your “material” is your experience, your contacts, your circle of influence and other third party resources. Utilize them in ways you have not done in the past. Draw on your experience to evaluate your business, if you can not “see” your business because of all the trees then have someone come in and look at it for you.

Be flexible like you have never been flexible before. Be strong and be disciplined. Be on top of your game, always. Respond in the affirmative to opportunity and use the new found flexibility to make it happen. Just do it, to quote a shoe manufacturer.

· Learn to do without new and utilize what you have from “available materials”.
· Be flexible with your offerings, not just the same old thing
· Go back to the passion you had when you first went into business
· Get back out on the street, wear out a little shoe leather

ADAPT: To adapt means “to adjust or conform; to make suitable to or fit for a specific use or situation”.

The economic climate has changed. What was is no longer. Adapt to the new economy before the new economy makes you a casualty of it. Look at everything you do, from the time you get up in the morning till the time you go to bed and look for where adaptation is necessary.








There are companies that will be out there looking to “eat your lunch” and will do so without looking back and offer no apology. They will look to build their base of business without consideration of profit for the new business they are getting. They will rely on the profit of their existing base to carry them through and in the end, when things turn around, and who knows when that is, they will be ready to reap the financial rewards of all the new business they have gotten.

Adapt to the changes by becoming different, creating new offerings and do so through improvisation and flexibility. Take a chance, step outside your box, get uncomfortable for awhile, it’s OK, the water really is fine, and it’s not too deep.

Be sensitive to the needs of your clients and customers as they too have to adapt to the economic changes at hand, and that which is coming. Be attuned to subtle changes so you can adapt where necessary and always be on the cutting edge, at the forefront of change and learn to embrace change rather than shun it.

In this mans opinion, if you are not willing to adapt, and start adapting now, you will be playing catch-up as your competitors are reaping the rewards.

OVERCOME: It simply means to prevail over or conquer.

Take responsibility, yes, I know everyone says they are responsible for their business, for themselves, so on and so forth. But I must say that what people say and what they actually do, well, they are two different things. To overcome the obstacles that will be coming, if not already here, the business owner must take responsibility for the new condition, evaluate it and make adjustments quickly (improvise & adapt) to climb over, bore through or go around the obstacle. By maintaining a “flexible” attitude new challenges will be less daunting, more successes will be enjoyed and a revived sense of passion will emerge from within and reflect on your business.

OK, everything I have said here seems to imply that I believe that the sky is falling. Let me say, without equivocation, the sky is NOT falling, but challenging times are here and will continue to come for awhile. That being said, there is opportunity with every down turn of an economy, and now is not different. There is opportunity everywhere; you must be willing to look for it by keeping your eyes open and being willing to act when it is present, no procrastination.





In closing I would just like to share a few of my observation about business owners. I have found that they fall into 4 primary groups.

· The Can Doer-High energy, fast paced, nothing gets in their way
· The I’ll Get It Done, My Way person.
· The I’m Everybody’s Friend,
· The I Need to Know More & More &…
Is one type of person more likely to be successful than another, not from my observations. What the successful ones all have in common is passion, passion for their business and life. They never loose sight of why they went into business in the first place. They embrace the principles of Improvise-Adapt & Overcome. They are willing to take risks and manage those risks. They measure their results, some on paper, and others in their head, and they always know where they stand.

In times like now they are searchers, searching for opportunities that others leave behind.

Which one are you? There is a great book, simple to read, a fast read in fact; it is called Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, MD. With most of my business coaching clients I make it required reading among other books. I suggest that if you have not read it, or it has been awhile, read it


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Michael B. Loewenthal
The Business Coach
Albuquerque, NM
www.TheBusinessCoachABQ.com