"Commentary"-A Difficult Economy Requires Difficult Decisions
Thursday, May 15, 2008SUSIE GHARIB: In tonight's commentary, when times get tough, it's time to ask some tough questions. Here's Alfred Edmond Junior, senior vice president and editor in chief of "Black Enterprise."
ALFRED EDMOND JR., SR. VP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BLACK ENTERPRISE: Perhaps Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. This rings as true in business as it does in any other arena of life, particularly today as we face rising food and fuel prices, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, shrinking profits and stagnant wages.
We can debate whether we are in a recession, but there is no doubt that we are all being challenged by these economic conditions. Those of us operating businesses are being tested professionally as well as personally. This is when we must face the tough questions. What is my true value in the market place? Is my company's core business obsolete? Am I? Have I allowed my skills to stagnate? Do I still have a sense of purpose and passion for my work?
Am I prepared to leave my comfort zones to stake out a new market, a new territory or a new industry in order to remain relevant and in order to survive and grow? The answers don't come easy. However, it's times like these that give us a gut check that can force us to redefine who we are and what we stand for, as professionals, as companies and as a nation. If the history of our country is any indication, we are bound to come out stronger and wiser for the experience. I'm Alfred Edmond Jr.
