ANTenna Blog -- Business & E-Business

If the "R" word really is on the way, small and midsize companies can't just curl up and hope it goes away.

That's the natural tendency though, which is why I found this piece of advice so helpful:

If your office chair was on fire, would you sit down and brood about it? Probably not. Well, if your company is in trouble ... this is an equally poor time to sulk.

It's the lead to an article on How to Keep Your Job in a Slowdown in US News & World Report, but it's equally applicable to smaller companies.

Basically, author Liz Wolgemuth suggests strategies for three different kinds of workers:

If you're in charge (and the numbers aren't pretty): Don't let yourself be scapegoated if the problem is industrywide.

If you're new to the company: Come in early. Stay late. Don't take long breaks. Be the workhorse, the person who doesn't complain, the employee who gets loads of work done and doesn't have conflicts with other employees.

If you're an institution at the company: Fight the notion that you're not pulling your weight. Take advantage of the relationships you've created inside the company.

If you're working in a troubled industry: Enthusiasm for learning and growth is key. If you've got laurels, don't rest on them. They may already be irrelevant.

It's not hard to see how these ideas translate to companies as well as individuals. Got any more ideas how to cope with tough times?