Keeping Up in a Down Economy: What the Best Companies do to Get Results in Tough Times

by Bob Nelson

We are in the middle of an economic downturn that is deeper and more damaging to the world economy than anything experienced since the 1930s. This means that to thrive'or even just to survive'company... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615306616
• ISBN13: 9780615306612
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Nelson Motivation Inc.
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A solid and very recommended resource that business leaders should not miss

Good companies don't buckle under a bad economy - they're good companies for a reason. "Keeping Up in a Down Economy: What the Best Companies Do to Get Results in Tough Times" discusses how companies can stay profitable and growing even during a time where it seems impossible. With plenty of honest advice and tips, the knowledge contained within is simple and wise for companies, ranging from setting a company's direction, to keeping knowledge flowing through the company, and maintaining morale, "Keeping Up in a Down Economy" is a solid and very recommended resource that business leaders should not miss.

Wisdom, Examples and Ideas in Bite-Sized Packets

There's a class of books that I refer to as "BBS" books. "BBS" stands for briefcase, bathroom, or side table. I like to have one nearby at all times so I can dip into it and pick up a good idea or a snatch of wisdom. Keeping Up in a Down Economy by Bob Nelson is the best of that kind of book. It's filled with good ideas and examples. It's clearly written. And you can read a couple of pages from anywhere in the book and pick up something worthwhile. The chapters have titles like "Direct, Open, and Honest Communication" and "Involve Employees and Encourage Initiative." All the ideas in each chapter relate to each other. But the chapters are like the episodes of Law and Order. You can read part of any one without reading the others and still get value. That's good, and there are two other things that I like about this particular book. First, there are lots and lots and lots of examples from corporate life. In fact, there are examples from over 100 companies. That's almost one new one per page. It gets better. The examples are not the same ones you've heard, even from companies you may recognize. Lots of writers use examples from Southwest Airlines. But I never heard of the way they're using games for training until I read this book. When you hear about Best Buy, it's likely to be about ROWE. Not here. Nelson writes about how the current CEO, Brian Dunn, made a judgment error in cost cutting, but listened to employees, used social media, and ultimately did things differently. One more thing. Don't get too hooked on the "down economy" part of the title. There's specific advice here for succeeding in turbulent times, but most of the advice and ideas will work in any economy. Bottom Line: This is a great business book to dip into for inspiration or if you want lots of good ideas from lots of different places.

GREAT guide to business success in ANY economy

I have been a HUGE fan of Bob Nelson's work ever since he wrote his groundbreaking book 1001 Ways to Reward Employees which went on to sell more than 2 million copies. The reason is simple: Bob knows what works for companies of all sizes and in every industry, and he writes in a simple and easy-to-apply way. In his latest book -- Keeping Up in a Down Economy -- Bob has again applied this winning formula to great effect, giving readers the benefit of his decades of real-world experience. The book includes chapters on involving employees in their work and encouraging initiative; increasing employee autonomy, flexibility, and support; building direct, open, and honest communication; recognizing and rewarding high performance; and much, much more. But while this book is a godsend for organizations in the current down economy, the real power of Keeping Up in a Down Economy is that the techniques are just as effective in an UP economy as they are in an economy that is down. As the economy moves out of its current slump -- which it surely will -- the companies that apply the techniques in Bob's book will have a clear and significant advantage over the competition. And at far less than the price of a typical business lunch, you really can't go wrong.