There are a couple things that popped out at me in the August 31, 2009 issue of Fortune. Unfortunately, none of them really warrant a post of their own, so here they all are in one.

Advice from the CEO of Mattel – article

  • Don’t put off layoffs – procrastination isn’t good for anyone
  • Always make an outline
  • Mind the generation gap – don’t try to give them a snow job
  • Research before hiring – find out who you both know and ask them their perspective
  • Run efficient Meeting – send materials out in advance and make sure everyone reads them
  • Enforce punctuality
  • Target your message – worry more on what the audience needs to hear than what you want to say

Leadership lessons from Home Depot’s CFO, Carol Tome – article

*‘ve learned a lot. I’ve learned that it is really about the power of the team and the importance of alignment. You’ve got to break down silos, particularly in an environment like this. The only enemy we have is the company headquartered in North Carolina [Lowe’s]. We need to be aligned as a team, and we have made great progress in that regard.

I’ve learned that you’ve got to have a sense of humor. We’ve had some dark days, and the ability to just crack a joke or laugh for a minute really does help. It really is important to laugh at yourself and to say, Okay, I blew that, but that’s okay. Pick yourself up and keep going on.

And never lose sight of the customer. At the end of the day it all comes back to the customer. The more time you can get out of the office and spend time talking to the customer, the better it is.*

The new rules dealing with the downturn (and setting yourself up for the rebound) – article

  • Narrow your focus – Strategic cutting wasn’t the end. It was the means for positioning the company to grow.
  • Accelerate innovation – The more you do, the more you can do
  • Aggressively leverage what you can control
  • Obsessively search for the right growth – not just any old growth, but the right growth

And the last paragraph is also really good:

No matter what business you are in, no matter what you’ve done till now, there is still time to change your attitude from that of fighting for survival to seeking opportunities for growth. Face the tough decisions, but don’t let cutbacks stop you from seeing the windows of opportunity that are suddenly open. Think creatively. Act aggressively. We can’t predict with certainty when the broader economy will recover. But your company’s recovery can begin whenever you’re ready.

Four strategies for managing a company – article

  1. Make a big business feel like a small company
  2. When things get complex, do your homework
  3. Acquire to grow, not cut
  4. Know where your business is heading