There is a great saying I find myself thinking about and using more and more in my coaching sessions these days: “Everyone is a good captain in a calm sea.”

Remember the days of calm seas? Before all of the current financial mess hit, it was relatively easy to stay the course. It might not have seemed that way at the time, but hindsight gives us new insight.

Instead of layoffs, executives regularly talked of profits, promotions and prosperity. Salespeople had pipelines that were full. Managers were busy with additional hires, purchasing new technology and lots of other “good stuff.” Contractors and architectural and engineering firms enjoyed a plethora of projects.

Fast forward to today. Times certainly have changed. And so I’m encouraging you to do the same.

I am challenging you to react effectively and creatively to the situation. We are smack in the middle of some stormy seas—and the situation calls for seaworthy captains. From the “C-suite” to the shop floor we need proactive, influential leadership.

We can’t change the economy; we can change how we react to our current situation. Here’s how: Have a vision. Develop (and follow) a plan for how to best weather the storm. Go see clients. Form new relationships. Just get busy.

The best way to calm worry and ease anxiety is to do something. Learn something new. Change how you do business. Get your coworkers and employees on board. Encourage a spirit of cooperation. Tell yourself and the people you work with that you’re going to do something significant, and then do it—today.

Everywhere you look, we need “seaworthy captains” to weather the ongoing fiscal storm. Why not be optimistic? Make this the “perfect storm” for you and your business. Sure, times are hard, but it’s also time to not let unfortunate situations get the best of you. It’s time for leadership and decisiveness. It’s time for calm in the face of the storm. There are people on deck, and they need someone to take control and steer for calmer, more predictable waters. Be that person. Be the captain.

Let’s talk about how we can make the most of these tough times. Email me at marc@corsini.com or telephone me at (205) 879-0432 to schedule a conference call.