The first 3 Factors were consistent values, long-term focus, and local leadership. The last 4 factors are: 4. Continuous Communications. People often tend to communicate less during bad times when they need communication even more. This company increased its efforts to communicate and share important information. If there was no good news to share, they would share the reality of their current situation. 5. Collaboration. Groups made significant improvements around sharing resources and working together. This reduced costs and increased efficiency. 6. Opportunities for Development. Because the pace of work was a bit slower people had the opportunity to learn new skills and develop capabilities. This organization took advantage of this time by challenging their employees with stretch job assignments. There was also an increase in formal training. 7. Agility and Speed. With less budget everyone clearly saw the need to move quickly and take advantage of opportunities in the market place. Speed of decision was emphasized. In some organizations people assume that bad times equal lower satisfaction of employees. It’s not true. The organization described above made significant gains in employee satisfaction and commitment during one of the worst financial times by doing the right things. This improved attitude of their workforce and helped create substantial financial momentum. Many organizations wait until there is a turn around to measure the satisfaction of their employees; they are missing an incredible opportunity. By assessing now, they can build on those opinions and make changes to help them capitalize on better financial times. By asking for opinions now, employees assume that their employer is not just asking for what they want to hear but rather asking for what they need to hear. Joe Folkman is the co-founder and President of Zenger Folkman, a leadership development firm focused on building strengths of individuals, teams, and organizations.