When times are tough, meaning when sales aren’t as good as they could have been, or, more accurately, when profits aren’t what you’d expect, then you might have the tendency to “cut costs.” After all, that’s what everyone else does, isn’t it?

Stop it! Are you “everyone else”? No, you are you. Now, you know very well that you don’t actually mean substituting your raw materials for cheaper alternatives which might not be as reliable. You don’t actually mean cutting your employees’ salaries. You might cut bonuses, but not salaries, right? You don’t actually mean delaying payments to your suppliers for as long as you can. You don’t actually mean putting out messages that imply certain promises you don’t intend to fulfill. You don’t actually mean cutting corners where safety procedures are concerned. No, you don’t actually mean any of that. Or do you?

Words have power, do they not? Think about yourself! How many times in the past week, in the past day, have you been influenced by what someone else said, by what you read on Facebook, by what you saw on the news, by what you read in the papers? Choose your words carefully. They shape your thoughts. Your thoughts shape your attitudes. Your attitudes drive your behaviour. Your behaviour dictates your actions. Your actions become habits. Your habits forge your character. Your character determines your destiny. So choose your words carefully! Instead of saying “cutting costs”, determine to maximize optimization of your processes. I said optimization. I did not say perfection. Work ON your company and work ON your people. Remember that you also need to work ON yourself! No time? Another phrase to throw out! Make time!

Stop cutting costs. Cut the crap instead. And work ON your company. Get to it!