The Silver Linings in the Downturn

Nothing in life is all good or all bad—everything has some positive and some negative aspects along the way. If you reflect about different facets of your life, you will realize that when life deals you a particular hand, it’s entirely up to you what you’re going to make of it or what value you will create out of it. When I was reflecting about the advantages of this downturn from a personal standpoint, I was immediately able to identify a couple. One was that it made me a lot more focused about what was important to Kenexa, and the result was that our business model became tighter. We will continue to maintain profitability through the downturn and continue to grow the business when the time is right. On a more personal level, it was very effective and helpful for me to pull back spending with my children. I’d been feeling that their spending was a bit over the top, and this recession allowed us to decide and focus in on what was really important to us. Another advantage was that I spent more time with the family, both immediate and extended, as the downturn meant fewer external diversions. Last, it forced me to go through some soul searching about what was important in my life and it feels good to have had this opportunity to re-evaluate where and how I fit. All these things have been positive for me. I wonder what positives you have been able to get from the downturn.