I am just plain tired of the recession. (I know, who isn’t?)

But I’m not simply talking about the state of the economy. I’m sick of the negative attitudes and the fact that good news has come to mean news that’s not as horrible as anticipated.

Now, I don’t say we should run headlong into the lend-to-spend world that got us into this mess. But do I feel it’s time for us to instill a renewed confidence in ourselves, our businesses and the economy.

I’m going to start by listing three things I’ve learned from this adventure and how they changed my view of the world:

1. You get very different advice in good times and bad. Basically you go from from spend, spend, spend to cut, cut, cut. Pendulum thinking, really. Personally, I think we should fall somewhere in between and adopt a philosophy of ‘risk and sensibility’.
2. There are no guarantees. Contracts may disappear. Clients may cut back at a moment’s notice. Someone who calls you in for a new business opportunity one day could be laid off before the meeting ever occurs (this actually happened). What that means for business and individuals is that we need to honestly assess every situation and be prepared to turn on a dime. If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s a bit like being in perennial start-up mode, familiar, fun, yet occasionally a bit exhausting.
3. Don’t wear rose coloured glasses, but don’t lose hope either. This isn’t easy when you’re exposed to dire news at every turn. But that’s a time to step back and put things in perspective; be thankful for what you do have and appreciate the truly important things in your life. And try to be cautiously optimistic amid the turmoil. At the risk of sounding schmaltzy, I’d like to invoke Jerry Lewis and his telethon finale: ‘When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high…’

Oh, and for PR people there’s a fourth thing too. The recession has accelerated a change in the communications industry. And while no one knows exactly where we’re heading, there’s no denying we aren’t going back. Social media is part of our landscape. And it’s going to continue to grow in importance for our practice and profession. Whether we become leaders or followers is entirely up to us.

What have you learned?

About Martin Waxman

Martin Waxman, MCM, is a digital communications strategist. He conducts AI research, leads digital and social media training workshops and speaks at events across North America. He's co-founder of two PR agencies, president of a consultancy and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, teaches digital strategy and social media at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, University of Toronto SCS and Seneca College. He's a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center and a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy. He has a Master of Communications Management (MCM) from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.

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