Cost cutting is an art, not a science. Anyone can reduce costs, what brainpower does it take to fire a lot of people. Those, however, who recognize this as an art do it in artful ways, looking at systematic improvements, creating systemic thrusts, re-thinking how the organization works, assessing that is really required.
Those who think they need to reduce costs but have no idea how to go about it, issue press releases about the most inane, ridiculous, and meaningless cost controlling ideas. I label these "nits", meaning they are irrelevant as a cost reducing item, for "nots", meaning those that proclaim these are useful and meaningful have not any idea, about anything. Don't buy their stock, or their story. Here are some examples:
Bernie Ebbers, as WorldCom was imploding all around him and who was billions short of avoiding bankruptcy, stopped watering the plants in their corporate headquarters building.
Monster CEO Iannuzzi proclaimed he was eliminating paper cups in the break rooms.
And South Carolina governor Mark Sanford instructed his staff to use both sides of post-it notes.
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