that people dislike change itself but rather that they dislike the
uncertainty that change brings. Even as organizations change, peo-
ple take comfort in a predictable workplace. This yearning for sta-
bility is driven by life responsibilities, such as mortgage payments
and the raising of children. Therefore, the challenge is to bring a
sense of comfort to the organization that the executive himself or
herself may not enjoy. The most crucial task for executives to
undertake during change-intensive times is to establish a direction,
even though it is very likely that the direction will change as time
goes on. The next most crucial task is to communicate the direc-
tion clearly and repeatedly so that employees will know the next
steps in the plan. People are more comfortable with a direction that
changes in ways they been led to anticipate than with the uncer-
tainty that the unknown presents.
Knowing How to Deploy ResourcesOne of the key attributes of today’s successful executive is the
strategic sense that he or she possesses on where and how to deploy
resources so as to ensure the greatest return. These executives have
an ability to look at a project or an initiative and see its true value
and worth—not just the obvious benefits but the potential that lies
beneath the surface. It is this combination of wisdom and business
instinct that facilitates entry into new markets or infusions of cap-
ital where there is the greatest possibility of growth. Many times we
question these executives on the logic of their decisions only to find
out later that their intuition was not only right but actually helped
make a stellar year for the company. The same aptitude for putting
resources in the right places applies to human capital as well. It is
recognizing the right person for the right job. Generally, there is
more than one person who could do a specific job. It is the execu-
tive’s ability to assess what will be required six to twelve months
down the road that allows the executive to make the best decision
in asset allocation.
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