Executive BriefingPerformance Benchmarking - Outlook 2012

Overview

Companies in the region are incredibly optimistic about 2012 and, in looking closely at the data, itʼs no wonder why.

Similar to last yearʼs study, 96% of the 57 respondents are optimistic about this year, with fully 80% anticipating that both sales and profits will increase. Incredibly, another 96% say they are in a better competitive position than before the recession.

Looking ahead companies have clear priorities: growth and talent.

Key takeaways

• 85% of respondents indicated that they have increased their number of customers since the beginning of the recession -- a powerful measure of organizational health

• A higher percentage than last year rated their teams by saying that their talent pool is “better than ever” -- a significant achievement

• While much of the data this year was similar to last year, the changes were very telling• Winning Market Share was an even more emphatic #1 this year; and Strengthening

My Team leapfrogged past Launching New Products into second place• These results were amplified by some of the “free text” answers that focused strongly

on capturing growth opportunities and talent acquisition• As if to place an exclamation point, everything else that was asked about again

plummeted in terms of priority (e.g. Raising Pricing, Cutting Costs, Margin Pressure)• Really good companies in the region -- those that participated in the survey! -- have

weathered the storm and are focused on growth.

What one thing ... should you think about?

• Oddly, nearly one in four respondents said that they did not have specific goals and a plan to achieve them in 2012. If you donʼt, you better get to work on it! And, even if you do, make sure you are communicating it, measuring it and holding yourself and your organization accountable. Donʼt let those opportunities go to waste!

One Step Beyond bfischer@onestepbeyondllc.com www.onestepbeyondllc.com 412.849.7261