Everywhere I turn I see negative news headlines. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even want to pick up the local newspaper – all you see is how badly the peso is performing, how far it has fallen over the last few months compared to the dollar, and the latest depressing unemployment stat.

Reality is a must. We cannot hide from what is happening around us, nor can we pretend that nothing is happening at all. But we can, and must look forward. I have no idea how deep we are in this “crisis” and I have no idea how much longer it will last. What I do know is that if businesses only focus on the negative, they too will become a victim. We are what we think about: personally and collectively.

I came across this article over at Harvard Business.org and I agree with Baldoni’s message: “Now is the time to start planning for the upturn.”

“Market economies are cyclical. And just as companies regularly plan for the next downturn — say, being watchful of spending and debt load — the same applies to the upside of the cycle. If you wait too long, you will miss out on the upswing, putting your company at a disadvantage when the indicators swing northward.” ( Prepare Your People for the Upturn. Baldoni)

This has been my first downturn out on my own and managing a small business. What I’ve noticed is my own need to keep perspective: to remain aware of what is happening financially around me – but not focusing on it to the point of becoming paralyzed. Fear seems to rise very quickly if you’re not careful in times like these.

What I have found helpful is learning about how successful companies have managed previous economic slumps, and I noticed a common denominator that I really liked: They were careful, but aggressively maintained forward motion. They continued marketing and advertising efforts – even increasing them. Their vision was on the future – to creating a future. (New clients eventually equal cash flow which is the life blood of any business.)

Businesses that survived also took care of their people. These days I often read or hear about companies letting go of employees by the thousands in an effort to cut expenses. Or in some situations, cutting their most experienced (read: well paid) employees in favor of newer ones (read: cheaper ones) . But isn’t this short term reactionary thinking? Saying goodbye to your best and most experienced people is like shooting yourself in the foot. When the upswing begins, will your newbies know what to do? Not likely.

Baldoni makes a valuable point in his post: down turns are great times to invest in your people. That’s something we’ve started to embrace in 2009. Investing in the people working with you creates commitment. It lets them know, as Baldoni points out, that you care and that you’re with them in the bad times. When the good times return you’re people will be more likely to stick with you.

But I think investing in people is more than just about keeping your employees. I think it helps to position you to serve your market – and the better you serve your market, the stronger your business will be and the easier it will be to retain current clients while bringing on new ones.