However, the line between success and failure is very narrow and dangerous. Because what is currently not sustainable at all, that is "Z.D.F.". If companies now communicate according to figures, data, facts, they will be ignored in the best case and strongly criticized in the most likely case.

Public relations now - but properly

All companies, whether corporations or SMEs, sole proprietors or self-employed, are being shown a lot of solidarity at the moment. People know that the crisis affects us all. At the same time, a lot of community spirit and generosity is expected. However, if companies now pull out their standard advertising campaign or sell products and services as usual with offer and price, this is very often not approved. This is even more the case, by the way, if it is an industry that benefits from the situation and whose services are needed.

What is still allowed, what makes sense?

So what can be done? Many companies are unsure what they should still communicate at all when marketing hardly works anymore or only partially. What they would still have to communicate at all if the business, the hotel or even the service company is almost or completely shut down. But companies that are currently profiting from the situation are just as uncertain. They do not know what they are still "allowed" to communicate. My tip from the communication practice: Tell about yourself. Tell what you and your employees are doing. Tell what you plan to do or what a day-to-day routine looks like normally and what it looks like now. There is hardly a better time than now for PR - your public relations internally and externally! What does that mean in concrete terms? Here are a few examples:

1. If you are a catering or hotel business: Use the time and make, for example, a video series about what you do now with the remaining food. Or let the employees talk about their everyday life, what they do now and what keeps them busy.
2. If you are a beauty salon: Give online tips on how to take care of facial skin at home with the simplest means. Show all that you now prepare and do internal training in the forced break.
3. If you offer bike courier services, now show the way of a package, why this is complex and why it needs you.
4. If you offer online services like webinars and profit from the situation: Be generous with subscriptions, increase and simplify testing opportunities, etc.
5. If you run a large construction company: Show how you comply with hygiene requirements or explain in statements and videos how you now have to plan differently and what that means for you logistically.
6. If you run an industrial company: Show what your employees do, explain what short-time work means and how you deal with it.
7. If you run a tourist destination: Give out vouchers for the "reopening weeks" and the first glass of prosecco already now, when you may celebrate with your guests again in the future.

These are the rules you should follow

1. Be generous with yourself and others. It will pay off in the long run.
2. Remain (or become) authentic. This means that the communication must correspond to you and your company, only then are you credible.
3. Show your values, how you think and act.
4. Stick to the truth.
5. Stay positive, meaning you are allowed to explain the difficult situation, but refrain from accusing third parties and making accusations.
6. Stay in solidarity and show compassion. Arrogance and arrogance are devastating.
7. Do away with pure numbers, data, facts. Bring emotions and service.

Incidentally, these rules apply to both internal and external communications in the current situation.

Crisis communication as the supreme discipline in public relations

Public relations always aims to generate understanding, to explain something, to inform, to optimize or strengthen the image. Crisis communication is the highest of the communication disciplines. If companies and entrepreneurs are generous and open now, but above all show attitude, it will pay off in the long run. By all means, continue to communicate - but please do it right!

Author:
Sereina Schmidt, a 100 percent communications professional, specializes in crisis communications and CEO reputation. Her strength is direct, transparent and honest advice and support for entrepreneurs, advisory boards, foundation, community and city councils. www.schmidt.ch

The W.A. de Vigier Promotion Prize is the oldest award for young entrepreneurs in Switzerland and, with annual prize money of CHF 500,000 (five times CHF 100,000), is one of the most highly endowed promotion prizes in Switzerland. In its 31 years of existence, the foundation has distributed a total of over CHF 11 million in start-up capital across a wide range of sectors. To date, this has resulted in around 90 successful startups, several IPOs, profitable company sales and, above all, numerous new jobs.

W.A. de Vigier Awards 2020 presented online

"As we wrestle with a global pandemic, it is clear that we face a much greater challenge with the consequences of climate change. Our generation has urgent environmental problems to solve, as evidenced by the particularly high number of Cleantech Startups among this year's applications and winners. These cleantech companies have the potential to make the rebuilding of the Swiss economy after the Corona crisis more environmentally friendly," says Regula Buob, executive director of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation. "The drive and resilience that these young leaders display is impressive. Nothing and no one can stop them - even in challenging times like these," Buob continues. Due to Covid-19, the award ceremony took place in the studios of CNN Money Switzerland and not as usual in the de Vigier summer house in Solothurn.

The winners of the W.A. de Vigier Award 2020

Bloom Biorenewables AG from Marly (FR) - Sustainable alternatives to fossil molecules
Petroleum is present in most everyday products, which is harmful to our environment. Bloom can convert wood and agricultural waste into renewable materials that completely replace petroleum. Thanks to this solution, businesses can turn to a green and locally available alternative, satisfy environmentally conscious customers, meet government guidelines, save C02 taxes and help fight climate change. "Because of Covid-19, the price of oil has dropped, we are now competing with an even cheaper product. But we need to think ahead and make a fundamental change, replacing petroleum with green alternatives," says Remy Buser, CEO of Bloom Biorenewables AG, about the impact of the pandemic on his company.

 EH Group Engineering AG from Prangins (VD) - Innovative fuel cell technology for clean energy
Hydroelectric power would be a productive and clean source of energy, but it is too expensive, too complex, and too unreliable to gain widespread market acceptance. EH Group developed a technology that harnesses the power of hydrogen in a compact, reliable way at low cost and with minimal initial investment. Thanks to our solution, major manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries are far ahead of their competitors when it comes to innovating for a greener future - the only future we have. "I can't deny that this is a very difficult time. But we keep going, we don't give up at all. We have phone conversations with our team members every day - my team is the most valuable asset I have. My employees will help shape the company as it grows, and I can feel their unwavering commitment," says Mardit Matian, CEO of EH Group Engineering AG.

 FenX AG from Zurich (ZH) - Sustainable high-performance insulation for the construction industry
When choosing insulation materials, the construction industry must either compromise on price, flammability or environmental friendliness. FenX transforms industrial waste into easy-to-build and high-performance insulation boards that are both non-combustible and recyclable. Our solution meets all customer needs: achieving excellent insulation and meeting all market requirements in terms of safety as well as eco-labels, all at no extra cost. "We are in the very fortunate position that the construction industry has not stopped during the pandemic. There are delays, but nothing too dramatic. We have also received invaluable support from investors who have been willing to back us with convertible bonds. In order for the company to emerge stronger from this challenging period, our team has reduced salaries to a minimum," reports Etienne Jeoffroy, CEO of FenX AG.

 Microcaps AG from Zurich (ZH) - Precise microcapsules on an industrial scale
Ensuring that drugs are released at the affected body site and at a specific rate is a major challenge because the size of the capsules that deliver these active ingredients has been uncontrollable. Microcaps developed a patented technology that allows us to control the size of these microcapsules with Swiss precision so that they all behave exactly the same. This means we can directly adjust and predict the release profile of a drug. Our solution is also highly relevant for fragrances, flavors and probiotics. "We tried to estimate early on how Covid-19 might affect our business. Now we are trying to make projections for after the crisis. Of course, we asked our board for help and turned to our network to make sure we have a handle on those things we can control," explains Alessandro Ofner, CEO of Microcaps AG.

Oxara AG from Zurich (ZH) - Turning excavated waste into sustainable building products
Every construction project begins with the excavation of tons of soil debris. However, landfill space for this excavated waste is becoming increasingly scarce. There is also a shortage of concrete, which is needed for construction. Oxara developed a chemical mixture that turns excavated waste into environmentally friendly building material, saving the construction industry millions in landfill costs while providing it with enough sustainable material to build with. "Business is slower, but we are currently able to invest more time in our technology. We have informed our partners and customers that we are not able to deliver as originally planned, and we are coming together as a team to look for creative solutions given the situation," explains Gnanli Landrou, CEO of Oxara AG.

W.A. de Vigier Foundation

Four out of seven sectors and five out of seven regions record the lowest numbers in 15 years. However, most Swiss employers (56 %) expect to return to prehealth crisis employment levels within a year. The most optimistic among them (28 %) already expect this to happen by the fall. The survey was conducted April 17-29, 2020.

Stability among companies in the domestic market

"As expected, the labor market is suffering greatly from the lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus. The labor market forecast reaches the lowest level since the Barometer was introduced in Switzerland 15 years ago. Nevertheless, employers in certain regions and sectors are showing some stability and sticking to their hiring plans. These are mainly companies with a focus on the domestic market," underlines Gianni Valeri, Managing Director of Manpower Switzerland.

Ticino with weakest employment outlook in 15 years

Employers in six of the seven regions intend to reduce the number of their employees in the third quarter of 2020. Only employers in Eastern Switzerland (+3 %) report a positive forecast and an increase compared to the previous quarter (+4 percentage points). Employers in all other regions are pessimistic: Ticino (-14 %), Northwestern Switzerland (-13 %), the Lake Geneva region (-10 %), the Zurich region (-10 %) and Central Switzerland (-2 %) each report their worst results since the Barometer was launched in Switzerland in 2005. Quarter-over-quarter, Ticino and the Lake Geneva region show the largest declines (-17 and -16 percentage points, respectively). Year-on-year, all regions are down, with Northwestern Switzerland recording the most significant losses (-24 percentage points).

Stable employment momentum in Other manufacturing sectors and Other service sectors

Five of the seven sectors anticipate staff reductions in the summer of 2020, with only two sectors showing a more robust trend. These are Other manufacturing sectors (+1 %) and Other service sectors (0 %). The latter also records little change from the previous quarter (-1 percentage point). By contrast, employers in the Hotels and Restaurants sector (-36 %) are the most pessimistic, with the sector suffering the sharpest quarter-on-quarter (-38 percentage points) and year-on-year (-46 points) declines. Employers also have a negative view of the employment situation in construction (-12 %), manufacturing (-9 %) and financial and business services (-8 %) - delivering the weakest forecast in 15 years.

Employment freeze in the four categories of companies studied

Employers in all four business categories surveyed report negative results for the third quarter of 2020. Large business employers (-3 %) anticipate a sharp slowdown in the labor market, and small business (-4 %) and micro business (-7 %) employers forecast an even more difficult situation. Medium business employers are the most pessimistic (-17 %), posting the largest quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year declines (at -22 and -28 percentage points, respectively).

Employment prospects in neighboring countries: Germany as an exception

Germany is among seven of the 43 countries participating in the survey to report a positive outlook. Nevertheless, German employers (+1 %) anticipate significantly weaker employment momentum in the third quarter of 2020 and, as is the case across the EMEA region, the country's employment outlook declines quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year. Other service sectors and construction fare best. France (-11 %) shows the lowest figures since the Barometer was launched in the country in 2003 and significant quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year declines. In Italy (-5 %), the most solid labor market is likely to be that of the Other manufacturing sectors in summer 2020.

Source and further information: Manpower Group

After several weeks of lockdown due to Covid-19, smaller social events have finally been possible again since May. At the anniversary event of rb Rüttimann Consulting, the relaxation among the guests was palpable: Finally, people were allowed to diligently network in person again, even if some restrictions in the form of physical distancing still had to be observed.

"Speed Speeches" - also in rhymed form

Nevertheless: Barbara Rüttimann believed in the realization of the event until the very end, and the partners and sponsors also remained on board. The result: an exciting event format with short speeches in "slam poetry style". Six speakers each had ten minutes to give the guests some inspiring impulses on various business topics. The first speaker was Stephan Peyer, CEO of hauser & partner. He dedicated his speech - partly even in rhymed form - to the topic of live marketing. The customer journey has become complex, and digitization has virtually become the "enemy" of live marketing. But digitization also helps to pick up customers. But the communication of the future will still be live, according to Stephan Peyer's credo, as long as a clear message can be packaged in clever storytelling.

From Agile Leadership to Good Food at Work

Dr. Peter Acél, owner of Dr. Acél & Partner, spoke on "Agile Leadership" and emphasized that this is more than just a buzzword, but requires a new corporate culture and a new understanding of leadership. Helena Trachsel, Head of the Equality Office of the Canton of Zurich, called for more encounters with respect - free of stereotypes - and Oliver Hauri, CEO of Haworth Switzerland, asked why returning from the home office to the traditional office is so valuable. People want to be able to physically meet their colleagues again. "The office of the future should then also be a meeting platform," Hauri said. Anna Grassler from Felfel then presented the "Good Food at Work" concept, of which all participants received a tasty sample at the end. And Thomas Schreiber from atool Architekten gave an insight into sustainable building with an example of a façade greening.

Insight into the rich portfolio of rb Rüttimann Consulting

Conclusion of the event: The selection of speakers and the guests present showed a cross-section of the variety of topics Barbara Rüttimann covers with her communications and marketing consultancy. Since 2000, her clientele has included clients from SMEs and large companies in various industries. Over the years, she has also been a TV presenter, a contributor to various publications - she regularly writes columns for the print editions of ORGANISATOR - and a real estate consultant. The format of this anniversary event with "speed speeches" and culinary accompaniment could well set a precedent for other events.

More information: www.rbconsulting.info/

Because the Corona pandemic caused numerous industrial and trade fairs to be canceled in Germany and abroad and many companies' tried-and-tested supply chains to collapse, access figures for online platforms have risen significantly in recent months. The European B2B platform EUROPAGES and the leading B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" in the DACH region have been united under the corporate brand Visable for a year now. The company is now taking stock.

B2B platforms for digital sourcing as an advantage

"We are very satisfied with the first Visable year, but we are by no means resting on our laurels," says Visable CEO Peter F. Schmid. "There is still huge potential for B2B platforms. In combination with the global acceleration of digitization triggered by the Corona crisis, our signs clearly point to growth," says Peter F. Schmid. Schmid sees an enormous opportunity particularly in the long-term elimination of trade shows. "Trade shows as we have known them until now are simply no longer in keeping with the times. We assume that one in four trade shows will no longer exist in their usual form next year."

Platforms such as EUROPAGES and "Wer liefert was" offer clear advantages over location-based trade shows. They are available 365 days a year and provide corporate buyers with a quick overview of all available suppliers. Companies that have a presence on the platforms can also acquire new customers locally to worldwide. Budget usage can also be measured at any time. Digital sourcing will continue to grow not only because of the Corona pandemic.

First Visable year records huge customer growth

In the first year of Visable, there was an enormous increase in new customers. There were 5,000 new customers for the European B2B platform and 3,800 new customers for "Wer liefert was". The amount of services booked by all customers was 65 million Swiss francs with clear opportunities for further growth. The potential for the digital market of trade between companies remains enormous. Even before Corona, the market had been growing by an average of 13 percent annually since 2013. Forecasts show that this will not change. On the contrary, studies such as those by The Insight Partners 2020 show that the market will grow by up to 15 percent per year until 2027 and is already six times larger than the end-consumer market.

Significantly increased access figures due to Corona pandemic

The Corona pandemic has caused traffic on the Visible platforms to increase enormously in recent months. Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, traffic has grown by an average of more than 25 percent on "Wer liefert was" and 22 percent on EUROPAGES compared to the previous year. At peak times, growth on both platforms was even over 50 percent compared to the same week last year. "Many companies are forced to completely rethink their procurement strategy or are dependent on alternative supply sources in the short term because their established supply chains are breaking away," explains Visable CEO Peter F. Schmid. According to Carsten Brandt, Head of Corporate Communications at Visable, who presented the latest figures at the annual media conference, these figures show that Corona is clearly serving as an accelerator of digitalization. "According to research by McKinsey, digital channels in B2B have gained significantly since the start of Corona, up to 40 percent," Brandt said.

Investments in the double-digit millions

"We want to continue to grow," says CEO Peter F. Schmid. In the second Visable year, investments in the double-digit millions are to ensure further growth, especially in the area of technologies. This fall, "Wer liefert was" will appear after a relaunch with new functions and a new corporate design. "The past few months have shown that marketing and sales in business-to-business commerce are finally going digital. The time for online platforms is now," says Peter F. Schmid. In contrast, industrial and trade shows will continue to lose. "Only three out of four trade shows will come back," adds Carsten Brandt. "Trade shows are no longer up to date. It's hardly worthwhile to set up entire machines at a trade show anymore. With virtual reality, there are now technological alternatives to demonstrate machines. Many marketing departments in the industry will therefore increasingly invest in virtual trade shows."

Source and further information: www.visable.com

"Lockdown and home office have led to a lasting and permanent change in our everyday business life," says Markus Grutzeck, Chairman of Contact Center Network e.V. (CCN), when presenting the results of a study conducted among German executives in May 2020. The most important result: business travel is also being significantly reduced in the long term. This has consequences for sales appointments as well as for trade fairs and congresses.

In person or online - How do you keep it after Corona?

Almost 70 percent of the executives surveyed from German companies want to reduce their own travel, while only 32 percent want to use public transport in the future. By contrast, 52 percent of respondents said that they would prefer to use their own car. The results are also clear when it comes to events: 67 percent of respondents plan to take part in online events, webinars or virtual trade fairs. Only one-third of respondents plan to attend face-to-face events organized by associations or industry trade shows. This is one of the reasons why the CCN recently announced its intention to develop its own future-proof digital event format.

Pessimism for sales

The assessment of sales appointments is also very clear: Only 14 percent of those surveyed assume that their own sales force will return to normal travel activities after the Corona crisis. According to their own statements, every tenth company intends to completely dispense with sales travel in the future, while half of the respondents will at least reduce their travel activities.

The results are similar for in-house meetings and conferences. 57 percent of respondents aim to reduce face-to-face meetings. However, face-to-face exchanges are important. Only 10 percent of respondents can imagine holding exclusively online meetings in the future. The future will probably bring a hybrid meeting culture - with a mix of online and face-to-face meetings.

Involuntary digitization push

"Companies, management and employees have experienced that digital communication works. For some, it was an involuntary digitalization push. But it's clear that digital has taken hold and will be a very important pillar for networking and information exchange, for collaboration and teamwork in the future," summarizes Grutzeck.

Source and further information: Contact Center Network

Cybersecurity has become a critical issue for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2019 43 percent of cyberattacks target small businesses. The most common problems include attacks on IT infrastructure with hacking and malware. At the same time, social attacks and employee error or abuse together also affect about half of SMBs. According to the Cybercrime Magazine 60 percent of small businesses go out of business within six months of a critical cyber incident.

Geared to the needs of SMEs

Protecting SMEs against cyber attacks is the goal of SMESEC. This abbreviation stands for Protecting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises digital technology through an innovative cyber-SECurity framework and is a project co-funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) of the "Horizon 2020" framework program. The project started in June 2017 and is coordinated by Atos (Spain). This consortium - in which the University of Applied Sciences FHNW is also involved - has built up a framework over the last three years to protect SMEs against cyber threats. Now the consortium has published the first public version of the SMESEC framework published.

The SMESEC toolkit enables end users to self-assess their security status, secure their IT infrastructure, and develop a "security-in-mind" culture among their employees. The framework's dashboard provides organizations with the ability to understand their security status and what immediate steps need to be taken to improve security. They are also encouraged to appoint a chief information security officer (CISO) who can use SMESEC to identify cyber threats, vulnerabilities and risks.

FHNW responsible for the user experience

The institutes for Interactive technologies as well as Mobile and Distributed Systems of FHNW contributed to the framework with user experience design and an innovative tool, the Cybersecurity Coach CYSEC. CYSEC provides the CISO with information about threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, and guides cybersecurity improvement with simple step-by-step advice.

The consortium developed and tested the SMESEC toolkit in collaboration with twelve SMEs of different sizes, types, and industries. The framework and tools were installed and tested in these SMEs. In addition, several workshops were conducted to understand the needs of the SMEs and the impact of the SMESEC solution.

SMESEC to meet the needs of SMEs

"SMEs want to go digital, but they are worried about the cost and their exposure to hackers," says project coordinator Jose Francisco Ruiz, "with our solution, we want to help SMEs protect their business and their employees." Discussions with SMEs have shown that the SMESEC solution meets their needs and concerns, and meets the requirements of SMEs.

Source and further information

Graubünden, Switzerland's largest canton, is bursting with innovative startup founders. Successful entrepreneur Pius Truffer, digital marketing expert Robin Mark and three Graubünden-based startups provided insights into the local startup scene and shared their experiences of success and hurdles.

Benefit from each other at the Startup Forum Graubünden

The organizers of the Startup Forum Graubünden, namely the Office of Economy and Tourism Graubünden, the KMU Center and the IFJ Institute for Young Enterprises initiated the forum already last year in order to fuel new ideas in the startup scene Graubünden, to exchange knowledge and experience with like-minded people and to network. In this sense, the event was perfectly staffed, even if by digital means this year. Established entrepreneurs, startups and people interested in founding a company as well as entrepreneur students from the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden offered an optimal mix to benefit from each other.

The icon from Grisons

Successful entrepreneur Pius Truffer reported on his successes and initial difficulties in the panel interview. Vals quartzite has been used as stone for walls and roofs for hundreds of years. The Vals village image is characterized by the stone roofscape. Today, the stone is used in all kinds of forms all over the world. It has become one of the most sought-after building materials for architecture all over the world. Pius Truffer inspires with his founding story, which started over 36 years ago with Pia Truffer.

Three startups that still have the road ahead of them

From the two founders Dario & Dario of Muntagnard GmbH comes the - according to their own statement - most comfortable T-shirt ever. They develop their products from the selection of the raw material to the end of life to 100% biodegradable and are thus probably the first manufacturers ever, which close the biological cycle in a T-shirt and its raw materials.

Amin Casutt's story is also impressive: he will only finish high school this year, but has already founded his first startup, CASGRE GmbH, with Jan Gredig. With the startup, various projects are being implemented, such as a concept in collaboration with SV Group AG for the direct distribution of office supplies on site at various educational locations with over 21,000 learners. Especially in connection with the spread of the coronavirus, this distribution concept is being elaborated with further offers.

True to the motto "Machä und nid Labrä", Noe Tüfer and Nicolo Angerer have joined forces. The "Bergbuaba" from Davos have an international vision with LifeDrop GmbH. A kind of capsule as a retreat with integrated curved screen, speakers, ventilation with scent function and heating. With the prototype they could inspire the first customers for themselves. Whether as a show case for companies, to promote the mental health of employees or as a treatment for various diseases. LifeDrop convinced the investors and the next milestone is the go-live at the end of 2020.

The digital marketing mastermind from Graubünden

Robin Mark, the founder of the Rob Nicolas GmbH agency, is no stranger to the bunch. Robin Mark founded his agency over nine years ago, which enjoys expert status in the field of digital marketing. On average, everyone looks at their smartphone 150 times a day. The question is not whether companies should rely on digital marketing, but how they should do it. Today, content that is transparent is the order of the day. Companies should also focus on new advertising channels, especially social commerce, which is currently growing strongly. In fact, the e-commerce market in Switzerland was 10.3 billion francs last year. The situation with Corona is another reason to focus on digital marketing.

Source and further information: IfJ Institute for Young Enterprises

(Simon May in a panel interview with Pius Truffer)

In the current crisis and market upheaval situation, many things are possible in relation to the development of the markets of numerous companies that seemed impossible before the Corona crisis. As a result, business leaders have almost no valid data on which to base their strategy development and strategic decision-making. This makes their work more difficult. Added to this: Their insecure employees expect them to provide support and orientation, especially in crisis situations. This, too, must be taken into account when working on strategy. Here are some tips on how you should act as a corporate and people leader when developing strategy in a decision-making situation as diffuse as the current one.

Tip 1: Be aware of your function in the crisis and market upheaval situation.

In the current situation, the top decision-makers in companies must set the course for success in their organizations - in other words, they must make the necessary strategic decisions. At the same time, as leaders, they must offer support and orientation to unsettled employees. This also includes telling them "This is the way to go (for now)" and radiating confidence: "We'll make it if ..." Be aware of this dual function. Before public appearances and announcements, reflect on what this means for your behavior.

Tip 2: Develop scenarios and a roadmap for yourself as to how things could proceed.

Because of your leadership function, before you call an official strategy meeting, for example, make yourself aware, alone or among your closest colleagues, of how your company's market could develop in the medium and long term. Also consider the best and worst case scenarios. Derive possible scenarios from this. Reflect on what these mean for your company and what opportunities and risks as well as challenges and tasks arise from this so that you yourself have the necessary initial orientation.

Tip 3: Have strategy development workshops moderated by neutral experts if necessary.

In an environment as diffuse and characterized by rapid change as the current one, decisions in which many influencing factors have to be taken into account cannot usually be made by consensus, because: Due to their biography and function in your organization, the participants in workshops, for example, assess the actual situation, the risks and opportunities, and thus also possible courses of action differently. Conflicts are therefore inevitable. The risk of getting lost in endless what-if discussions is correspondingly high. Therefore, consider whether a neutral moderator should moderate the process for strategy development or a workshop on it - especially if tough decisions are also on the agenda.

Tip 4: In meetings, make participants aware of the complexity of the decision-making situation.

For example, before a strategy workshop with the executives in your company, illustrate to the participants with some examples,

• how complex the current decision situation is and
• that they must rely largely on assumptions when developing strategy.

Describe the worst case vividly - not to frighten the participants, but to show them how large the "scope of possibilities" is at the moment. Convey to them that, given the current situation, the strategy adopted can only be a provisional one that will be regularly reviewed and modified if necessary.

Tip 5: Present realistic scenarios to your colleagues and let them debate them.

As the leader of your organization, then present the most realistic scenarios from your point of view, together with the assumptions on which they are based, and outline the need for action that results from this. Then present these scenarios for discussion and, if they do not seem plausible to you, give your colleagues the opportunity to come up with alternative scenarios and strategies.

Tip 6:Agree on one or two realistic scenarios and have them worked out.

If possible, agree on the most realistic scenarios. Try to create a basis for decision-making that is as objective as possible - for example, by asking each other questions:

• What are the arguments for or against the scenarios?
• On what assumptions and preconditions is the potential success of the various strategic options and courses of action based? And:
• What investments require their realization?

Be aware: Even the most seemingly objective basis for decision-making is based on assumptions. Have the most realistic scenarios worked out (possibly in working groups) and derive possible action plans from this.

Tip 7: Actively assume your leadership role in the decision-making process.

Since strategic decisions often cannot be made by consensus in a diffuse environment, when the need arises, at some point one person has to say "This is how we do it..." or "This is the direction we are marching in, even if it involves risks A, B and C". This is not only your task as a company leader, your employees also expect you to take the helm and set the course in crisis and conflict situations.

Tip 8: Make strategic decisions calmly and not hastily.

However, because all eyes are on you, don't put yourself under too much pressure to make a decision. Instead, thank the participants for their support toward the end of the strategy meeting, for example, and then say, "I'll let you know my decision by the middle of next week," because: When it comes to post-crisis strategic decisions, there is usually no need for an immediate decision. The situation was different immediately after the lockdown, when the company's liquidity often had to be secured: In this acute situation, many decisions had to be made overnight. In the case of medium- and long-term strategic decisions, however, it is usually more expedient to wait a few days before making the final decision, because: Postponing opens up the opportunity for you and your colleagues to discuss the implications of the decision once again with people who have a different view of the subject matter of the decision, and thus to discover any (collective) "blind spots" in their opinion-forming and decision-making process.

Tip 9: Question your gut feeling again before making the preliminary final decision.

Postponing the decision also allows you and your colleagues to reflect again on why you prefer certain decisions. This is especially important in market upheaval situations. Ask yourself, for example: What motives, hopes cause me to make my preference? What are the underlying beliefs that may no longer be relevant? Decision-makers are often not aware of this when things get heated in a workshop, for example. However, with a little distance in time, this becomes clear to them. This often causes them to put their clear yes or no to certain options into perspective. This is why decisions can often be made more readily by consensus with a little time distance - which is important for their viability and implementation.

Tip 10: Review decisions regularly; don't hold on to bad decisions.

After you have made your decision, remind yourself as a team of the assumptions on which your decisions are based - for example, about how your market will develop. Then arrange appointments in which you can jointly review the extent to which

• your assumptions were correct and
• the measures you have initiated are purposeful.

This also makes it easier for the competitors who preferred other solutions to come to terms with the decisions, because they know: If they turn out to be wrong, they are either thrown overboard or readjusted.

To the author:
Dr. Georg Kraus is managing partner of the management consultancy Dr. Kraus & Partner, Bruchsal (www.kraus-und-partner.de). He is among lecturers at the University of Karlsruhe, the IAE in Aix-en-provence, the St. Gallen Business School and the Technical University of Clausthal.

Because the planning security for events with more than 1000 people is still missing, ZT Fachmessen AG has decided to cancel its construction fairs Bauen & Modernisieren in Zurich and Bauen+Wohnen in Lucerne, which will take place in September. Owners André and Marco Biland have already informed their exhibitors and they will not be charged. "Trade fairs need a long lead time and clear planning. It was a difficult decision, but under these circumstances it is impossible to think of a successful realization of our fairs in September," the fair organizers justify. "It is important that the state government next makes a distinction between major events and trade fairs ", they think. Trade fairs are an integral part of the economic system, which can be well organized with visitor registration and appropriate hygiene measures. A whole sector with hundreds of companies is at the starting line and wants to be able to resume its work. ZT Fachmessen believes that it will be able to restart its trade fairs at the end of the year.

Source and further information: ZT Fachmessen AG | www.fachmessen.ch

Changes always offer new opportunities. Successful companies in particular stand out from others in this respect because of their innovative strength. In the current crisis, it will be difficult for most to innovate, but it is not impossible, as the example at the end of the article shows. In any case, the 5 success factors that can be used even in the crisis still apply:

1) Strong customer focus

Almost all companies currently have challenges that are difficult to overcome. While you are busy reducing costs and optimizing cash flow, don't forget your customers and suppliers! The exchange with the groups that make up the economic success of your company is also important in the time of crisis. Even if you are currently unable to provide the services to which you are accustomed, it makes sense to talk about this with those affected. Who knows what insights and opportunities will emerge?

2) Qualified employees

Working productively despite a no-contact policy is not always possible at the moment. But home office solutions work quite well in many areas. This is an opportunity for decision-makers to try out a new working method and learn from it. Especially now, it is important to be able to hand over responsibility to employees, because decision-makers cannot solve all the sudden changes in everyday business quickly and at short notice. Decision-makers should concentrate on getting the business through the crisis and on handing over less important decisions.

3) High energy

The greatest danger in motivating employees is the uncertainty that the crisis brings. What is needed now are quick successes. Subtasks and projects with a short duration will help to focus the team and, in the case of a positive result, trigger pride. Celebrate and praise even small successes especially now.

4) Leadership with emotion

It's leadership's job to alleviate concerns during the crisis and keep the workforce focused on what matters now. Communicate regularly and positively, and paint the post-crisis picture of having successfully overcome the challenges. Move forward decisively yet prudently. No one says that leading is easy.

5) Cooperations & Alliances

Now is not a good time to discuss collaborations or forge new alliances? Even if funding on certain topics is currently unclear, continue ongoing discussions. I would even explicitly call on you to start new ones. What is impossible in normal times may become feasible in a crisis. New circumstances generate new perspectives and ideas. Who knows how you can also support each other as a company in cooperation if you have not talked about it?

Opportunities are always and everywhere

Sometimes even where you least suspect them. Don't let the crisis discourage you. And very important: radiate this security to the outside world. Think about what you want to do with the lemons that fate has given you: Swallow the sour juice, with a distorted expression, or better make lemonade out of it? By the way, the Bionade brand was born out of an almost insolvent brewery that broke all the rules with a radical idea born out of necessity. Not only did they process hitherto hardly used fruits such as lychee or elderberry, they also filled them in beer bottles and didn't invest a penny in advertising. Instead, they relied on a strong brand and word-of-mouth.

To the author:
Stephan Jansen is managing partner of the M&A and PMI consultancy Beyond the Deal (BTD) GmbH, based in Bad Homburg (Germany). The consulting firm primarily supports medium-sized companies in the purchase and sale of companies as well as in the regulation of company succession and handover. www.beyondthedeal.de

This year's Annual General Meeting of WIR Bank Cooperative will go down in history, as it took place - on the basis of the
Regulation - in writing (Art. 6a COVID-19 Regulation).

All transactions approved

As already announced in mid-February, WIR Bank was able to increase its lending volume, customer deposits and profit in the past fiscal year 2019. At the written general meeting, the cooperative members approved the management report and the annual financial statements, which show a profit of 14.2 million Swiss francs. The Board of Directors and the Executive Board were discharged by a large majority.

The Annual General Meeting also approved the profit distribution and dividend proposed by the Board of Directors: The distribution of 10.25 Swiss francs per ordinary share will take the form of an optional dividend ("dividend with reinvestment" or cash dividend) and - based on the year-end share price of 2019 - corresponds to a yield of 2.8 percent. In the case of the payout variant with reinvestment, the capital contributors receive one new ordinary share for every 348.50 francs of dividend (current share price: 387 francs). If the ordinary shares are held as private assets, the distribution is tax-free.

Especially in the turbulent Corona times, it became clear how important small and medium-sized enterprises were for Switzerland and its economy, explains bank CEO Bruno Stiegeler. "Suddenly, many companies had to rely more on local and regional suppliers again. Fortunately, our SMEs were able to fill these gaps quickly and flexibly. I hope that this return to domestic trade will continue in the longer term and that we will be able to operate more independently of foreign countries in the future."

WIR Bank launches new platform for foreign exchange trading

And it is precisely for SMEs that WIR Bank wants to offer further added value: In cooperation with the Swiss fintech company AMNIS Treasury Service AG, it has launched an online platform on which SMEs can settle foreign exchange transactions professionally and easily - and purely digitally. Foreign exchange can be traded online - spot or forward - around the clock. "What is particularly interesting with us is that the foreign exchange margin that is applied is not dependent on the transaction amount," explains Matthias Pfeifer, Head of Private and Corporate Clients at WIR Bank, "even with small transactions, our customers trade at rates that are only applied with other providers for transactions of 250,000 francs or more." FX Trading" also provides customers with flexible hedging options: In the case of forward transactions, both partial withdrawals can be made and the value date can be subsequently adjusted with just a few clicks. "A tool developed by foreign exchange professionals for SMEs," says Pfeifer. Together with AMNIS, WIR Bank says it wants to declare war on the opportunistic pricing policies common in the industry and offer SMEs access to the foreign exchange market with transparent and fair conditions. This fits in with the conviction that the WIR system, one of the bank's mainstays, is a kind of "line of defense against large domestic and foreign corporations," as the bank goes on to explain. Young entrepreneurs in particular are increasingly interested in sustainable, purely Swiss solutions for SME promotion, it adds. "WIR is valuable for SMEs - and that is precisely why we are sticking to our complementary currency," is the clear statement of Chairman of the Board Karin Zahnd Cadoux and CEO Bruno Stiegeler.

Source and further information