Raising the Dead

Before you begin the turnaround process, stop and consider what you want to accomplish. Sure, you want to increase revenue, but how will you do it-by streamlining systems or operations, targeting a specific clientele, introducing a new product or service, or eliminating an old one? How about improving service? Your business may require a combination of those things. If you're serious about turning your company around, it's critical to ask these questions of your staff, too. You'll likely get valuable input from employees, who can help you create a written guide of the turnaround's objectives.

This article was originally published in the February 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Raising the Dead.