The new normal is anything but. In spite of recent positive news, the economy is still brittle. Distributors have little flexibility to manage growth over the next six to 12 months – tighter credit, weaker asset positions, sluggish cash flow, fewer people/less talent. To get back on the offensive, companies have to re-evaluate and redefine how they operate across nearly every aspect of the operation. In many cases they have to change longstanding processes to adapt to these new market conditions.