KEY POINTS:
International speaker W. Mitchell says "It's not what happens to you. It's what you do about it." Mitchell, who visited New Zealand business groups last week, urged them to view this recession as "a minor bump along the long, glorious road of life".
It's hard to think of a message more apt for businesspeople currently facing challenging choices as the global recession worsens. Companies will shed staff or close down and unemployment is expected to double.
"It's not going to be a happy year," says financial adviser Liz Koh. "Not only will there be fewer jobs available, but more people may also be seeking work."
Robert Walters recruitment managing director Richard Manthel says businesses are acutely aware of where their revenue comes from and their cost structures.
There is a mood of uncertainty, but it is not one of doom and gloom.
"This time last year, companies were planning for growth in their workforce, but currently they're cautious."
While Mitchell doesn't present himself as "the American with all the answers", Manthel says he is attuned to the New Zealand psyche, as he has made a number of visits here.
"The credit crunch is here - now we've got to deal with it," Manthel says. "Mitchell's message to businesspeople is about what really matters in life from someone who has experienced greater hardships than ourselves," he adds.
Mitchell is the survivor of two devastating accidents who inspires others to take responsibility for the unexpected challenges that occur in business and throughout life.
Once a US marine, Mitchell suffered a blazing motorcycle accident that left him with disfiguring burns over 65 per cent of his body.
Determined to keep control, cope with the changes and prosper, he founded a US$65 million ($127 million) company, Vermont Castings.
This wood stove company put thousands of people to work, and became one of the largest firms in the region.
But a paralysing plane crash four years later sentenced Mitchell to life in a wheelchair.
Yet he says: "Before I was paralysed there were 10,000 things I could do. Now there are 9000. I can either dwell on the 1000 I've lost or focus on the 9000 I have left."
Mitchell understands what it takes to rebuild and reach the top.
His life reflects his philosophy - that most limitations are self-imposed.
He became a two-term mayor, a congressional nominee, a respected environmentalist who frequently testified before Congress and an author and international speaker.
Asked what first name his initial W stands for, Mitchell replies, "Wonderful".
