According to the Grant Thornton Survey of Middle-Market Business Leaders one-third of executives rank taking new and creative steps to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness and taking advantage of available opportunities without hesitation as the most important as companies prepare for better times.

Rounding out the list, 21 percent feel it is more important to properly allocate resources by deselection — focusing o­n the initiatives with the greatest potential for success — and 13 percent say pursuing joint ventures, strategic alliances, and mergers and acquisitions will support them.