Remember what your day to day life was like and what your business objectives were but a short time ago? In what seems to be both a blink of an eye and an era ago, our world has been fundamentally altered. And that change is not over yet.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic from a virus that didn’t exist a few months ago while protesting the racial inequalities millions have experienced for generations. Our personal and business lives have been upended by something both new and old to a degree few could have predicted when we cheered in the New Year.
At the start of lockdown there was an abundance of concern, doubt and anxiety about the uncertainties of it all. Other emotions such as frustration, fear and anger developed as the reality of the pandemic impacts became clear and social and racial divides were exposed.
However, from a business perspective the reactive, alarmed and fixated state of mind we instinctively leap to when confronted with dramatic change is not the state of mind that will help you develop the constructive means to overcome that change in the long term. With the initial “shockdown” subsiding in many parts of the world, now is the time to actively shift toward a mindset of revival and growth.
This is obviously easier said than done, but in a world where a simple step of keeping two metres apart can make a significant difference, those businesses that are prepared to take comparable small steps will be the ones most likely to remain healthy.
At BetterNormal, the three impactful steps we recommend are: Regroup, Reframe and Reboot.
Regroup
Before getting back to business in earnest once more make sure you and your team are prepared mentally and emotionally to do so successfully. While the pressure may be to generate revenue again, remember that it’s not possible or meaningful without people, so start there. And remember you are a person too!
Acknowledge and share the change and the upheaval you have collectively experienced over the past couple of months and identify those actions, tools and approaches that have actually improved the way you work.
Consider your partners and customers too. This pandemic is global and is ongoing. Everybody you rely on to make your business successful will have been impacted in some way. Don’t assume they are all ready and waiting to make your business a success again the way they once did. Reconnect with them and find out how they are and what their needs, concerns and ambitions are now.
Reframe
Next, take a moment to clarify why you have a business in the first place. In short, be clear what your personal and your business purpose is.
Before COVID-19 forced us to slow down, many of us were so busy being busy that we may have drifted away from what the business had originally set out to do. Most organisations had become engrossed in hitting annual targets, and numbers became the sole measure of success. Vision and Purpose statements were communicated, but few were truly and honestly used as the means against which progress was tracked.
Obviously, business finances need to be considered, but now is a perfect time to reflect on your purpose and to note how you frame what accomplishment and happiness looks and feels like. Aim for that, not a fabricated profit number that only really makes a very small percentage of business stakeholders happy. What’s more, in doing so, you will likely have a better chance in hitting that number too.
With a clear purpose defined, reframe your personal and business objectives, the actions that will help you achieve them and the metrics you will use to deliver your true purpose.
Reboot
It takes commitment and courage to overcome disruption but defining what is important to you, building on your strengths and honestly recognising your challenges will dramatically increase your chances of success. However, thinking and planning will not get you there without action.
This of course is probably the hardest step to take. Start small if needs be, but start. Set bite-sized milestones and move towards them, tracking progress at short and regular intervals and adjusting accordingly. Basically, adopt an agile approach to growth.
The change may be great, taking you in a completely new direction or small, with only minor adaptations to how you used to operate. Either way, the key is to acknowledge you are venturing into unfamiliar territory. Missteps will be made, detours are likely and temporarily getting lost is to be expected. While it may not be easy, it is vital to remember that sticking to your old path is far riskier than attempting to forge a new one.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you leverage and manage change in a positive way, please get in touch.