I have lived through times of great personal uncertainty– fighting cancer–and collective uncertainty due to economic busts, but they are different from the pandemic which we now face. This is a perfect storm impacting our health, our pocket books, and our very way of life. As leaders of our families, our communities, and our businesses, how do we face this crisis? What do we do now?
Just like you, I am figuring it out as I go. But I realize that the filter I use to screen information has been my life line. I am focusing on things I can control, influence or improve. When this pandemic is over, I don’t want to have regrets. My goal is to be productive and positive.
- On a personal level, with stores out of goods and stay at home orders in place, I am trying to be self-reliant. I downloaded recipes to make my own hand sanitizer (just aloe gel and rubbing alcohol). I am also challenging whether I need things I used to think essential–like hair coloring products. Eek!
- For my family, I want to keep them safe in part by not being around them. This is the hardest thing for me. I want nothing more than to love on them. I am convinced that staying at home is in everyone’s best interest. I may visit my “second home”, my horse trailer, but I am avoiding public places as much as possible.
- For my community, we are respectful of buying only what we need and not in anticipation, believing the system will essentially work, not perfectly, but adequately.
- For my business, there are a number of issues. My business is probably the hardest for me as it is for you. Now is the time to get creative about what we do and how we serve.
People first. I don’t have a large staff but of course we are working remotely. Communication has never been more essential. One great idea I heard from a client is the provision of tutoring support to parents trying to home school while being productive working remotely.
As for business revenue, I have been marketing custom speaking events which are now on indefinite hold. Even when the threat is over, the feelings will live on and it may take a while for people to want to engage in group sessions. We will all need to rethink our revenue streams and determine how to manage productivity for the near future. Hotels may become makeshift hospitals, auto makers may start producing respirators, cruise ships may become mobile hospitals, manufacturers may convert to mask production, etc. If you aren’t an “essential business”, what capabilities do you have to remake yourself in the next few weeks or months?
We can do this!
Ask yourself how your organization can cater to current needs, fairly priced, to ensure that there is work flowing now. And ask yourself the tough questions that will position your business for the future. In a matter of months this will be behind us. Our goal is to be sure there is still a business, that we haven’t harmed it with the decisions we made, so we can recover quickly. Yes, most of us will see lower returns in the next two quarters—but we will get through this together.
Since I have canceled six trips for the month of April, I will be in my office with time for YOU! If I can help you brainstorm your current choices or circumstances to make your business better—through the crisis or to help you get rebooted quickly as the crisis resolves, please reach out and just ask. Call me anytime at 816-622-8843 or email me. I would love to help! Godspeed.