- How many times did you surprise yourself in 2020?
How many times did you do something you
had said it was not possible, or you would never do,
but then it was, and you did?
I started cooking regularly for my kids,
and even quite enjoyed it,
which was what really surprised me.
There are a few lines in the sand
that really can't be redrawn, or shifted a little.
There are a few absolutes that don't offer any wiggle room.
But pivots, dramatic changes in direction or schedule,
not your thing, perhaps.
But yet, you likely had to do a few, at least, in 2020.
Crisis conditions made a shift into emergency gear,
which gave us different capacities for change,
an ability to be flexible in ways
we aren't normally comfortable.
Remember what you were able to accomplish?
We were so used to doing things a certain way,
but once thrown out of our working trenches,
wasn't it easier to take a new perspective
and rethink things?
This type of flexible thinking is necessary going forward,
as we all have to accept ongoing uncertainty,
which has less to do with lingering pandemic conditions
and much more to do with business being highly digitized
and market developments faster paced.
As our companies and competitors integrate new technologies,
we are all tweaking our business models, products,
and services, and our customers
are modifying their behaviors in turn.
We have to keep on our toes to respond.
How do we keep engaged with that flexible mindset?
A first step is to question the obvious answer or option
because that might be harking back to whatever normal was,
which might not be relevant or appropriate at all.
More importantly, you have now seen
that there are many more viable options
and alternatives to explore.
While we are going through this period of reflection
and circumstances are evolving,
engage your curiosity and ensure
that you and your team
are considering many what if scenarios,
asking more questions,
evaluating more possibilities,
and treading lightly with any conclusion
rather than being definitive.
This makes it easier to keep an open attitude
and retain a student mindset.
Recognizing that there's more to learn.
You might not have all the data.
There are likely other options to consider,
and conditions might evolve before you decide
on the next best step forward.
It might feel tiring at times.
That being open can feel as though nothing is certain,
or there are too many choices.
But you build resilience when you reframe the situation
and choose a positive perspective.
You are on solid ground.
You are looking ahead at new opportunities.
Yes, there is more to learn, data to gather,
and discussion to have in order to inform the decisions
and evaluate the paths you take.
In these dynamic times, it is critical
to be working flexibly with others,
to explore and figure out the right way forward.