Well, we officially made it to the 2nd quarter. But, I think it’s safe to say that at the start of the year none of us could have expected it to look like this. Chances are good that you’re reading this from home instead of the office as social distancing continues. It’s also pretty safe to say that every leader, business owner, and manager have been impacted by this pandemic. It’s something that falls outside of most crisis and disaster management plans.
Some businesses are seeing incredible growth that they’re struggling to keep up with under new guidelines. Others have seen business and growth come to a screeching halt. There are struggles on both sides. It’s easy to think about just hitting the pause on business since so much of the world has hit pause. It would certainly be easier in the moment to just binge on Netflix. But, that’s not what leaders do.
Leaders learn how to operate within the circumstance.
It might not be something that you anticipated or planned for. It might not be something you would choose for your business, but it’s where we are. And, this leaves you with two choices as a leader. Call it quits or buckle down and pivot.
Your 2020 plans and 2nd quarter plans might have been completely turned upside down. That’s OK, don’t dwell on it. Remember, everyone has been impacted. All that means is that it’s time to create a new plan. SPEARity isn’t about getting it all perfect all the time. It is about setting goals, tracking progress, and making the necessary adjustments along the way to realign.
It’s not time to panic. It’s time to re-align.
How to operate within the circumstance
As SPEARity CEO, Darren Fisher, says, “Those who plan are better able to take advantage of opportunity.” If you’ve been sitting back, slightly stunned, for the past few weeks, it’s time to create a new plan. Here’s what you can do:
1. Know where you are
I remember years ago in elementary school they gave us a basic first-aid training of what to do in an emergency. The first step was to “assess the situation”. If you run in trying to help without really looking at what’s happening, you could endanger yourself or make the situation worse. It’s no different right now.
The world and economy are in a state of crisis so the first thing you need to do is assess the situation within your business. You need to get your bearings. This allows you to see where the urgent needs are. What areas need to be addressed first.
2. Deal with fear and panic
Knowing how you handle fear and panic is key. We don’t all deal with it the same way. Some of us need a few minutes to just freak out. We need to be in all the feelings for a bit to really be able to move on. Others of us need to just breathe for a minute. You may need to journal. Or, you may have a person in your life that you can just unload your fears and worries on.
It’s not important that you do it a certain way. It’s just important that you handle your fear and panic. If you don’t, it’s going to run the show in your life and business. And, I can promise you that the best decisions and plans are not made from a place of fear and panic.
So, do what you need to in order to get it out and regain control. Then, move on to the next step.
3. What’s the best action you can take right now?
Now that you’ve assessed your situation and dealt with your fear, you’re in a position to take action. It’s easy to become paralyzed with fear of making any decisions right now or taking any action. But, as it’s said, the wrong action is better than no action.
There are leaders that are adjusting throughout this pandemic so their business can be in a position to come out on top when life returns to “normal”. They are leaders that are taking action.
You might not be able to do everything that you want to at this moment, but there’s something that you can be doing right now. What is it?
- Can you add a virtual aspect to your business so you can keep operating?
- Is there product development that you’ve wanted to do but haven’t had the time for?
- Could your team use training and development in different areas? Just because you can’t be together in person doesn’t mean you can’t continue meeting virtually.
- What can you do to assist your customers through this time?
- Is it time to rebrand your business so you can come out with a stronger message?
Choose what you think the best action is to take, then take it. You can always continue to adjust if you need to as you move forward.
And, if you need help with the pivoting process, our SPEARity coaches are here for you. If you’re already a member, reach out to your coach. If you don’t currently work with SPEARity, check out our Panic to Pivot offer of a 30-minute free coaching call. It will help get you started on the right path. This could be the best action you could take today for your business.
