It Won’t Be “Business As Usual”

It’s time to change your business thinking – NOW.

In these few short weeks, your life has changed dramatically:

· Your virtual interactions have drastically increased and face-to-face interaction is almost nonexistent

· You’re spending more time with family than you ever anticipated, and your youngsters can’t understand why you’re not playing with them

· You’ve become your own entertainment coordinator, favoriting films and shows, and coming up with new games and those you can play online with family and friends

· You may be eating differently, perhaps healthier, since there are no treats and sweets that colleagues bring to share at the office

· You or someone close may be scared s***less that job hunting is in your future

· You might be wondering how you, or other people, would cope with high bills should there be a medical emergency

· And so on.

We don’t know for sure what life will be like when this is all over. One thing I can virtually (ha!) predict is that life will not completely return to the path we were on before this crisis kicked us in the butt.

More than ever, Marc Benioff’s quote “Companies are like sharks – if they stop moving, they die” is relevant. We are in an alternative universe. If you own a business or lead a team, it’s time to get moving and think differently about the future. NOW.

What’s going to change?

Just about everything. We already know, for example, that:

· We will connect, communicate, and present virtually way more than prior to Covid19

· There will be more of a “we’re in this together” mindset

· We’ll be more empathetic towards our workplace colleagues and there will be more authenticity and connection, having been more aware of what our community neighbors are going through

· There will be a more minimalist approach to consuming, brought on by a period of austerity…

· …Although some will continue to shop almost 100% online, in pre-Covid19 quantities

The implications for your business

Have you thought of the implications of these kinds of changes on your business?

· What will be the impact on your business model?

· What will you do differently?

· Where will your competitors take the lead, and how quickly?

Do this NOW

NOW is the time to get creative. To start thinking about what your organization or team could do differently or better. To dream about what you really want to achieve, if there were no impediments. To finally recognize what’s complete crap and you just needed an opportunity like this to get rid of it.

Just because you’re working at home is no excuse to put creativity on hold. This is the time to get those creative juices fired up, brainstorm with your team (yes, virtually), and intentionally plan for a better future, whatever the outcome of current circumstances.

Choose a problem to solve or an ideal outcome. Start working on it. Involve your team in it. What the heck, involve your kids in it – they often come up with the most insightful solutions.

Need a thinking partner?

Sometimes having an objective thinking partner is the best way to hear yourself. I’m excellent at this, having been coaching executives in creative problem-solving, productivity, leadership, and communication skills for the better part of 20 years.

I usually offer these sessions as part of a package, but these are weird times. In recognition of that, I want to be respectful of your situation and help as many executives as I can. I’m offering a one-off, pay-what-you-will, 1-hour video brainstorming session until the extensive precautions have ended. You’ll also receive a recording of the call, a written summary of key points, and my recommendations.

Contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com to arrange a time for your 1-1 brainstorming session.

Light Bulb Thinking™

With the right support, any organization, team, and individual can learn creative ways to solve problems. At The Potential Center™, our mission is to simplify the creative problem-solving and innovation process so you can address urgent, pervasive and expensive problems. All while building better working teams.

Light Bulb Thinking™ demystifies and systematizes the creative problem-solving and innovation processes to open the door to fresh ideas and creative strategic solutions.

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…And help colleagues and friends that would also appreciate a creative perspective on solving problems – forward this post :).

I’d be happy to have a conversation if you’d like to further explore a particular concept, or if you’re stuck on how to make the shift towards more creative problem-solving in your organization. Contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com and we’ll arrange a time to talk.