Well, here we are, weeks into the pandemic and still in much of the same situation. There is still plenty we don’t know; more questions than answers.
Fortunately, data is helping us make sense of the future and solutions and new approaches are starting to emerge as really smart people work hard to bring further clarity and chart a course.
Organizations, too, have made it through the initial period of shock and are starting to move forward. Even though the future is unclear and no one knows how long things will be in limbo, leaders are taking action, formulating plans and gathering their resources. They recognize that they can’t just freeze and let their organizations become stagnant.
The challenge is how to move forward when the future is so uncertain, you can't even see it. For now, I suggest making decisions based on your organizational values–what's important to your organization and the principles that guide your culture.
In short, let your values be your North Star.
Chances are that your strategy already reflects your organization's values. In fact, organizations rarely adopt strategies that are incongruent with their values.
So relax! This approach ensures that your organization will keep moving in the right direction near term. And, perhaps most importantly, the actions you take during this time will feel especially rewarding and authentic simply because they'll be so strongly aligned with what's most meaningful to you.
Here’s how we’re letting our organizational values guide our strategy for 2020 at Quinn Strategy Group:
Cultivate Relationships. Relationships are the foundation of my business. I love meeting and working with people. I’m interested in their businesses and care about their interests. For the past month, I’ve been nurturing and supporting those relationships. I think about this as wrapping a warm blanket around people. I’ve been an ear, a resource, an advisor and a friend to the people I work with. I’m not going to stop investing in these relationships right now.
Act with Integrity. Right now there’s a real need for leaders to act with integrity. There's so much uncertainty that people can lose trust and faith easily. But I know if I continue to act with integrity, the trust my clients and partners already have in my work, actions and decisions will only grow deeper. They will have even more proof that they can count on me to do the right thing for the right reasons, regardless of the circumstances.
Embrace Curiosity. I love learning new information and exploring different perspectives. Through this process, I become better informed, challenge my beliefs, gain new understanding and expand my empathy. Our world is complex, global and diverse. I want to make sure that I continue to engage to be a better citizen, consultant, neighbor and parent. Of course, I’m not suggesting that YOU spend this time being curious about the same things that matter to me. But whatever it is that peaks your interest, 2020 may just be the ideal year to really dive into it.
