This year has been more about questions than answers. Many of us are still not over the impact of the pandemic. While there are challenges ahead, I took this time to pen down the lessons from the pandemic.
I’m sure the lessons I picked up this year will continue to evolve and give me new perspectives.
Undo your mental barriers
Mindset plays a huge role in determining your reaction to a situation. It is the path to reflection and revival. Once we tackle our mindsets then it is easier to coordinate with our thoughts. Just like how a boat cannot move in the right direction without an oar.
Our artisans showed us how to sort things out when one is anxious. They devoted their entire time to weaving and creating art. Such is the power of art that it ignites you from within. Their positivity and innocence gave me hope and strength to rebuild ourselves this year.
Emphasis on the purpose
During an uncertain time to look into your foundational element- purpose makes sense. Reflecting on our old methods and re-emphasizing on its end result will help us figure out what needs to be done to move further ahead. Aishwarya from our research team is a classic example of aligning one’s purpose with that of the organization’s.
Her mode of work demanded her to be in the workplace during the lockdown. Since it is all linked to design and running such heavy software at home would slow down the entire cycle. Instead of backing out she coordinated with various teams and made sure there’s no backlogs in the execution of new product developments.
Be mobile and agile
To work from anywhere with ease and to be agile is what matters now. This is the only solution to empower the workforce and expand the business. We need to reinvent and restructure according to the situation. Adapting and accepting change is how we need to move forward. The ability to access what you need and when you need is necessary.
Unleash and empower creative freedom
Give employees a space to explore their creativity. The pandemic has made all of us a little mindful of our ways. It has also pushed us to listen to our intuitions.
Therefore we need to shed our layers and draw raw emotions from within which will lead to contributing effortlessly to the tasks at hand. Vulnerability is the path to transformation.
Innovation is a must
After years of running around, our engine suddenly paused. During this pause, innovation became our global life saviour. Then be it managing the entire workforce remotely, or creating record breaking sales amidst a Pandemic, innovation led the way.
Authenticity is the key
Pandemic taught us that the consumers will trust you, if you would be authentic to yourself, and your values.
The power of Trust
Trust is the rope that held everything together. The pandemic made me understand the importance of emphasizing on the value of trust. If not for trust then Jaipur Rugs wouldn’t have remained intact post pandemic which reminds me of my tech team who worked late nights, meddled with sleep cycles even only to deliver the work on or rather before time.
Their emphasis on the virtues like empathy, trust, transparency and integrity have built beyond par which resulted in completing an year’s task in just a matter of four months. The tech team opened up a whole new set of dimensions in the field of trust in work culture.
Refocus on resilience
Instead of focusing on bouncing back, we need to focus on accepting the change and learning about it. As leaders, we need to refocus on resilience.
Be mindful
Our mind is like a memory card full of folders. It has stored the emails, the calls, the discussions, the arguments, the ideas, and the solutions in it. Everything is piled up without any spacing. We were so mindless of our actions and going with the flow like a dead fish. Times like these are best to introspect and unlearn.
Untying the strings of management
The lockdown brought us to understand that not all travels were necessary after all. Remote work is possible with trust. I believe companies need to promote self-management. It is the best way to remain productive during remote times.
Sustainability and consumption
Businesses were driven by the creation and unnecessary consumption. We were not fulfilling our needs instead we were caught up in the race of greed and consumption. The pandemic made us understand that we need to pause and reflect on our ways.
Production
Humans became less robotic during pandemic and focused on what was required at hand. This increased efficiency, and eventually quality and quantity improved.
Human Resource
Pandemic and remote work made us realise that we have an ocean of talents to choose from. Hire purpose-driven individuals who are aligned to your organisation and Pandemic paved the way to make it easier.
Take this time as a means to change and improve how we run our businesses. By encouraging flexibility and agility businesses can weather any storm from the beginning. The pandemic might be a catalyst for positive change.
One thing that should not change, however, is your focus on creating a business culture that is built on trust.
Remember, a leader is like a lighthouse that guides an organization to find the way back in the storm.
Read more on the same here – Twenty lessons I learned from the pandemic
