The pandemic caused a host of ‘headwinds’, making it difficult to launch and grow companies and businesses. These political, economic, social, technological legal and environmental (PESTLE) micro- and macro- trends have affected us all at many levels.
I don’t seek to understand, manage or dissect these macro- and micro- trends, but I would like to provide tips for leaders and organizations looking to persevere through these unprecedented times.
Be open-minded with your thinking, open-hearted with your approach, and calm and efficient with your execution.
Adapt quickly as technology and communication continue to speed up and expand, and leadership will have to be more flexible and agile to keep up.
Leverage the convergence of technologies, industries and ideas through coordination, communication and collaboration.
Understand and embrace new realities, focusing on only impacting and shifting what you can influence and change.
Embrace diverse perspectives, engagements and participation, as they are the foundation for innovation, productivity and problem-solving.
No matter where you sit at the table, make a difference for those you touch, in alignment with the mission, vision and values of your organization.
Build an ecosystem of partners in order to strategically plan for an uncertain future.
Develop deep and broad relationships based on mutual respect and trust.
Use data as a dashboard to analyze the challenges and opportunities of the past and today, while making projections for and planning for the future.
Don’t just look at the past to predict the future. Use scenario planning so you can be prepared, nimble and agile when the winds unexpectedly shift into a future you can’t imagine.
Nobody could have predicted the events of the past three years. But we can all learn to better navigate headwinds, and invite the tailwinds as we breeze into the new reality of what’s next.