Being Resilient and Relevant in the face of Covid -19

When the news of Covid-19 broke, organisations both large and small began considering the impact of the virus on their business – be it product launches, supply chains, employee well-being, productivity or business continuity. However, some businesses failed to consider the importance of resilience. 

Truth be told, resilience is what can make or break you and especially now when we’re dealing with a tsunami of change. Those that have the ability to bounce back and continue to drive forward in the face of adversity will be the ones that succeed in the long run – be it individuals or businesses. 

Over the years, some of us have mastered the art of resilience – by showing grit, mental toughness and sustained efforts even in the face of overwhelming odds. Businesses too must show resilience to adapt to the changing environment, overcome challenges and take adversity in stride. A business that is resilient can respond quickly to disruptions caused by the pandemic, safeguard its people and assets, while maintaining continuous business operations, even in today’s uncertain world.

So, what should companies do to become resilient? The key to resilience lies in flexibility and planning. It is important for businesses to determine how much they can bend before they break. Business resilience planning identifies the essential functions, resources and people that are critical, even in times of distress. Effective business resilience planning will determine the acceptable minimum level of operations to ensure business continuity. 

To be resilient it is also critical for businesses and individuals alike to remain relevant - this means keeping up with competing priorities, evolving technologies and ways of working. Some ways to stay relevant during this time are:

- Adapt services to the current situation: Social distancing may give businesses the opportunity to get creative and still deliver their products or services. Now is also a great time to expand and promote digital offerings – to attract and retain customers and connect with audiences. Businesses should take this opportunity to ask key questions – does my business make a positive impact? How can I make my business more relevant? Am I driving value or helping the wider community?

- Achieve more mastery: Professionals can use this time for self-learning and growth.  Sign up for various online courses, update LinkedIn profiles, ask for recommendations, revisit resumes, write a blog/an article or perhaps attend a few online networking events to meet peers and industry leaders.

- Stay informed and connected: Help others, explore cross-learning opportunities and help teams from different departments. Learn new perspectives and ways of thinking and working. Find inspiration and encouragement. We are all in this together so share a few stories, trade information on what’s working well (be it on a business or personal level) and build a stronger sense of camaraderie with peers. 

Additionally find the hidden opportunities in these challenging times and exploit them in a way that makes you stand out. Highlight your capacity for innovation/creativity as businesses will be looking for future talent that will enable them to find areas of growth beyond this crisis. 

I would like to share this great creative idea by a Student in France who combined the use of a mask and a company’s brand – he then posted it, Linkedin picked it up and subsequently so did creative agencies and a very well renowned French agency contacted him and hired him! 

We are re still in the depths of this crisis, but there is a silver lining – this will eventually come to an end. It’s important for us to stay positive, learn from each other and become more resilient and relevant so we can best navigate the challenges that lie ahead of us – for businesses and individuals alike.