Building Resilience & Capability in disruptive times!

Using Adaptive Thinking and Workforce development to build resilience and capability.

Within a crisis often comes new opportunities, and with the effective use of technology (platforms like Zoom, Webex and Skype) the capacity to engage with some of the world’s most influential “thought leaders” in the areas of business continuity planning and building business resilience has never been greater. Today I share some perspectives and offer you encouragement to seize the moment and to take action!

Building resilience and capability!

In the post 9-11 world, we saw organisations focus on cyber security, risk management and Business Continuity. In the post-pandemic world, organisations will complement their Business Continuity activities with an additional emphasis on Business Resilience. This distinction may seem a subtle point of difference, but it is actually a substantial shift in thinking.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that Business Continuity alone is not enough. To survive, organisations need to become "Resilient”. Business Resilience seeks to also answer the more strategic question: In the event of a disruption, how do we continue to to stay relevant and generate revenue?

Simply stated …

Resilience is having the capacity to Keep Going When the Going Gets tough!

Tough times often require tough decisions, and the question relating to the cost of training, investing in your staff and business development, and any potential return on investment during tough times such as those currently upon us, it is sometimes a hard one to justify.

The biggest challenge for all businesses regardless of size, and particularly small businesses (just like ours) is ensuring that both business continuity and resilience are a key strategic focus; that is how to sustain cash flow, and how to execute on your strategic objectives to ensure the business navigates it way successfully through these turbulent times. More importantly though, the bigger question needs to address how can you build organisational capability to be better prepared and be more resilient in the future?

Well, let us challenge that thought process!

If you are truly passionate and determined to improve your lot, providing career development opportunities for your employees, and growing your businesses current performance and longer-term sustainability, then maybe working with an experienced coach or mentor could provide that boost you are looking for.

With a broad range of funding and business support solutions available from both the Federal Government and their State counterparts, this very moment in time provides an unprecedented opportunity for the business savvy entrepreneur to grow their business capability, to invest in their people, and to build organisational resilience.

With many businesses closed due to social distancing requirements and other health directives, the challenge for many business owners and managers will be on how to support their staff financially, how to instill and maintain the qualities of loyalty and longevity of service into your workforce when a circle of uncertainty hangs above their heads? However, keeping them engaged and focused on career development and the learning of new skills during this period maybe a positive circuit breaker needed to reposition the business, to refocus your workforce planning priorities, and to use this time to build employee capability, the building of a more competent, capable and resilient workforce?

Get the model right with smart career pathing, talent development, and succession planning strategies (career advancement opportunities), these same people could become your greatest asset when business gets back to any semblance of normality.

The challenge for many SME’s post the Corona Virus and declining global economies is to identify how YOUR business will survive and maintain relevance, or to become an industry leader once the economy gets back to a period of normality and showing signs of recovery.

Will you have the capability to pounce, bounce back, refocus, and re-calibrate to take advantage of NEW opportunities when they arise?

With a plethora of funding support and subsidised learning programs available, the current reality is that training and business advisory services can NOW be accessed by all businesses large or small with limited financial risk to the business. This is a time to act!

This is a time to practice innovation and to use Flexible and Adaptive Thinking techniques to uncover new solutions, finding new ways to work, or the identification of new opportunities.

Flexible thinking moves you away from feeling stuck and toward thought patterns of openness and possibility, which increases your resilience and the capacity to look beyond perceived barriers.

Flexible and Adaptive thinking requires an element of Mental Agility, that is a willingness to…

• Be spontaneous.
• Adopt the attitude of a neutral observer (be open minded)
• Question and find another explanation 

Truth is, there are currently many resources available to help you innovate and explore new opportunities to “Grow your Business” during these tough and disruptive times. Do not let this opportunity slip by! If you want to come out on the other side of this pandemic in a stronger position with greater capability and resilience, do not dwell on negativity and look for reasons why not! Seize the moment... start investing in yourself, your teams and business, and look at making the remainder of 2020 and 2021 your best year ever.

For further information on this article or tips on how to improve your team or business performance … contact me on LinkedIn or on mobile +61 (0) 482 727 076.

Mark Jones

Click here for a FREE 30 Minute Building Resilience and Business Capability Consultation