Could the Corona Crisis Serve A Higher Purpose?

Is it a wake-up call to change ourselves and our lifestyles for a better, more sustainable, world?

By Sophie Wisbrun-Overakker

1. Introduction

Within the space of just a few weeks, we have all found ourselves in the midst a global pandemic. COVID-19 has spread so fast that unprecedented action has been taken by many of the world’s leaders.

Borders have been shut, travel restricted, fleets of planes grounded, schools are shut and we are quarantined in our own homes, physically isolated from our families, friends and co-workers.  

We’ve witnessed panic buying, shortages of essential supplies and hospitals being overwhelmed, we got sick ourselves or lost loved ones. Millions of people have been laid off work, furloughed or forced to take large pay cuts or unpaid leave. The stock market crashed.

The future looks uncertain. The virus has painfully revealed our societal and economic inequalities. Many people are feeling lonely, afraid, frustrated, confused, stressed and helpless. 

Yet, there are also many reasons for hope and optimism. COVID-19 has shown us that overnight transformational change is possible, making the impossible possible, against rules and regulations, across borders, cultural differences and religions. We feel united and connected because of this virus.  

I am still positive, as from this space of interconnectedness we can rediscover and refocus. Our busy lives have come to a pause to give humanity time to reflect.  We can start re-evaluating our actions and what is most important.  Our highest values and needs are changing. Compassion and empathy emerge to the surface, as we can see from all kind of heart-warming actions.   

I believe we have to come to a historical tipping point.  A time to ‘reset’ and begin a new story.  I believe now is the time to embrace a new way of seeing, being and doing that could help us to heal ourselves and our planet, and create a better life and way of living and working for us all.

A time to rediscover ourselves: Who do we want to be? Why? How can we help each other? What can we do to contribute to help create a better world?

I believe in the unique positive power of every person to create positive change.

“In the midst of every crises lies great opportunity” – Albert Einstein

Einstein was right. The virus not only makes people sick, it also brings people into their power. They see opportunities to be of service to others.  They lead by example, are caring, compassionate and collaborate with others to work Purposefully and in partnership to come up with rapid, innovative and creative solutions.

They become a force for good and use their work and businesses as a force for good too. 

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer

What if we could hold on to that feeling of solidarity, generosity, compassion, love and collaboration, instead of going back to ‘business as usual’?  

The Corona crisis has made us ‘come home’.  From that place we can create a new balance and better way of living that is much more in harmony with ourselves, nature and society.

After going through my own Purposeful journey, I believe we all NOW have a golden opportunity to step into our power to realise together the transformation to a better, more sustainable and beautiful world.  So, the Corona crisis could actually be serving a Higher Purpose.

2. My Own Purposeful Leadership Journey

As a little girl I loved playing outside in nature and emerged myself in other cultures. I had a big dream to make the world a better place. One that is fairer, kinder, more compassionate, for people and nature. I hold that vision and sense of purpose (a higher goal for the greater good) close to my heart.

That’s why I choose business as a way to make a difference and prove that this is possible.  I entered a big multinational company and had a big vision turn it around and make it more sustainable.  

My goal was to translate their Purpose into sustainable impact for people, planet and profit. I was seeing the complete picture.  I got the freedom and trust to do this next to my normal job.  At first, they didn’t understand me and I was met with a lot of resistance.

What carried me through and helped me overcome all of the daily struggles was my sense of Purpose, values and vision of a better world.  I believed there were enough people that cared, so I put all my energy into engaging those people and teams internally and externally.

Then something Big started to happen … so Big that a ripple effect emerged.  I ignited a sustainability revolution and got the entire company engaged on Purpose and sustainability.

Together with different stakeholders I developed several award winning sustainability campaigns and turned the company into the most sustainable in the country. My vision to create a better world became a win-win for people, planet and profit that resulted in:

·      huge business growth for the company

·      their highest employee engagement ever

·      more efficient operations, and

·      positive environmental and social impact.

For over 15 years I transformed companies by helping them to become more sustainable by:

1) Seeing things from a different perspective - taking a systemic, whole, integrated, holistic, interconnected view

2) Being different - being myself, learning to know myself and leading by example. Uniting and connecting everyone compassionately behind a shared Higher Purpose (inner sustainability)

3) Doing things differently – connecting, bridging and collaborating broadly across different functions and taking action together with multiple stakeholders in line with the Higher Purpose to realise positive impact (outer sustainability)

I found that Purpose is the key to resilience, success and to feel good in life, work and business. But also that continuous inner transformation and inner sustainability (being) leads to outer sustainable transformation (doing).  

My 3 children made my Purpose even more urgent.  I decided to leave my corporate job to focus on the people and companies that really wanted to transform.  I found that many people want to create sustainable transformation with their jobs, their businesses, or in society in general.  However, many people don’t know how to do this.  That’s why I set up my company: Doing Business Doing Good to empower people, teams and organisations to help create a better world.

The speed in which my network grew, the speed in which I transformed, learnt and met people has been amazing.  I’ve actually been in “quarantine” myself for years now, living abroad, often working virtually on projects from my home office.

That’s how my own Purpose evolved into: ‘inspiring and empowering people to find and fulfil their own Life Purpose and use their life, work and businesses to create a positive impact for a better, more sustainable world with respect for people and nature’.

I love seeing people from all walks of life becoming happier, healthier and leading more fulfilling lives when they find clarity on how they can uniquely contribute to creating a better world.

I always enjoy the beauty of nature too, especially now in the spring.  The colourful flowers blooming, greens sprouting and birds singing remind me of the urgency of my Purpose, so together we can all preserve, protect and restore our beautiful planet for our children and future generations.   

3. Is The COVID-19 Pandemic A Wake-Up Call For Humanity?

The rapid emergence and spread of this virus is causing great harm and suffering for many people around the world, especially for the weak and less fortunate. It is a tragedy, but it could also be the wake-up call humanity really needs – we all have to wake up and change our destructive lifestyles.

COVID-19 is just part of the bigger environmental and planetary crises that we are all facing. Humanity has not been living in harmony with nature for some time now.  The massive destruction human activity has caused to most of the Earth and life on it has rapidly accelerated the climate crisis and ecological breakdown that threatens all our lives and health.

Scientists have warned for many years that humanity’s destructive behaviour towards nature could cause deadly viruses to spread among people.  

COVID-19 is just one of many diseases that occur through the transfer of pathogens from animals to humans and our interdependence has enabled it to spread rapidly around the globe.

Actually, COVID-19 could be seen as a messenger, making it clear to everyone that humanity’s health is interdependent with nature’s health.  It’s shown us that everything and everyone is interconnected.  Without a healthy planet, we simply don’t have a healthy society and economy.

The crisis offers an enormous window of opportunity to build a new normal. It drives awareness among many that we can only prevent global pandemics from happening and solve humanity’s other crises by building a new economy and society in harmony with nature.

To do this, international collaboration is crucial.  All economic investments from now onwards should be sustainable and should restore the balance between people and nature.  This means building an economy that is sustainable, climate neutral, circular and socially inclusive.  Many people who lost their jobs could find a new, healthier, more fulfilling, job in this transition to a sustainable economy.

So, now is a key moment for everyone to wake-up to the fact that everything is interconnected. People’s health is directly related to how we treat nature and the health of our beautiful planet.

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

4.  The Beauty Emerging From The Crisis – People & Businesses Being A Force For Good 

In the midst of this crisis, we can see that there are glimpses of a new beautiful world emerging.

Despite people’s fears, there is also optimism and courage. People are reflecting, re-connecting, responding and helping each other in many wonderful ways.

There’s been a huge amount of solidarity. There is compassion, empathy, kindness and love spreading.  Nature is starting to heal itself too.  The air we are breathing is rapidly becoming cleaner.

“Whilst we are healing ourselves we are healing the planet too” – Sophie Wisbrun

The crisis is shining a light on what the new normal and a better world might look like.

Whether we are sick or not, this virus touches all of us.  We are being brought back to our core, our home.  Social distancing has created a space for us to pause, to reflect, to reconnect with ourselves, our families and others.

We are reconnecting with ourselves again:

Normally we are very much focused outwards, but now we are starting to look more inwards and focusing more on ourselves.  For some this reveals fears.  Our resilience is being tested.

The question is, will we give in to our distractions and addictions, or will we grow into the best versions of ourselves?

Some people are using this time positively, to learn new things and work on themselves, their inner sustainability and personal growth, by exploring better ways to improve their own health and wellbeing.  

Some are eating healthier; others are working on their fitness at home or practicing yoga etc, which will help boost their immune systems.

Suddenly what is most important to us has become clear: our health, love and compassion for each other.

We are reconnecting more with family and others:

We are spending more time with our family and children.  We are reconnecting with our neighbors and connecting more (virtually) with family and friends.  We are physically separated but our hearts connect us.

We are reconnecting with nature:

We are reconnecting more with nature.  We are gardening in our garden, our balconies or inside our homes.  Also, in countries where people can go outside, people appreciate their daily walks in nature.  Nature connects with us too and takes its space in the cities.

We see solidarity growing:

The Corona virus has united us all around a common purpose: to care for the health and wellbeing of ourselves and other people.

We are making the shift from me (ego) to we (together we are one), and world (we are nature). This pandemic has brought out the best side in many people.  

We stay inside to protect each other’s health.  People are singing and dancing on their balconies to fight loneliness, clapping in the streets for health workers, children are sending drawings to the lonely elderly; China sent supplies to Japan with a note “we are waves of the same sea”.

Some CEOs have cut their own salaries to support their employees financially; companies are transforming their supply chains to produce and donate supplies for health care workers too.

We see shared positive values emerging:

This virus is highly contagious but in the midst of all this tragedy, something beautiful and even more contagious is spreading: a positive ripple effect of the values of love, kindness, empathy, compassion, generosity and courage.  People are being of service, being compassionate and kind to others.   Together we are also spreading some joy, positivity and fun in all the darkness.

We see eco-systems changing and becoming more sustainable:

More sustainable ways of living and working are emerging.  People and companies had to adapt rapidly to new situations, such as remote working, using video-conferencing creatively for everything from holding business meetings and providing services online to holding birthday parties.

Remote working has all sorts of sustainable benefits.  There are fewer cars on the road, people become more creative, efficient, productive and only focus on what is really important.

We see Purposeful leadership, creativity, adaptability, resilience and out of the box thinking flowing at work:

Purposeful, resilient and sustainable leadership of people and companies is emerging spontaneously.

People and businesses are finding creative ways to be of service to their customers and stakeholders by solving societal issues.  This is sustainable and Purposeful business at its best.

New out of the box solutions have become possible and businesses are being transformed to serve society in this crisis as they work together with their stakeholders to make it happen: from perfume manufacturers to breweries making and donating hand sanitizers, to car manufacturers making ventilators for hospitals.  

Healthcare workers are being recruited and retrained from everywhere to help with the Corona crisis.  

Worldwide it is estimated that between 100-200 million physicians, scientists, nurses, technologists, engineers are working together for the greater good.  

Already a new economic movement was underway, a shift from profit to purpose, from a shareholder approach to a stakeholder approach, from ‘doing less harm’ to ‘doing more good’.

This crisis could actually be the catalyst that accelerates the movement towards a sustainable economy that would improve the wellbeing of people, nature and our planet.

5. The big questions we need to ask ourselves

Whilst we first need to focus on the safety measures and solutions in healthcare during this pandemic, we simply have to do much better afterwards.

 WHY have most people, businesses and governments done so little to tackle the climate and environmental crises, and only now (as a result of COVID-19) does everyone react with global urgency? 

This has to do with the way we experience threats.  We don’t consider the chance high that we will directly die from climate change.  However, COVID-19 affects everyone in their vulnerability.  Every day we are being reminded of our mortality.  What if everyone realises that the Corona crisis is just part of the planetary crises we are all facing?

How do we build on the emerging beauty, solidarity and longing for Purpose among us all?  How do we make sure all those people and businesses doing good now, remain a force for good?  How could we now accelerate the transformation to a better and more sustainable world?

For at least 50 years humanity has been aware about the climate crises, ecological breakdown and many other of humanity’s challenges.  A period like this, in which everything comes to a halt, provides huge potential for change.  Now is the moment to accelerate the change to a sustainable future.

“We are standing at a crossroad in history and every single one of us can choose to take the path that leads us to a better future.” – Sophie Wisbrun

The solution lies in the connection between the lighter and darker shades of the story.  Like in any crisis, we still see shocking examples of destructive behaviours as well.  China is easing environmental supervision of firms to boost economic recovery and the USA has announced rollback of auto pollution rules.  There are even companies that are extorting their suppliers for their own gain.

This pandemic won’t last forever and it would be so easy for so many people to just go back to normal.  We can only expect a different outcome if we start doing things differently. However, if our inner compass is missing, we will fall back to what we used to do.

6.  Creating a better, more sustainable world after the Corona crisis

 “To realise a better world, we need a new way of seeing, being and doing” – Sophie Wisbrun

1) SEEING things differently - a holistic view on our natural world

The way we have looked at our problems needs to change.  We need to change our perspective and embrace a new mindset that is holistic, systemic, interconnected, complete, positive, restorative and regenerative.  A view inspired by nature for a balance between People, Planet and Profit.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

We will only achieve real change when everyone understands that everything is interconnected.  That all our decisions matter and all our actions could contribute to a better world.  A mindset that understands everything in the whole web of life is interconnected.  

To be conscious that we are all one race, unified in our differences and part of the same interconnected web of life and nature.  This is a fundamental thing that’s been missing so far.

“Man does not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it.  Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” - Chief Seattle

Many of the problems humanity is facing today are because we have lived for so long in a time of separation.  Most people don’t experience others as part of their ‘tribe’.  We have disconnected ourselves from our own complete ‘web of life’ and we don’t consider the interests of others and nature as our own.

Separation is everywhere: between functions working in silos or competing with each other. Between leadership and the rest of the organisation. Between humanity and nature. Between the masculine (mind) and feminine (heart, body, soul). Separation between inner sustainability (Purpose, values, consciousness, balance, health) and outer sustainability (Impact).  Between left and right brain and until recently between work and home.

The Corona virus, climate change and the environment cannot be separated.

To prevent further outbreaks, the experts say both global heating and the destruction of the natural world for farming, mining and housing have to end, as this drives what remains of wildlife into contact with people.  Wild animal markets and the trade in wild animals also need to stop.  Altogether, the loss of biodiversity, deforestation, growing urbanization and wild animal markets has increased the possibility of diseases passing from wild animals to domestic animals and to people.

The biggest crisis is not the Corona crisis, not even the climate crisis, but a connection crisis.

All the wisdom lies in nature.  What we do to nature, we do to ourselves.  The planet’s health and our health are inseparable.  Therefore, we need to start respecting and caring for nature.  This also means we see ourselves with complete new eyes and reconnect fully to our own inner nature to be able to have more positive impact on our outer nature: our beautiful planet Earth with all its inhabitants.

2) BEING different – inner sustainability, Purpose, Mission, Vision and Values

From this different holistic mindset that everyone and everything is connected, a new sustainable consciousness emerges.  What has been clear already before the Corona crisis and what becomes even clearer now, is our need for meaning, Purpose and our need to contribute to others.

The majority of people need a Higher Purpose, an aspirational reason for being that goes beyond ourselves.  Various research has proven that when we know our ‘Life Purpose’, we become more resilient, healthier, happier, more motivated, productive and more successful.

Unfortunately we don’t all know our Purpose.  This is not surprising, as various research confirms that we actually don’t know ourselves that well.  We feel that something is missing but we don’t know exactly what and we don’t feel complete.

By really understanding our inner nature completely, we come closer to discovering our Purpose and our Vision, Mission and Values, as well as how we can contribute in our own unique way to help create a better world.

We live in a society with mainly ‘male’ values.  We think rationally with logic, we decide, we do, and we accomplish success.  To activate a ‘Life Purpose’ that contributes to a better world, we should also use our ‘female’ qualities: care, kindness, generosity, love, compassion, collaboration, empathy and creativity.

If enough people find their inner power and put that in service of their own ‘web of life’, we can together accelerate towards creating a better world.  Transformation starts with us.  So, if we all do this on a personal level and for our companies, organisations and the communities we live in, we could create a huge positive worldwide transformation and gain the support of world leaders too.

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi

 3) DOING things differently – outer sustainability, collaborating in networks in complete balance and Purpose driven for positive impact

“To create positive impact and to solve humanity’s biggest challenges, we need to see things differently and be different. Only then we will do things differently.” - Sophie Wisbrun

Seeing things differently makes us realise that we need to become more balanced and achieve harmony between people, planet and profit.  

We realise that Purpose and sustainable impact are inextricably connected.  That lasting change is only possible by means of a balanced top-down and bottom-up approach.

We realise that working with a stakeholder approach and working together in networks (as living eco-systems) serving societal problems is the logical thing to do at work.  

We can design, create, produce, craft, make and organise in ways inspired by nature and just like nature (circular, regenerative, inclusive, collaborative, learning continuously and innovative).

We live in a highly complex world with complex problems that only can be solved with a holistic view, but we also need our inner compass to give us direction.

Being different means that all our decisions, goals, actions and behaviours at work and in our life, are guided by our Purpose and values.  Our vision, what we aspire to achieve, is clear and our personal missions bring us step by step closer to achieving our vision for a better life and world.

By being Purpose driven and values led in all our actions, we can unite and connect our families, teams, companies and organisations behind a Higher Purpose and create continuous positive impact.

When we work together with compassion and Purpose driven we will be able to realize and accelerate humanity’s sustainable action plan (the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals)

In order to turn our Purpose into positive, sustainable, action and impact, we need to collaborate and form networks of partnerships, as nature does, that are like evolving, living eco-systems.

The blueprint for doing things different and creating positive change lies in nature and can be found in the metamorphosis of the caterpillar to the butterfly.

Imaginal cells are a great metaphor for the way the world is undergoing transformation at the moment.  Imaginal cells in the chrysalis create the incredible process of metamorphosis that occurs when a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.

These cells hold the potential and visions for the future, but initially they act separately. Even when attacked, the cells continue to multiply.  Then they connect with one another having the same frequency, forming clusters, to combine as one to create something incredibly beautiful together - the butterfly!

If we take this as an analogy for what is happening today, it presents an exciting opportunity for our next stage of evolution.

Leaders with a vision for a better, more sustainable world are the imaginal cells within their communities and organisations.  As ideas spread and like-minded people connect, the possibilities grow exponentially to transform systems, policies and processes to meet the greatest challenges in our world today.

It would be tempting to focus our energy to continue fighting the old ways of doing things. However, it is far more effective to see, be and start doing things differently in order to build something new.  

People uniting and working together have the power to radically transform the world we live in.  If we harness this power and all work like imaginal cells, we can create a much better world for us all.

“In the end the secret to change is to focus all of our energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” - Socrates

7. Conclusion

In my eyes the Corona crisis is really a wake-up call and a catalyst for positive change. We can now see that we are all interconnected with each other and with nature.  Our health and nature’s health are interdependent.  Therefore we need to start living like that.

To build purposeful, sustainable and regenerative companies, societies and economies after the Corona crisis, we need to be purposeful and sustainable ourselves.  

The change we want to see actually starts within us.  The Corona crisis challenges us to embrace new ways of seeing, being and doing.

So, what can YOU as an individual do?  You can start by reconnecting to your inner self, your inner sustainability, and (re)discover YOUR Life Purpose.  Then you can see how that connects with your outer world, your outer sustainability, and all the different aspects of your ‘web of life’, like your family, your work and your network of relationships.

In this way it becomes clear whom you can help and which problems you can solve in your unique way. Everyone can make a difference and create a positive ripple effect.  As a force for good and with compassion we can form a world where Purpose, People, Planet and Profit can thrive together.  Just like nature does: sustainable, regenerative and balanced.

“Everyone wants a more sustainable world, but sustainable change starts from within” - Sophie Wisbrun

About Sophie Wisbrun

Sophie Wisbrun is a positive change catalyst and founder of Doing Business Doing Good. She strongly believes everyone can be a Change-Maker! She has been a Purpose and Sustainability Revolutionary in Multinational Companies for 15 years. She successfully transformed people, brands, businesses and organizations to become more sustainable and purpose driven. Her Doing Business Doing Good Platform inspires, enables, connects and empowers people, whatever they do and wherever they work, to catalyze their positive impact to create a better, more sustainable and beautiful world with respect for people and the planet.  

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