From lock-down to lock-in

Why a client focus is the best forward, especially now

Counter-intuitive behaviour might not be such a bad idea 

In times of uncertainty and crisis you can ignore your natural instincts to some extent. In fact, it is sensible to do so. In earlier entries Philip Jordanov and I talked about what stress does to the brain. It puts us in a state where we are simply unable to give the best possible response if we trust our instincts. 

In a time where you are hardwired to secure your own assets, focus mostly on yourself and limit losses, there is a twofold principle you should stick on your refrigerator door: be extremely valuable and move anti-cyclically. 

Why, you ask?

Scientific research into the driving forces behind High Performance has shown that truly adding value is one of the most important keys to success. It is a proven gold-generator. For yourself and for your clients. It sends the right impulses to your compass needle and you don’t need to convince your clients. They experience your indispensability first-hand. This is no different in a crisis. In fact, it keeps you on your toes in your decision-making and it is a double win in the eyes of your client when you’re of value particularly in times of crisis. 

Because our brains can be naturally lazy, they tend to choose the path of least resistance. Unpredictable situations add to that by limiting our capacity to reason logically, amplifying our emotions and strengthening our need for security. This is why we, by nature, move ‘cyclically’. If it doesn’t feel right to invest during a crisis, we don’t. If it doesn’t seem right to think innovatively in times of uncertainty, we don’t. However, these natural tendencies are fed by short-cuts that are stocked in our brain by the hundreds. These short-cuts (or biases) are, or lead to, flaws in our thinking. These flaws can cost us dearly. In fact, they can cost us a lot of money. 

“It is a classical logical error to think that achieving better results has nothing to do with the value you add to your clients and your surroundings. They are two sides of the same coin.”

Incidentally, being client-oriented is very different from succumbing to them. In other words: client-oriented means something quite different from dancing to their tune. That wouldn’t add any value. Be aware of your own value, your expertise and also what you can’t offer. That said, helping a client identify the right mediums when you are unable to deliver a certain service is valuable. 

What does this all mean?

Be aware that the things you feel are instinctively right in these times may not be the most sensible. That means: 

• Are you tempted to wait and see? Don’t! Look for manageable tasks you can do that prove your value to your client and that truly are of help to them. Long-term plans you can put on hold, but adding value and being of help to your clients are things you should not neglect, especially now. 
• Are you inclined to gravitate towards an internal focus? Don’t! Keep your gaze at your clients and the market. Watch carefully and read about what is going on. 
• Are you tempted to make cost-cutting your main strategy? Don’t! It’s better to look at what to do (and invest) right now to be of exceptional value. Feel free however to look at your costs critically and evaluate if anything can be done differently. This is very different to holding the purse strings. 
• Do you feel like you need to put extra resources towards marketing? Don’t! Use your time and budget to invest in (your) relations. 
• If you have an investment budget, reshuffle it and allocate it like this:
• One part towards excellent crisis management (including effective crisis communication). The better you handle a pressing situation, the better you come out of it.
• One part towards excellent innovation policy. What is happening? How does the market respond? What do our clients need most right now? What new possibilities arise from it? What do we need to put the brakes on? What do we need to pick up on and develop?
• Would you prefer people around you who think similar to you in times like this? Don’t! Make sure you work in multidisciplinary teams with a variety of mental models (indeed, there is a reason that diversity is proven effective and even crucial). 

It requires constant energy and recalibration of your compass in order to act against your primary drives. Simultaneously it gives you a lot of energy in return. You’re doing something meaningful that also finds its way back to you. And what’s more… the consequences of not doing it are not yet visible but they are predictable. If you do not invest in your relations right now, you’re likely to be invisible to them after the crisis. In other words, make the right decisions. 

“De-stressing, creating clarity, developing a strong common interest and stimulating the growth-mindset are important themes in the BusinessAid Program”

Growth & Fixed mindset - Source: Cambridge School

Easy for us to say?

No, not really. We, myself included, encounter this challenge daily: keeping a close eye on yourself in order to prevent being sucked in by these mind-fucks and showing the type of behaviour that is particularly ineffective right now. Today’s circumstances are like a swamp full of prospective detours that are present in our brains when they are in survival mode. 

That is why we focus on challenging goals and start each day with some planning: 

What are the most important projects in light of these goals? Who needs me? Who do I need, what needs to be finished today and what would be nice to get done today?

The remainder of the to-do’s and secondary issues are placed into a bucket so that I don’t forget them. I assess the bucket the next morning. The items on the list are held against the goals and key projects. Either they end up on that day’s to-do list or they are moved to the ‘ideas for later’ folder. And occasionally I’ll play the fuck-it card:-). 

From lock-down to lock-in

It is human and understandable that we are ‘captured’ by the circumstances, especially when they are as impactful as they are now. The tricky part is, we often don’t recognize this. Nevertheless it is important to take a critical look at our own behaviour and ask for feedback. Our natural reaction patterns simply do not provide us with the best strategies to get through challenging times.

Although we are in a lock-down, the best strategy is a lock-in. Clarify your mission: focus on adding value to your clients and relations. Even though the execution may vary week to week, the mission remains the same. Reach out a helping hand and keep in touch. The clients that need you will respond. The ones that do not need you right now will remember you were there. This way you strengthen your ties and your proposition. You’re there for them, and if the relation is mutual, they’re there for you. Thereby creating a lock-in that is valuable even after the crisis.

It doesn’t come for free. You can’t do it alone, it requires daily (self)management, but if you could choose, would you rather sit and wait in a lock-down or work in and on a lock-in?

How resilient & agile is your organisation?

Would you like to check up on your organisation’s resilience and agility? See whether you’re in the right mindset and making the right considerations? Would you like to know whether your team and management are making sensible decisions? Do the test. On the basis of the results we’d like to offer you a free consultation to discuss your questions and to determine your strong points and where you are exposed to risk. 

Rather contact us directly? You can reach us through our website. We will be in touch with you within 48 hours.

On our LinkedIn page you can read more about substantive subject matter.

This article has been published in Dutch last week. I sincerely thank Myrthe Glastra van Loon for this translation.

About the author

Marinka Lipsius is an expert on Brain & Behaviour and in change-management, keynote speaker, coach and bestselling author. With her Mindkey Academy she coaches management committees, managers and teams to achieve tangible, sustainable change and innovation. She draws from knowledge in the fields of business, (neuro)psychology and high-performance. Follow the Mindkey Academy LinkedIn page to get regular interesting content on these topics. Together with Neurofied she developed the BusinessAid Program to help businesses get through crises and come out stronger. You can read more

“Everything you need in order to excel in normal circumstances, is crucial to successfully get through crises and to (help) rebuild the future.”

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