Unprecedented Luxury; Freedom of Thought!

In the past three months I have attended numerous webinars, zoom meetings and virtual panel discussions, pertaining to COVID-19, explaining its devastating impact and consequences on society in much detail. The selection of events to choose from was sheer endless, since this kind of presentations popped up like mushrooms from the most fertile soil.?

Needless to say, the number of so called experts invited to bless us with their words of wisdom was just as impressive. And it seemed the magic word granting access into the circle of the worthy was “unprecedented”. Every man and woman of rank and reputation declared wholeheartedly that nothing or anything close to the pandemic had ever happened before. It was all unprecedented.

But the enlightenment did not stop here. The very same chosen few declared hardly a month later, what the “road to recovery” was going to look like. Wow! That to me, quite frankly, was astonishing. And here I too observed a recurring pattern. We are all in this together and we will get out of it as one. Now is the time to change our mindset and together we will make the world a better place. Another life changing and insightful piece of information, with some flaws though. Let me explain.?

From all the events I have attended, one predominant conclusion stuck in my mind. When everything returns to the “new normal” we have to deliver, apart from the obvious, an even more elevated level of service. No glitches, no excuses, no second chance; absolute perfection, right from the beginning. And not to forget, it has to be meaningful, authentic and, best of the best (drum roll please), transformational.?

But wait, there is more. We have to rebuild trust and communicate with empathy and in complete transparency. And all of it has to be delivered fully committed and with utmost dedication by the very same people we’ve made redundant right at the beginning of the pandemic and who haven’t had the opportunity to earn a living ever since.?

I thought to myself, how comforting it must be sitting at home in a designer chair, in front of the computer screen, overlooking the Thames, Seine, or the Hudson River, enjoying the blend of favorite coffee or sip on a chilled Chardonnay (it happened), while discussing on how to make the world go the other way round. And all of it was done with much ease, knowing that skipping salary for months, or in some rare cases even longer, will make no dent in the bank balance.?

Am I envious, jealous or disgruntled? Not at all. I live a comfortable life myself, some would say that I'm enjoying a luxury lifestyle. But let me share something rather personal with you; it wasn’t always like that. I come from nowhere and nothing. For years, when I was a child, I opened the fridge in the kitchen and when looking inside, I was greeted by empty shelves. The usual blackout dates, such as Festive Season, Easter and Birthdays were included.?

I know how it feels when you have one, and only one thought on your mind; how to get food in your tummy. I couldn’t have cared less of changing my mindset, let alone thinking of how to make the world a better place. Quite simply, it wasn’t in the cards for me at the time.?

That brings me to the unprecedented luxury of today; freedom of thought. Having the power to think as one wants, without hindrance or restraint is a privilege of not many. I look at the millions of people instead, at least in the country I’m residing currently, whose only challenge it is to put a bowl of rice on the table and feed the family, hoping to avoid starvation and in many cases even more traumatizing egony.

And as long as that is case, we should focus on what is really important right now. We have to take away the fear and burden from the people who live in utter havoc and survival mode. It’s our responsibility to safeguard their well-being, instead of speaking of future expectations, which are impossible to meet.?

If we want everyone to execute all of the wonders and miracles that make for a life changing guest experience, we need to make sure that fundamental needs are met first. That is the only way to allow for a change of mindset and to make the world a truly better place for all of us and not just a selected few.?

I need yet to hear from someone who makes me feel that he or she is truly meaningful, authentic and transformational in all aspects of life. Right now I can say with much confidence, most of the so called experts that I have had the privilege of listening to, have lost touch with what is going on in the real world a very long time ago.?