The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique and challenging realities for every business to overcome. As much as we wish to return to life before the crisis, the world has been forever changed. As we embark on the “New Abnormal”—the uncertain period between now and when the COVID-19 crisis has truly subsided—it is essential for leaders to manage effectively, reemerge with confidence, and make sustainable plans for the future.
Over the past months, SSA & Company has curated resources for navigating uncertainties during this time. We hope that these perspectives can shed some light on the New Abnormal and help your firm reemerge successfully.
David Niles, CEO
1. Leading Through Abnormal Change
Recently, much attention has been spent hypothesizing about how the final phase of recovery for COVID-19 will manifest and impact the future. That focus, however, is premature. The next phase of the COVID-19 crisis we should focus on is the New Abnormal which will occur between the moment when lifting of lockdown restrictions begins across communities and when viable treatments, vaccinations, or antibody tests become readily available. This New Abnormal will be marked by continued feelings of anxiety and uncertainty as communities begin reopening. Through this phase, leaders must continue to lead with the conviction that better days are ahead and that changes made now will position them for optimal performance when the next phase arrives. We will undoubtedly experience more crises in the future, so leaders should use this New Abnormal to fortify strength and mental determination, preparing for even greater success in the future.
Read the full guide from CEO of The Miles Group, Stephen Miles and world-renowned business advisor Ram Charan here.
2. Embracing Flexibility to Navigate Crisis
CEOs have never faced a crisis with such volatility, complexity, and wide range of possible outcomes. Even as economies slowly re-open, we don’t know whether, how, or when the virus will be controlled or reoccur. Its impacts on customer behavior are likely significant, but unclear. CEOs must consider not just their organization, but all of the potential weak links in their supply chain and wider ecosystem.
Leading through crisis is more than just keeping the business running and the balance sheet stable. The best leaders are flexible enough to not only navigate emergencies, but ensure they come out the other side with a stronger business, more loyal teams, and a better competitive position.
Read more from our conversation with the former CEOs of Johnson & Johnson, Keurig Green Mountain, and Wachovia here.
3. Reemergence: Preparing for the New Abnormal
COVID-19 has shocked the retail and consumer world. For some, an entire season (or two) of merchandise has gone unsold in brick-and-mortar stores across the globe, unallocated in distribution centers, and even left half-produced in factories up the supply chain. Customers have experienced their own disruption: day-to-day lives, schedules, employment, finances, and health. For many, any concept of shopping has shifted from consumption to sustenance.
In this state, retailers can’t expect to simply flip a switch and turn things back on. Winners will recognize that even if they had healthy businesses prior, they need to reemerge with new operating models. One thing is certain: there will be a post-pandemic era, and preparation for it must start now.
Learn how we’re helping retailers prepare actionable playbooks for reemergence here.
4. Thriving in the New Abnormal Requires Reinvention
In the post-COVID resurgence, acute focus on strategy, leadership, and risk by the executive suite are paramount. And the chance to accelerate the digital operating model may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
While companies have been forced to adapt overnight to working from home, those who rapidly embraced transformation through digital tools are now finding themselves winning from home. As we enter the next phase of the crisis, how your company takes its next steps will be critical to its future. Tomorrow’s leaders will have seized this opportunity to move faster, experiment, and fundamentally reinvent how they execute.
Read the full article from our digital team to learn more about how leaders can “Sprint with Digital” to prepare for this New Abnormal here.
Winning from Home: Guides for Success
Featured Content from Our Sister Companies
G100 Network
The G100 Return to Workplace Task Force recently developed guidelines to ensure a safe return to the workplace that are intended to address “Phase One” of the re-opening process. The comprehensive 9-point plan outlines employee, communication, and safety protocols to adhere to.
The task force is a subset of the G100 Talent Consortium, a member-driven community of Chief Human Resources Officers. It is comprised of senior HR leaders from 30 organizations across industries, including technology, services, manufacturing, hospitality, and finance.
Read how you can prepare your business for phase one of reopening here.
High Lantern Group
The world has changed. Public priorities have shifted, expectations have evolved, and new fronts have opened in the most relevant public debates of our time. Businesses must evolve as well in order to navigate these expectations and protect their reputation.
Our sister company, High Lantern Group recently published a report analyzing societal trends that have shifted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and predicting how the new landscape will impact the future of business.
Find out what emerging trends are shaping business here.
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