What Works: COVID-19, Your Business and Life

I have spent the last week helping businesses communicate and innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a little lull in my meetings, I turn to you in Carson City to provide insights. I hope they inspire you to think differently and utilize this uncertain time to create a little certainty, however you can.

These insights are provided as learnings from my Master’s thesis, based on research.

Pull in your focus: First, as leaders of businesses and households, we must focus on what we can control. There is one thing we can control and that is the way we respond (versus react) to this global situation. Pull your focus closer and look within your immediate business, family, and circumstances. The world will do what it will. You can always do your best within that.

Mourn your fallen expectations: We expected certain things out of this week, even the next 30 days, that will likely not happen. It’s time to mourn that loss so you can move forward. When you mourn your expectations, you can truly shift. That’s not going to happen. Now what?

Focus on what is possible: A lot is not possible right now. What is possible? Crisis has been the birthplace of many innovations.

Did you know that William Shakespeare was impacted and artistically influenced by The Black Plague? London theaters closed, halting the performance of his plays. Family members passed. This happened not once, but three times! It didn’t stop him. In fact, he was inspired by literature written during that time, “The Decameron” basing aspects of “Merchant of Venice” and “All’s Well that Ends Well” on it.

Non-essential businesses in Nevada are closed for 30 days. Doors can stay open remote or by delivering products and services while doing social distancing. It’s time to think differently.

How can you innovate right now?
How can you use technology to get to your customers?
How can you deliver your products with no contact, even locally?
How can you hold meetings on Zoom and keep business moving forward?
How can you promote social distancing among employees?

I want you asking any question right now but WHY. Why doesn’t matter in the scope of your world and the next 30 days. What matters is what you do next.

Gather the right support: There are a lot of people raging against the machine right now. Operate your own machine! Gather support of the people who are going to lift you up, support you, cheer you on, and help you innovate. Those people should be your tribe right now. Let the rest argue amongst themselves. You have a life to live and a business to run.

Celebrate your progress: We are all changing - fast. The more you celebrate your progress, the more progress you will make. What you focus on increases. A celebration is NOT a party. We are not ignoring social distancing here.

Celebration is:

Telling yourself, good job
Telling a friend or colleague about the progress.
Doing a silly dance when something new works
Communicating with your customers about what’s working.

You can find other ways, too, I’m sure.

Pay attention and learn from it: This is a rewiring of business as usual. Pay attention to how you did it. Replicate that. Create processes. Document it all. When you document, you preserve the innovation.

I want to hear about the great shifts and changes happening in Carson City and beyond right now.

Tell me how you are innovating to provide no contact products and services. Tell me how you are staying in touch with friends. Tell me about how, even though times are tough, you are looking for what is possible.

Let’s fill these comments with community and hope. The floor is yours, Carson City.

ABOUT DIANE DYE HANSEN
Diane Dye Hansen has more than 20 years of experience in communication and change management gained in the sectors of government, non-profit, healthcare, publishing, advertising, entertainment, and SaaS. Her Critical Opportunity Theory helps organizations and leaders turn challenge into opportunity through proper leadership and team communication.

She is the president and founder of What Works Consultants, Inc., a consulting firm which helps business leaders communicate when communication is hard. This is done through research, strategic communication planning, change management consulting, and training. She and Christine Salvo host “Business Therapy” Monday and Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am on KNVC 95.1 FM. She is a columnist on CarsonNow.org. To meet her and learn how she and her team can help your company, visit What Works Consultants, Inc. online at www.whatworksconsultants.com.