Every day, more than anything else, my clients across the globe are looking for ways of adapting to ‘changing’ uncertainty.
No doubt, business has flipped on its head since the pandemic hit. If you take a look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs at the top is self-actualisation and at the bottom is physiological health. When the pyramid is challenged by something as big as COVID-19, priorities turn on their head.
Self-actualisation is about long-term thinking, long-term goals and intentions. But in times of uncertainty, these seem restrictive and stifling. Today, it’s a challenge to look beyond three or four months ahead whereas not so long ago we had four or five-year strategic business plans.
The need for certainty in the long run or that we have power over that uncertainty is perceptively challenging. Here’s what can help. When the uncertain happens, you don’t need a plan, you just need a “possible”. Ask yourself:
- Are you focusing only on your daily business goals or daily routine?
- Is your flow working? Are you embracing the shift from globalisation and digitalisation to dispersion? The business world is moving away from focal points to a flexible, personalised, tailor-made experience. Is your business moving in the same way?
- While this brings about a sense of power over our own lives, it does detract from personal interaction, which can be isolating and debilitating. That’s why, in Japan for example, the government has uniquely appointed a “Minister of Loneliness”. What is your business doing to ensure the wellbeing of its employees?
- Which brings me to my next point… how do you run a 100-kilometre race through the desert when you can’t see the goal? I asked Ryan Sandes, a South African trail-running phenomenon. In 2010 he became the first competitor to win all four of the 4 Deserts races. Here’s his trick: He visualizes finishing the race, but he takes one kilometre at a time. It’s called the Sprint Strategy of Goals. Break goals into bite-sized pieces, but always have the end in mind. Not only is it possible, it allows your pleasure in achieving your goals to be greater.
- When the pyramid shift happens there’s personal expansion. So, what are you doing to shift your thinking from just the bottom line to building solid relationships to reach those targets?
If you or your business is taking some strain, my suggestion is to stop thinking long-term for a short while; bring in small goals and small wins to help self-motivate. Try the sprint system of goals and make meaningful connections. I know you’ll make it through the finish line.
If you’d like to connect, sign up for my masterclass Forge Your Future or Trans-For-Motion at http://www/johnsanei.com. You’ll get to understand the future of business drawn from hours of research and collaboration. We’ll analyse new models and changing consumer trends to understand their impact on the current market, and what that means for our evolving economies.
