As the country reopens, what are your thoughts and feelings?

Regardless of the status of the virus, the country is reopening. The shock of stay at home orders and the closing of non-essential businesses has passed for most people and we are moving on to navigate a new phase related to the pandemic. Everyone has had a different experience in dealing with this unique situation. How has the pandemic affected you and what are your thoughts right now?

1)     Are you remaining hunkered down with anxiety because you are worried about what still might happen with this pandemic? Are you feeling like a victim to the virus with concerns about your health or the health of others? Perhaps you feel frustrated and trapped with fear that the worst of the pandemic has yet to come.   

2)     Are you angry about the situation and feel like the government has mismanaged the crisis? Are you angry at the other political party who are too stupid to see what is really happening in this situation? Maybe you feel like this crisis highlighted your need to fight to get ahead in life regardless of who is hurt in the process. It reminds you that it is a “dog eat dog world” so you need to take what you can get, when you can get it (like that last roll of toilet paper on the shelves even though you have a whole closet full of toilet paper at this point).

3)     Are you beginning to make adjustments in your life to the new normal? Maybe you have settled into a new routine and you are now a Zoom master. You would rather meet with people in person but a Zoom meeting will work for now and it saves the driving time. Perhaps you have decided that the virus really only gets weak people sick so it won’t hurt you. The virus might be a problem for other people, but you are not concerned because you will be fine.

4)     Are you taking every precaution to avoid spreading the virus to other people and are incredibly concerned for other people who might get sick? Even though you feel isolated, you dare not leave your house because it might hurt a loved one or even a stranger. If you must leave your house, are you still taking every possible precaution so that you do not contract or more importantly, unknowingly transmit and spread this deadly virus?

5)     Are you investigating new opportunities? Although uncertainty exists, are you moving forward to take advantage of the new dynamic?

6)     Are you feeling more comfortable with the situation regardless of what the future holds? Have you reflected upon the situation with curiosity and analyzed what you have learned over the past few months?  After living with this pandemic for a few months, do you now truly believe that we are all connected? Upon reflection do you believe that even at the darkest times, life is always interesting and beautiful?

7)     While going through this unique time, has it given you the opportunity to become creative and insightful?

Whatever you are thinking and feeling, it makes sense based upon your unique situation, including how the pandemic has affected you and your past experiences leading up to this moment in time. 

The wrath of the pandemic has been felt by everyone in one way or another but just as not every person has fallen sick with the virus, not every business has been hurt by the crisis. When it comes to businesses, there are definitely winners and losers of this pandemic. In my article on May 20th, I wrote that opportunities do not just end, they shift. 

Although some businesses were devastated, some flourished. The pandemic has been a boon for Amazon, Costco, Walmart, Target and Home Depot who have experienced record sales.  For example, I was speaking to a local Target store manager who said that during the height of the pandemic, they could not keep bathing suits in stock. Here in Phoenix, the temperatures were rising and at the time, and Target was the only place in town that was open to buy a bathing suit since other retail outlets were deemed non-essential. 

Local contractors have been busier than ever as homeowners with wealth started new projects to take advantage of record low interest rates and many people used their government stimulus checks to complete the small home improvement projects that they had been putting off.

On the other hand, many retail stores, restaurants and service businesses have been forced out of business forever. In Scottsdale, the pandemic shut-down could not have come at a worse time for many restaurants. A large portion of restaurants make all of their profits for the year during March and April when tourists are here for the nice weather and spring training. The hot summers routinely put restaurants out of business here in Phoenix as cash runs out, so without the influx of cash reserves collected in the spring, how could a struggling restaurant survive the summer? Throw in social distancing and even more restaurants will eventually drain their reserves unless they make some drastic changes.

Regardless of how the pandemic has played out for your business, it is clear that the companies who embrace the technological advances of the fourth industrial revolution will have the greatest chance to thrive in the future. It is time to invest in Technology. As you explore the technology available to your business, opportunities will reveal themselves.

It may be tempting to hunker down and try to ride out the current uncertain conditions but that will only put you further behind your competition. In the past recession, it was the companies who invested into technology who flourished during the years of recovery. Think about Amazon who became a global phenomenon after the Great Recession.

Regardless of your past thoughts and feelings related to the pandemic, are you ready to take advantage of the opportunities that have shifted in this new dynamic?  It is time to move yourself away from feeling victimized, remaining angry or simply coping with the situation. Start to think about how technology can transform the way that you do business and open your mind to all of the alternative routes to success for your business and your life.

If you would like to shift your current thoughts and feelings in order to move toward more productive actions, Energy Leadership is a technique that can help to get you there. 

If you would like to learn more about Energy Leadership or if you would like to take a free Energy Leadership Assessment, please send me a message on LinkedIn.

Thanks!