Want to get the most from this crisis...balance.

In Chinese, the word crisis is made from the combination of two words, Dangerous and Opportunity. This perfectly sums up the two sides that we are facing today with the COVID-19 crisis.

Getting the right balance between these two things is important.

It is easy to focus on the dangerous aspects of the current crisis. I’ve had those moments, times when I have been so fearful that the tension in my neck and shoulders means I cannot sleep. That is when I know that I have lost sight of the opportunities that the current crisis and resulting new world can bring.

Often, it’s hard to think about the opportunity, especially when there is so much fear and noise surrounding us. Panic can set in. However, making decisions based on fear alone can be self-fulfilling so how do you avoid them.

Start by understanding the need to focus on the right messages. This can take many forms.

• Tony Robbins would point us to the idiom, Garbage in, Garbage out. If you want to see the opportunity you need to find and focus on the positive things happening.
• In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey would suggest you focus on your circle of influence and ask yourself what can you do that will create opportunities in the current situation.
• As a Christian, this can take the form of asking the Holy Spirit to help me see the good in what is happening.

There are lots of reasons to focus on the opportunity.

• I have just worked with a brand that created an online ordering solution in 3 weeks, a project that was scheduled to take 9 months. All while working remotely in teams more effectively then ever thought possible.
• Only 8% of consumers feel that brands should stop communicating right now and 65% of respondents said that a brand’s response in the crisis will have a huge impact on their likelihood of purchasing it in the future.
• In response, we see brands make commitments that would have been thought impossible weeks ago. For example, a well-known phone company has provided free cell-phone service to all first responders – now that’s Some Good News.

How do you know if the balance is right?

• Consider the decisions made in the survive phase of this crisis and ensure they do not limit growth as we enter the restart phase.
• Audit your sources of information, do they provide a balanced view of the situation, the more sources you have available the better the opportunity for balance.
• When making future decisions, create a pause…, and consider if the decision is made from a balance of data and insight.

Reach out if you would like to know more about any of the topics referenced here or if you want ideas of sources of information during the crisis. If you would like to see what inspired me to write this article, the service is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwdJILj8t4&list=PLaY3oLiM0lSB6oiYofith9-S8i8pm1hn9&index=3