In a sea of negativity and you-better-get-ready, I’m tossing out a buoy of positivity into the coronavirus’ murky and unpredictable waters. Although I could spend the length of this piece discussing the perils of the coronavirus, specifically for businesses, that’s a conversation that changes daily and that a Google search can yield countless results for within seconds. This piece offers a positive perspective for businesses and a potential upside to the survival-mode many companies find themselves in today.

Finding Your Why

As the coronavirus affects company supply chains, consumer-spending, daily operations and countless other aspects of business, companies are forced to remember their why.

  • Why did this particular business start in the first place?
  • Why is it important to consumers that this business continue?
  • Why is it important to me, as a professional and person, that this business succeed?
  • Why is my career and business worth investing more waking hours into than I do my family, Monday through Friday?

Rediscovering your why and your company’s why is like falling in love all over again with your life choices. The coronavirus crisis, although laden with stress, forces business leaders to unearth the passion and drive they had when they opened their doors for the first time. When businesses fall back in love with their why, they summon the adrenaline of their younger years and resurrect the intense clarity of their mission and goals that fueled the most productive, vision-filled time of their company.

Streamlining Communication

Working remotely has gone from a kicked around idea that’s been left on the back-burner too long to a strategy necessary for survival. As the length of time for social distancing increases, businesses are forced to determine which positions can maintain productivity remotely. In addition, businesses are receiving a wakeup call when it comes to how streamlined and effective their channels of communication are among employees and the company as a whole.

Companies that relied on the occasional Friday morning donut offering to communicate their appreciation of their employees’ efforts and who communicated both their biggest and smallest issues and updates in the form of a single email from a company higher-up are being forced to reevaluate and improve their communication process.

From web meetings to advice on self-care and well-being, companies are becoming more flexible with employee positions and connecting more with their employees. These changes will alter the landscape of many companies and if the changes are embraced long-term, many companies will find themselves with more flexible positions and a better understanding of their employees than they had only just a few coronavirus-free months ago.

Consumers respond to heart, so use it generously

A recent article pointed out that “novel and trendy” is out and “tried and true” is in. This article also said that when consumers are scared, they respond best to companies who seem aware and responsive to their anxiety. This is not a time to appear like you’re in self-preservation mode, even if that is where your company finds itself.

Consumers want to support companies that seem invested in their life and sensitive to the plight of the coronavirus-stricken world. The companies that work with the most heart will rise to the surface. This is an incredible opportunity for businesses. In simplest terms, businesses have an opportunity to slow down. Instead of strategizing on the next shiny offering, businesses can focus on what they already provide that meets consumer needs and provide those goods and/or services in the most effective, creative, and heartfelt way possible.

Perspective is a shortcut to survival

A positive perspective carries you everywhere. As Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation says, “Misery may love company, but negativity has never lifted anyone up.” The coronavirus crisis will bleed out and when it does, the companies who chose to meet the coronavirus restrictions and challenges with a perspective that embraced change, used heart and refused to admit defeat, will find themselves grateful for an opportunity to heighten their character and strengthen their why.

Author: Evelyn Lindell