The Key To Leading Your Business In A World Of COVID
Campbell Macpherson (pictured below) is author of The Power to Change, a sought-after speaker and international business adviser on leadership, strategy and change. In this guest post, Macpherson argues COVID has changed so many facets of how we work and that, he argues, is not necessarily a bad thing…
Leadership today is about one thing – change. Leading change, embracing change, delivering change.
The ability to lead change has become the key leadership skill. For if we are not leading change, we are not leading anything: we are just managing the status quo. Pre-pandemic, managing the status quo was akin to going backwards. Not anymore. Managing the status quo is no longer an option. It no longer exists.
The world’s reaction to this virus has upended the status quo completely, turning office towers into ghost towns, accelerating the transformation of the High Street and sending a swathe of industries and businesses into a frenzy of financial survival. A few industries, notably technology and healthcare, have boomed.
Our customers have been affected, our supply chains have been affected, our finances have been affected. But opportunities exist amidst all this mayhem, and we SME owners and entrepreneurs are ideally placed to seek them out and take advantage of them. But that depends on our ability to lead change and the ability of our people to embrace change.
2020 taught us some vital and valuable lessons.
Working from home – works. Millions of us will not go back to the way we were. The implications of this are wide-reaching – on the need for office-space, on travel budgets, on the way we conduct meetings, …
Every business is a digital business. Paying lip service to ‘digital’ is no longer an option. Paper signatures are a thing of the past. Communications, marketing and service delivery are all now digital. We leaders need to ask ourselves the question, “What does ‘digital’ mean for my business?” And then how we implement it – quickly.
Every business is a people business. Covid-19, our governments’ reactions to Covid-19 and the media’s constant catastrophising on the subject have sent anxiety levels through the roof. Your people’s mental health and well-being have been seriously affected. They are worried about their health, the health of their parents, their children’s future and their own financial security. As leaders, it is vital that we provide them with the skills and tools they need to cope and thrive in this uncertain world. As we will discuss below, the gift they need is the ability to embrace change.
2020 reminded us that businesses are more than balance sheets and P&L accounts. Successful leaders care – because successful businesses are people businesses.
Sustainability is everything. A buzzword that is now the cornerstone of every business. Genuine sustainability comes in four flavours:
Financial sustainability: Many of the businesses that were thrust into this crisis without a financial buffer built from either robust margins or abundant capital – have either disappeared or may not survive the winter.
Social sustainability: Businesses that looked after their people during this financial crisis and gave back to the society in which they operate – will be remembered.
Environmental sustainability: Ironically, hundreds of thousands of deaths were postponed during the second quarter of this year as the 350,000+ people who usually die across the world every month from air pollution – didn’t. The climate crisis has taken a back seat during 2020 and it will re-emerge with a vengeance. Your environmental credentials will be even more important than they were before.
Strategic sustainability: Companies without complete clarity of why they exist, who they exit to serve, what makes them different and what they need to do to deliver – will find it nigh impossible to compete.
The secret to your future success is the ability of your people to embrace change.
If your people aren’t ready, willing and able to embrace change – your business will not succeed.
Change leadership is all about your people, for the simple reason that all change is personal. Even the grandest of large organisational changes is actually the culmination of a myriad of individual, personal changes. And no-one changes simply because they are told to; they only change if they want to. So, as leaders, it is our job to help them to want to change.
It is our job to help our people appreciate that:
All change is emotional. The powerful emotions we feel when confronted by major change are not only OK, they are normal. Just realising this can be a giant step in the right direction. In the ‘Embracing Change’ workshops I run for employees, the reaction of one lady sticks in my mind. She was wiping away tears throughout much of the first session and came up to me in the break to thank me. Her father had died recently, and she had no idea that the rollercoaster of negative emotions she was feeling were normal. Her relief was palpable.
We all erect natural barriers to change, which we can also overcome. We can learn to detach from our negative thoughts, observe our emotions, reframe the way we look at life’s challenges, confront our fears, voice our doubts, find good tribes – and change.
They can be their own change catalyst. Not only is it ultimately up to them to change, but the power to change lies within them. The person best placed to enable them to change – is themselves. Life is so much more rewarding when we take responsibility and make the changes we know we need to make.
Your people can learn to harness change and make it work for them – for their own benefit and for the future success of the business.One of the greatest gifts you can give your people is the power to change.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Campbell MacphersonLatest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.