This IS Now Normal!
And there is tremendous opportunity within our normal
By Phil Kelley Jr., Salem One
Over the past two years, every
business leader seems
to be treading water; dealing
with seemingly daily issues of
increased employee absenteeism,
health and culture decisions on
remote versus in-office work
policies, higher than historical
turnover realities as Covid-19
decision making and changing
policy mandates impacts us all.
Consumer distancing, online
versus in-store strategies,
marketing-allocation decision
making, and constantly changing
federal, state and local decisions
of whether I can be fully open or
not are impacting organizations
across the county and all those
suppliers impacted by these
decision variables.
Surely all this will end soon. “If
my department, my organization,
can just wait it out, it will be
over soon…”
I’m sorry to inform you, this IS
now, normal! It’s time, actually
you are late, to move away from
a strategic mode of pandemic,
emergency-related thinking. What
indicators for your business do
you have that this environment,
the now in all that you are dealing
with will change soon? Humbly,
with understanding, with the
knowledge that there are serious
societal safety concerns and
change happening, I’m sorry to
point you to the understanding
you will find at the end of this
question; there are no indicators
that this is not now normal.
And there is a tremendous
opportunity within our Normal!
This is no time for leadership to
step off the pedal or lose focus of
long-proven success strategies, of
aggressive culture development
and authentic consumer-focused
communications. It is no time to
cower in the corner waiting for
things to get better, losing touch
with employees and consumers
alike. Aggressive organizations
that redouble their efforts to
grow positive corporate-culture
realities, whether they are remote
or in office, that invest heavily
in direct, personal, relational
communications that generate
repeat consumers, will and are
flourishing in this environment.
Covid-19 concerns obviously
are real and impacting all. It is a
serious reality, generating serious
discussion and decision-making
within each organization and
for each consumer. However,
consumers are tired of being
cooped up. Human nature
wants, in fact, needs, relational
moments.Brands that balance
those realities can attract
exponential consumer and
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