Leaders pivot!
/Email newsletter - April 14, 2020
Is your job, business, or industry facing new challenges and threats? What do WE do? Leaders pivot.
Leaders (at home and at work) transform to make progress with new, different, bold ideas. Leaders see possibilities, new markets. And opportunities to serve and make a difference—often like never before! That’s transformation: thinking and doing something like never before, but still adding value!
Recently, we’re faced with this question. When we face challenges in life and a crisis such as a pandemic, some people quickly discover their natural leadership and internal courage. Others shrink and take no accountability. There are varying degrees of leadership and various places where it shows up.
Some people can jump into action and accelerate their creativity and innovate because they have a great foundation of strategic thinking. They’ve invested in themselves and their colleagues and have been learning to lead. But now is for action.
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO THINK DIFFERENT AND WHAT TO DO?
In recent weeks, we have seen leaders emerging across the world. They are stepping up individually, in organizations, and in nations. They are reaching across communities, industries, and countries to collaborate, partner, and find solutions.
Leaders see the challenges and what needs to be done to beat the obstacles. What will it take? Leaders Pivot and transform!
These are the key Pivot Points that leaders use:
BE AWARE. Leaders quickly assess and grasp a situation. They strategically see its probable impact and step up to address it. They sense and respond. What are you aware of and how will it impact you?
BELIEVE. Leaders believe that by working together a crisis can be addressed. They have no doubt that they will make progress to serve customers and often brand new customers. They don’t waste time. High speed is their modus operandi. Do you believe that you can succeed and serve fast enough? Do you believe you can deliver an amazing customer experience of value?
IF WE BELIEVE IT, WE CAN ACHIEVE IT.
CREATE. Creative people are full of ideas in a crisis. Their creativity is contagious as they engage other peaople to explore and discover new, different, possible solutions. Are you constantly discussing and exploring new ideas and choosing which ones you will implement? Are you learning and acting fast enough?
CAN DO.Innovators make their ideas happen. They influence, leverage, and connect with others to achieve their goal. Do you rapidly make your Plan (it might take 10 minutes or 2 hours to discuss and agree on a Plan of Action (do not take a week or month to make an Action Plan to address a crisis!) and act on it? What works; what doesn’t? Revise your Plan; do it again. Faster!
Where do we see pivots?
Jobs. Thousands of restaurant and salon workers have lost their jobs. It’s uncertain if or when their employers will re-open. Workers who pivot immediately can find companies who are hiring and secure a new position.
Hand sanitizers. Small and large breweries and distilleries across the U.S pivoted from making beer, gin and vodka to making hand sanitizers.
Mask sterilizers. Three Midwest companies transformed 50 toaster ovens into mask sterilizer units that can sterilize 150 masks per hour and are donating them to hospitals low on mask inventory.
Virtual events. Consultants, trainers, and speakers are shifting to virtual classes, events, and conferences to share significant intellectual property.
Ventilators. Auto manufacturers pivot to produce ventilators as seven ventilator producers increase their productivity on 24-hour shifts.
And thousands more . . .
