How do we create our new normal?

I was listening to Dr. Fauci last night and he mentioned that while it is challenging now, we will beat COVD-19 and we will land in a new normal. I loved hearing those words from Dr. Fauci and it had me pondering what the new normal would look like. Although uncertain about what our new normal may be, what I am confident in is our ability to be resilient.

re·sil·ience

The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

I believe this country has always had the ability to be resilient and to bounce back from challenging times, and it seems to be that as a result of those challenging times we most come together as a country, as a community, and inside our organizations.

What can you do inside of your organization to set it up to be resilient?

I think one of the first steps is to take stock of where you are today. I would start with revisiting your mission, your vision, and your values and will they still make sense for you in 2025?

You as a leader should be looking out to the next 3-5 years to determine where the organization can go, what the desired outcomes are, and what the innovative possibilities are. I know this can be hard while in the midst of trying to make payroll, staying healthy, and possibly teaching your kids during the day. However, if you are able to gather up a couple of people on Zoom and start to imagine the future, the level of engagement and commitment to the organization will start to soar.

Once you have determined the appropriate vision for the next 3-5 years, start to look at your strengths, assets, and talent to determine how you will overcome the barriers that we are facing. While the barriers can look overwhelming, the abilities that are inside your organization can overcome any barriers that you are facing. This also can be a good time to network with mentors, coaches, or people in other organizations to brainstorm best practices with them. Next, start outlining some baby steps that get you closer to the vision of today’s current reality. Make sure you take time to recognize the people that are demonstrating the right behaviors, and let your organization know the successes that you are having.

One of the best ways to get out of this stress is to move to gratitude. One question that I’m asking the leaders I’m working with right now, “What joy are you finding in this unique situation?” I also ask them to pause each day and think about what they’re grateful for, what they appreciate and what they are proud of. I call this a gap analysis and doing it is a fuel source for resiliency. I encourage leaders to ask these same questions of their team to help spread resiliency which will lead to creativity and hopefully allow the organization to reach its vision as quickly as possible in the new normal.

What excites you about the new normal?

What challenges are you worried about in the new normal?

Let us know! Thanks and stay safe and healthy.