Our personal and business lives can become crowded with activities that steal away from us the potential downtime that we can effectively use to re-imagine those ideals that have taken us to where we are now.  Our lives and our businesses or roles in society become static, not because we choose them to be so but because of our inability to squeeze in reflective time to look back and look forward.

COVID 19is providing us with an amazing space within which to re-image our business.

The most significant opportunity that has come from the current crisis is the forced creation of the virtual workforce. Three weeks ago many had never heard of Zoom but suddenly it has become omnipresent in business and many businesses find themselves operating primarily from home.

Your business opportunity is here right now to re-imagine your business after COVID 19.

Ask yourself:

Could my business emerge after this crisis like the butterfly from the chrysalis? 

Could my business learn to operate with more staff permanently or regularly working from home? Would they be happier, are there potential savings and benefits? 

 Are there business opportunities appearing that weren’t there before COVID19 that are beneficial to my business? New or different areas to operate in? New products or services you could provide? New staff, that you can now access in any geographical location?

Are there technology solutions that could reduce costs or provide new or different relationships with your customers? 

Take this time to make a set time every day when you reflect on the possible and the new, there has never been a better time to use your time to re-imagine the future, your future.

The author, John Hanby, has spent the majority of his consulting life working with businesses and individuals helping them re-imagine themselves and their businesses.

“At Bizcertainty, the only thing we’re certain about is that unless you keep re-imagining the future of your business, your business future is uncertain.” 

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If you’ve ever made sourdough bread you’ll know that you require a starter. No starter, no bread. Good bakers treasure their starters because they’ve had them for years and the taste and quality of their sourdough bread is determined by the quality of their starter.
It seems to me that your best staff are like a starter. What does a baker do to maintain their starter and how does this apply to you?

1. Tend to it every day: It makes sense to remember that your best staff give you the least problems and therefore deserve the majority of your time. Use the 80/20 rule and divide your time and attention accordingly. Let your most important staff know that they are important to you by paying attention to them.
2. Feed it daily with quality flour: As the baker remembers to take care of their starter each day, so a good manager should adopt the same habit. Keep them informed by feeding them with all of the pertinent information to give them confidence in the business and belief that it will still be around at the end of the crisis.
3. Use it in every loaf: A sourdough loaf requires the use of the starter in every loaf. Involve your best staff in every aspect of your business and let them see that their involvement is critical to you and the continuation of the business.
4. The starter works on the flour and water to swell the dough: Recognise that the input and involvement of your best staff will grow your business and do the heavy lifting for you. Don’t try to do it all yourself, your best staff will want to be involved in keeping your business going.
5. The future of a bakery relies on the starter remaining healthy: Take care of your best staff, talk to them, involve them in planning the future, remember to tell them that you value them and will always want them in the business.

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