Thriving in 2021? Yes it is possible

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that everyone from entrepreneurs to freelancers and businesses of all shapes and sizes have had to adapt and change their operations – often simply just to survive. While no-one could have foreseen such challenging circumstances, a silver lining to all this is that they have given us a chance to reset and re-evaluate the way we function, how we see life and the way we work.

Some industries and sectors were badly hit, other businesses had the right products or services to cater in these times and others managed to turn things around by reinventing themselves to then strive for even greater success.

In fact, there are already a number of businesses who have prospered in the face of this crisis, coming out of 2020 stronger and with a positive approach to the difficulties they’ve seen.

Turning around our circumstances has not been exclusive to the work environment. Many individuals that lost their jobs or businesses also came up with different ways of surviving and thrived as a result.

Can you follow in their footsteps? Yes, you can, it is just a matter of having the right mindset.

 

What do we mean by a thriving mindset? Does it apply to the Work from Home scenario?

Before 2020, experts at Psychology Today, said that ‘thriving’ doesn’t just mean gaining success, it involves being open to new views, thoughts and beliefs, as well as being more ‘mindful, accepting and aware’.

When COVID-19 came into our lives, we were forced to leave our known strategies behind.

Working from home only gave us more time to think, to evaluate our situation and some people started asking themselves the right questions.

What can we do? How can we help in this situation? Are there any opportunities?

It’s this mindset that can be translated into how you approach the business world, particularly when up against difficulties stemming from the pandemic.

In other words, taking stock of what is going on, thinking outside the box and considering advice from others, can be instrumental in getting your company out of the mire and blossom – even in the face of adversity.

 

Thriving in business and in your personal career

There are a number of examples of businesses that managed to reinvent themselves as a source of inspiration. This article from Forbes shares 10 instances of businesses now being open to other ways of working and ultimately thriving which include:

• Commercial airlines switching to cargo flights after seeing a 90% drop in passengers.
• Shops and stores that can no longer open becoming fulfilment centres where consumers can collect or arrange deliveries.
• Fitness companies, and gyms offering online workouts and classes via video streaming.
• Entrepreneurs coming up with creative ideas to develop apps to help small businesses to get online quickly.
• Personal trainers and coaches providing services online.
• Some workers on furlough taking time to re-evaluate their priorities and changed careers.

According to McKinsey something that all of these people and companies had in common was a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Asking the right questions to thrive instead of only survive

With all the above in mind, what are the questions we need to ask ourselves as individuals or businesses?

• What can we learn from this?
• How efficient and resilient are we as a business or as individuals?
• Are our products/services relevant under the current circumstances?
• Should we investigate other sectors/careers that we have not explored before?
• How can we stay motivated and focused on our goal when surrounded by uncertainty?
• How can we support our customers during these times?

Most of these questions can be answered with common sense.

So, what are the key learnings that underpin a thriving mindset?

Embracing hybrid approaches

Hybrid approaches can mean having the best of both worlds. A great example is working from home with the option of going some days to the office. Although, most people might prefer to stay at home, having the choice of working from an office is something many companies are offering to current and potential employees. This hybrid approach can provide people with social contact allowing them to enjoy a safe working environment outside of their homes.

Large events and tradeshows are moving towards a mixture of digital and face-to-face options, creating new ways of doing business and offering safety at the same time. This scenario allows people to choose what works best for them and their circumstances.

Being hybrid also means being flexible.

Hybrid stands for breaking the moulds and abandoning the rigidity of past habits that no longer serve you. This fuels a thriving mindset.

Ensuring that your business can cater for your customers’ needs is what matters. Being flexible is vital.

 

 

 

Opening to the digital world

Having an online presence as an individual or as a business was already important before 2020.

However, to really thrive you need to put yourself out there and explore different digital channels to find new ways of connecting with your potential customers.

Being true to your identity and your essence as a business or as an individual can make a difference to stand out online. Making yourself available through different digital platforms and a website with the relevant information can easily allow you to expand your business or brand to an international level.

During the pandemic, some businesses and individuals started using online marketing to offer services in other markets, languages, and boomed as a result.

Becoming greener, leaner, and more efficient

The pandemic has also given many of us a new appreciation of just how much we take the world’s resources for granted. This makes now the right time to employ greener and more efficient working processes. Taking more of your operations online through ecommerce will be a good start, but those in manufacturing, for instance, may want to think about things like sourcing products in a more sustainable way.

This again falls into the ways of the ‘thriving mindset’ and going green will ultimately benefit both your reputation and potentially your customer acquisition and future sales.

Keeping the goal of thriving and striving for success

We all can adapt and thrive. Things have been tough, and you may be feeling deflated, but you can start by asking yourself the right questions and then move forward.

By acknowledging how others have been successful despite the adverse circumstances, we know it is totally possible for everyone to flourish.

Final reflections

Fear can be paralysing, no doubt, but can also galvanise people into action. During 2020, leaders had to go beyond their comfort zone to provide a sense of clarity and direction to their teams. As a company we have employed a more empathetic, positive, and open-minded approach to our operations, which helped us to not only survive but thrive.

Our working relationships with clients and suppliers have become stronger, despite all the difficulties.

By reminding everyone that “we are in this together”, we focused on being true to our essence, while delivering value.

If you are interested in discussing a project, no matter how small, we can help you.

Contact us today.