Covid 19 and that’s when shit hit the roof….

2020 was an unforgettable year for reasons that don’t need explanation. I got thinking about how long this will last and that’s when I hit upon a scene in a movie when someone talks about death and how long it takes for us to forget a dear one who passed away. The actor goes on to say that if you haven’t thought about the person for 24 hours you can then assume that you have moved on. So, if you use that same analogy, the day we don’t speak about the coronavirus for 24 hrs. that’s when we know that we have seen it through.
Until then let’s brace ourselves and hang in there doing what we do best. Remember somethings are not in your control, but we can surely control what we can and we should!

PEOPLE GET TOGETHER
It was heartwarming to see many communities, NGO’s individual families, associations get together to help the migrant population (most of us didn’t even know they existed until now) in whatever ways they could. I know of communities who raised close to 5000 roti’s almost daily until the govt. figured a way to send them back home.
Many dogs on the streets who are used to being man’s best friend suddenly were left to fend for themselves. The biscuits and snacks outside bakeries and chai shops were a thing of the past. With no food, no water, and no place to go many dogs were starving to death. Thankfully again we humans got together to help them out
So, while a lot has been said about how mankind is to blame for everything wrong that’s going on in the world, these acts of compassion restored the faith (that many of us still have) in humanity.

LEADERSHIP TEAM TAKES CENTER STAGE
In the corporate world, things were changing rapidly. Work from home was becoming a new normal. People started getting accustomed to long hours in front of their computer with endless conference calls and mandatory webinars and training sessions. Leadership teams started facing immense pressure, HR heads were on every call deciding what the next steps should be. Equipment had to shipped during the lockdown to enable a smooth WFH, Medical insurances need to be relooked at, Employees need to be kept engaged etc etc.
Leaders who took the bull by its horns and faced the challenges, head-on emerged winners. Decisions too had to be taken faster, much faster.
What set good leaders apart was that they acted with urgency, communicated clearly, responded with urgency, and engaged with their employees, much more than they ever did.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT BECOMES CRITICAL
Most Organizations have started witnessing lower levels of attrition and a few have also started laying off their employees. Unfortunately, at times like these Organizations stop paying attention to employee engagement.
Having said that with the advantage of hindsight, Organizations have realized the importance of keeping employee morale high during this period. Low attrition does not necessarily mean employees are happy.
High performers, if not taken care of, will leave! They will get jobs irrespective of the market situation. The risk, therefore, is that Organizations will be left with a bunch of mediocre people which will have a huge negative impact on performance and productivity eventually.
Progressive organizations are conducting a lot more surveys, 1on1 discussions, open houses and ensuring that they are continuously capturing feedback from their employees, after all, better feedback translates to better decisions

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIVES
Enough has not been said about personal branding. While market dynamics are changing and the future will continue to be uncertain, it’s important for each one of us to consciously upgrade ourselves. There’s enough help if one really wants to learn/upskill themselves. So, go out there and add that skill to your resume.
Similarly, it’s important to make our presence felt on Social media platforms. LinkedIn for example should not be used only when you are looking for a job. There is so much useful information and to get noticed make sure you are not just liking but also commenting and publishing articles of your own
As per Wikipedia, Personal branding is the conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact.
Start paying attention to your own personal branding, What you sow, you will reap…..

BE COMPASSIONATE
It’s been tough for most of us and different people have different thresholds of tolerance and a lot of it is a function of each one’s circumstance. While there probably isn’t much that we can do, at the very least we should be showing a lot more compassion to people around us
Compassion gives us the ability to understand someone else’s situation and then allows us to take certain actions to try and improve their lives. Just knowing the challenges one is facing, puts us in a better position to help them.
It is said that by being a more compassionate, considerate, and empathic person to others, you will not only find peace and genuine happiness within yourself, but you will also become physically healthier and mentally stronger.
In fact, there was an experiment conducted by Michael Norton, a professor at Harvard, where he gave participants a sum of money. Half of them were told to spend the money on themselves, while the other half was instructed to spend money on others.
Not so surprisingly, at the end of the study, the participants who had spent money on others felt significantly happier than those who didn’t.
At our own workplaces, given the sometimes extremely competitive environments, a little compassion, kindness, and concern, could go a long way towards making employees feel more human. Research shows that employees who feel that they are treated with compassion are more committed to their jobs, and tend to stay with the Organization for longer.

Nothing lasts forever and hopefully, this too shall pass. Until then it’s best to make the current situation a learning experience.
Wishing you a fantastic 2021. Let’s make it count….