I feel we are at a sea change.
Maybe it’s things that are happening in my own life and work. And maybe it is the wider context of how the world is moving through the pandemic. Or maybe it’s the things that are happening in my own community. Though I’m aware the ebb and flow nature of the pandemic is very regional. So, you might be experiencing it differently.
Still, I feel we are on the cusp of change.
A change we want to reflect in our messaging. In how we engage and respond to customers.
And it’s not the first time this has happened in the pandemic. Remember in the early days how there were lots of aerial video shots of empty cities and voice overs saying we are there for you. Then after a few months that gave way to more down to earth intimate videos reflecting specific individual responses.
I don’t think the first were wrong for the time they were shown. When we were all in initial shock, the more authentic videos may have been overwhelming. Then we moved on and they seemed cold and misplaced.
So, what is the change that I am seeing now.
I think we need to get past just surviving and move towards thriving.
We have all had to exercise our resilience muscle over the past 19+ months. Certainly, that’s been important. I believe resilience can be all encompassing as a value, skill, and behavior. It is that tie a knot and hang on. It is surviving.
But to be a contrary voice. Sometimes surviving isn’t enough. I think that point comes when “just surviving” becomes chronic. We get tired. Our customers get tired. We become ripe for disruption.
Now I’m not knocking resilience. I think it’s been hugely important. It is what has helped us survive the moment. And it’s been a big moment.
Yet sometimes resilience perpetuates the status quo when we need is to really shake things up. Sometimes resilience keeps us in the moment.
When the way forward is to look past the moment. For me that is what vision is. And what strategy is.
I believe the sea change is to begin again to unravel our vision of the future. To look past the moment. Then to strategize. To consider what do we need to do to focus on growth again. On thriving.
More importantly, to consider what our customers need to do to focus on growth again. To change our customer engagement to reflect this. To encourage our customers to focus on thriving.
Where do you see this in your own work?
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