When we emerge from the covid-19 pandemic how do you want your “next normal” to look/feel/be?
Building a bold vision for the future starts with introspection.
It seems an eternity away right now, like you’ve just crossed the start line of a marathon – but we don’t even know how long this run will be.
Maybe you’re preoccupied keeping your head above water, supporting your teams in adjusting to this new landscape. Maybe you’re hunkered deep in a feeling of overwhelm. Or are the distractions and complexities of home working among all the family making any quiet “thinking” time impossible?
Perhaps this is exactly the best time to begin thinking intentionally and strategically about the future. When we emerge from this Corona virus lock-down, (and we will), what is the next normal you want to build for the team, the organisation, and yourself?
How can we start to build a bold vision for the future?
It begins with introspection. Create a space for reflection and get curious. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Poke around in the answers that surface and ask of them, “why?“.
Try this as a focus for getting started.
Look to the “old normal” and “today’s (new) normal” – get curious about each,
- how is it better?
- what’s easier here?
- what are the points of friction?
- what is there to appreciate here?
- which skills serve you best here?
- what capabilities serve the team’s success?
- what do you mourn for here?
Your answers contain valuable seeds of self-awareness. What proportion of your answers are task-oriented, and what proportion are relationship-oriented ?
Hang out a little longer in the space where you have fewer answers.
And if you like more structure with which to generate ideas, try exploring these categories:
1) Instrumental content…
relating to tools, process, metrics, plans
2) Relational content…
relating to your relationships, interpersonal behaviours, team interactions
3) Existential content…
relating to who you are being, your impact, strengths, weaknesses
Knowing what you do want might not come easily. Knowing what you don’t want will give you clues. So if you know what you don’t want to build into your next normal, what will you build to fill that void?
I hope my writing provokes some useful reflection for you.
As usual, please leave me a comment below if they’re still open, and please do share this article with folks who might find it helpful.
Leadership need not be lonely!
