It is tempting to write off 2020, a year of anguish and disappointment, cancellation, and loss. Unless your name is Amazon, of course.
But, to make 2021 better, which it has to be, we must learn from the experiences of this year. If not, the hangover of 2020, which will be grim for many, will divide and diminish us.
Here are my five pointers:
- Understand what has changed. Most notably the digital world has advanced 10 years in 10 months. Think how the new order impacts every aspect of your life and adapt where you can
- Be clear about what has not changed. Humanity’s fundamentals remain the same. And remember, C-19 has mostly accelerated trends that existed before the crisis
- Plan like an optimist (quoting VCCP chairman Charles Vallance). Not to advocate naivety but behaviour can be led by attitude and what was not possible before COVID maybe now is
- Overdose on the human touch. We have missed this more than we know. Make presence a priority. Stay safe but seek out, connect, be with. Reboot your business relationships
- Ho ho hold your nerve this Christmas. Losing control of the pandemic again will seriously slow the return to normal life, delaying the vaccine rollout. Think summer holidays
Be merry. Take care. Hail 2021.
Bigfoot is owned and run by Paul Tredwell. Since 2004 I have been an independent communications consultant, delivering a wide range of projects but with a focus on and passion for relationship optimisation.
