#6 Letter of Inspiration - What now? Action?

The lockdown put basically the world in a kind of "hibernation". This with the only difference that we were fully awake with a clear mind during this hibernation. If one observed the reactions in society, two groups surfaced: the activists and the paralyzed. Even though we are not trained for an exceptional situation like this, the one part tried to continue its great drive for action, the other part was paralyzed by the wave of uncertainty.

We cannot yet fully imagine the economic damage caused by this pandemic. What is visible, however, are the health consequences. The virus claims victims, but the so-called lockdown also has a major impact on the mental health and well-being of many individuals.

The isolation is slowly being lifted, but everyday life suddenly seems like a visit to the zoo: Normally thick glass screens or fences protects us from the wild animals - now it is gloves, masks and a minimum safety distance of 2 meters which is supposed to protect us from an invisible danger.

Can business relationships be maintained remotely or is there a risk of developing a similar relationship with our partners as with the animals in the zoo (i.e. none)? Distance cannot simply be resolved digitally. It makes "survival" easier for us, but life in digitality has its limits. Especially when it comes to the human factor. Through the forced reduction of our sensory perception in those digital interactions we are currently losing something that is essential: our intuition.

Of course, the current situation makes me wonder whether, with all these serious events, and times of lockdown and despair allow us to address intuition and the sharpening of perception. I believe that right now the subject of intuition is more important than ever. Not only does the lockdown confront almost all of us with an increased awareness about (the changes in) ourselves, our lives, our fears, nature, the world around us and our interactions. Fortunately there are people who are not in poor health or seriously affected economically. Doers who are used to acting, they too are caught in this empty state between stagnation and progress and have a right to speak and receive positive thoughts.

I would place these people in a third group, alongside the activists and the paralyzed: the considered. They use the void moment, between stagnation and progress, and reflect. It wouldn't surprise me if insights were to emerge in the process that question the unstoppable hunger for continuous growth, for consumption of goods, but also I believe the relationships and communication between fellow human-beings will be questioned. Do you really have to attend every meeting in person? Or to every company apéro or summit? And does it need the new "whatever"? Reflection increases the awareness of scarcity of our time and how to make the best use of it. Suddenly it is all about powerful conversations which stimulate and activate you. Rather less, but a valuable exchange. Not just any conversation, but one that matters for you or triggers something in you.

So, we have rested, gathered our thoughts and are ready to start again. What should we look forward to? Developing together will be essential in the phase to come because if times of crisis are good for anything, it's for reflecting about our own strengths. And this also shows where we need trustworthy supporters.

Existing concepts for success must now likely be reconsidered for most of us and translated into the new context in which we are finding ourselves. However, new thoughts do not emerge in familiar surroundings or in one's own comfort zone, but rather in a controversial exchange with people from other disciplines and idustriers. If you open your eyes, inspiration from other industries can reach you. Whether it is in the creative process of designers who process the current situation in their product variations, or the creativity with which restaurants have reacted to the lockdown. These impulses can be inspiration for you or translated into your own business.

It is no coincidence that the medieval poet Dante Alighieri was accompanied by a trusted friend on his way from “hell to paradise”. In Dante's case this was Virgil. Virgil was a faithful companion, who listened to Dante and guided him. Virgil symbolizes Dante's "intuition". This pandemic was unforeseeable and its size and consequences are still uncertain. That we feel uncertainty is okay, but you don't have to go through it alone. Whereas we are all in the same situation, it is possible to let go of the ego-centeredness and allow others to be involved. That was the moment when Dante met Virgil; an interlocutor who listened, who together with Dante found deep clarity on the core issues, sharpened Dante’s intuition and pointed out paths of action to master the way from "hell to paradise". Virgil - the intuition - is an underestimated weapon in the moments of crisis, which is worth (re-)activating.

The good news is that intuition can be developed and strengthened. We have already begun the journey from hell to paradise. We will only take this demanding and unknown path by opening our own perspective and give space to new thoughts. One carries the thought buds for this within oneself; to let them blossom, one needs the right impulses. The curating of such impulses is my core business and can be seen in events like the Zero Senses Retreat or in individual accompaniment. In 2 ½ days, the retreat format offers natural leaders a firework of impulses from other areas and creates a bridge to application in their own everyday work. The next event will take place in autumn and you can register here for further details.

What inspired me recently: New humility
I wonder whether this "new normal" will really exist or whether everything will simply continue as before the lockdown. And yet, it would be naive to believe that these six weeks in isolation have not left their mark on us. One area that was in demand from the very first minute was management. How do I lead my team over the distance? How do I maintain motivation even during short-time working, and how do I create a perspective without knowing the answer to the question of the future? The Swiss business magazine BILANZ published a detailed article entitled "New humility" in its current issue (05 - May 2020). It postulates against the "ego shooters" in top management and proclaims the time of "selfless managers". At the beginning, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, is quoted from a post to his employees:
"Much is unknown and I know how unsettling and unsafe this feels, I myself worry (...) and wonder when our social fabric will be restored."
Of course, a company like Microsoft is benefiting from these times with its cloud services, an area that has grown by more than 700 per cent. But this figure is not a yardstick for Nadella. He comments: "Meaningless." To be happy about such an arbitrary milestone is "the beginning of the end". Nadella is not alone with this "purpose not profit" attitude. Novartis, Google and IBM follow an entrepreneurial philosophy that is not only rationally driven, but has introduced empathy and intuition as an additional currency.
If this pandemic is good for anything, it is for strengthening cohesion among each other. At least that would be a good starting point after this imposed pause.

With this, my Letter of Inspiration comes to an end… Thank you for joining me on the way to more clarity. If you like this episode, please feel free to share it with like-minded colleagues and friends, encouraging them to subscribe!