5 Mindset Changes for Senior Managers Post Covid19 Pandemic
All over the world people are walking out of their homes after a period of lock-down, restricted movement and social distancing creating an almost post-nuclear war like scene. Things are going to be different for sure. Phrases like the New Normal, Post Pandemic and Uncertainty are going to be the new Buzz words. While our very lives depended on the Health experts and Politicians during the pandemic, the livelihood of people are going to depend on their employers. Senior Management who will be tasked to lead the masses out of the ‘uncertainty’, (that word again). Saving Lives and Saving Livelihood a new Change Mindset. The question is how are Senior Managers dealing with this Change?
There is big difference thinking about Change as in an Organization Change and Change in Mindset. Although one leads to the other. Changing Mindset should come first. Then the Change in Organization can be orchestrated. The first thing Sr. Managers ought to do is ask themselves ‘what’ is the new mindset that they must adopt.
The following are 5 Factors all Senior Managers in any Industry should re-wire their mindset to.
1) You are in a Technology Business now
2) ROI is out and ROV is in
3) The New Normal Talent
4) Time is no more of essence – Thinking is
5) Risk Management is Rebooting anew
1) You are in the Technology Business
The first thing a normal mindset would prescribe is to digitally transform as many processes or products. So that one can address the social distancing, and minimum person to person contact. That is standard thinking, keeping the existing business model and focus on Digital Transformation. Sadly, that is not going to cut it.
The Change mindset needed is not digitizing but to be a Digital Entity. In that you are now Technology Business or entity specializing in the existing industry you are in, be it the Restaurant, Hotel or an Airline Industry. This may seem to be a subtle play of words but as a business model and concept it’s a big difference.. You are no more in the Hotel industry but are a Tech company providing hotel products or services. Think Grab, Think Air Asia with AVA!
Leaders and Strategist have to work this concept through and through and re-define the products service of the old and create new expanded non-traditional offerings that are relevant in Post-pandemic era
2) ROI is out and ROV is in
There is no more certainty and security. All the money and positive bottom lines with cash reserves cash will never give you or the Organisation security. The Covid19 has clearly demonstrated that.
It used to be a paradigm of ROI that permeated the mindset and the subsequent outcrop of strategies. For the future Post-pandemic era you will only get any returns if you give Value. Organisations that are going to thrive are those that provide True Value and not perceived value.
The future is not secured by financial reserves, share price or financial might of investors but by the need that you cannot be allowed to fail or close down. Think of how governments and world bodies were forced to sustain and resuscitate essential services like medical, education and food. The level of value you add and necessity for your value offering is deemed to be your security. Be in a position where the world cannot afford to let you fail.
It works too if you have a specialized or niche offering, the mindset could be, changing to offer a Value which sustains a Positive Social Impact perhaps a social enterprise. This could be one of the many new Values that could be your security. The new focus on ROV should be aligned throughout the Organisation with new KPIs and processes aligned to Return on Value.
3) The ‘New Normal’ approach to Talent
There are 3 factors your talent management should encompass
i) Absolute Trust and Transparency
In an era and environment of Uncertainty, loss of job security and livelihood threatened, nothing sinks the Organisation as fast as mistrust. Lack of transparency in communication. Hidden direction or agenda for the seemingly protection of the staff themselves to prevent undue anxiety. seems to be the norm that is killing Organisations from responding effectively to the new Uncertainty. Communication and that too deep meaningful communication unlike ever seen in the Corporate world should be the order of the day.
Trusts cut both ways. If you must micromanage, track and monitor your staff for time logged in the System then we are talking either Leadership change or letting go the staff! Trust should be sacrosanct, and a given. No one should even question the issue of one’s Trust.
ii) Talent is your first Customer to add Value
Your Talent is the critical tool that is going help the Organisation navigate this Uncertainty. New Culture, new practices, new ever-changing strategies all will depend on who you have on your Bus. And how you treat them. Throw away the book of financial remuneration, job security, career progression and even meaningful work. These are all the old mantras of the old era. Seek to find out what is the real value you can add to them.
iii) Shared Leadership and Horizontal Org Structure
Leadership models of the past are the best ripped and thrown away for the recent experience has proven how Leadership was toothless in the face of the pandemic. Reflect on world leaders and their helplessness. The new order of the day is best served with shared leadership where leadership could come from any level.
Horizontal is the new order of the day with working from home and being productive without leadership and management. If you thought you had empowered previously, take it to the zenith level now.
4) Risk Management is Rebooting anew
Risk management has been and now should be a ‘Had’ been SOP. You can manage risk only when you can anticipate them. The Covid19 might for all purpose be a recurring nightmare with the Covid21 or Covid25 coming back or cousin of the Covid19 visiting upon us. If anything, Covid19 taught us it’s that risks are not just about Viral Pandemics anymore. Climate Change, global migration and movement of refugees are just some threats that may be as devastating as the recent Pandemic.
So when risk management cannot mitigate risk do what the Penguins did to their Iceberg. Give it up and be ready to reboot anew with new Products and Services. Keeping in mind that flexibility and agility capabilities are your top priority skillset for Change.
Change our mindset to let go of stability and certainty and be comfortable with Uncertainty. This and only this is going to protect us and determine our Survival, nay not just survival, but our ability to thrive.
5) Time is no more of essence – Thinking is
‘What got us here will not get us there.’ The current paradigms of thinking will not do justice to addressing the uncertainty of the future. The problem with this is paradigm thinking which is not easy. Sr. Managers will need mental muscles to determine introspectively why and how they were thinking. How their thoughts were formulated and how the stumbling blocks fears and past successes will refuse to let them see a different paradigm.
The processes of pre-pandemic era were strongly based on paradigm of competitiveness. Speed, turnaround time, first to the market were fruits of that hallmark paradigm. All these strategies were based on a paradigm of competition which has become redundant. Collaboration, cohabitation and its ‘we’ not ‘me’ is the new paradigm.
The World as we know it is slowing down and not speeding up in a frenzy like before thanks to the Covid19 and the subsequent stay at home, work at home has changed the mindset of the population at large. People are taking more time to reflect and be mindful. Mental well being awareness is increasing. Slowing down will translate to more effectiveness vs more efficiency.
The New Normal for Senior Managers is a person skilled in thinking and a thinker. Not necessarily a Doer or a Person of Action. In all fairness most Senior Managers are performers who have delivered. And in that lies their challenge. The skills and ability that brought them to where they are now will not allow them to get there! Wherever that ‘there’ is!
Dr. Muruga is a Management Psychologist. He is also an Executive Coach and Author of 2 bestselling books on the Subconscious Mind and Personal Change. He is a Principal Consultant in Creative Beings Consultancy based and operating in Malaysia.
