Let’s not get back to normal.
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New normal? The old normal? Aren’t we really saying let’s get back to what’s ‘acceptable’. Which for too many people for far too long has been having an account at the Bank Of Blatant Compromise.
In my book going back to normal is out of the question. Let’s not confuse things with nostalgia here. Yesterday’s gone. While we won’t get that time back, we can certainly unpack and learn from it. I for one don’t want to go back to the old normal or ‘normals’.
Leaders expecting their staff to do and give their all, need to understand that it’s a two way street and that they need to do more to help their people make informed decisions. A far more consultative approach is needed now and one that’s far from transactional.
Today we have an opportunity to decide what comes next, our ‘Next Normal’ if you need a handle for it. And what that looks like.
For me the primary principle should be (as it always has been) sustainability. And I don’t mean purely the climate and environment here. I’m talking how we lead and support each other, with sound principles that help guide our businesses and organisations and the people that they serve – their customers and themselves, as team players. Helping people better understand the value of their contributions, how they can effect better outcomes for everyone involved including their customers. Empowering them to become leaders in creativity, ideation, empathy, focus – everything that helps them achieve greatness without compromising themselves or those around them.
Call me overly optimistic. But I can already visualise what the next normal looks like. Full of challenges that’ll stretch me for sure, but using the principles of sustainability I’ll spot compromise and help avoid slipping back to ‘Normal’.