"How are companies adapting to the Covid 19 lockdown situation effectively?”

​One way business owners and leaders are adapting to COVID 19 is by changing the way they manage their business.

Managing a business under the COVID 19 situation as the traditional, linear, project-like approach commerce favours cannot produce a successful outcome. Why?

1. Because there is no history or experience of this kind of situation to inform the business how to progress. In other words, there is no safe ‘blueprint’ to follow for a successful outcome. Everyone is learning as the situation unfolds. ​

2. There are so many people involved, each experiencing different emotions that will explode if a decision is made that makes them feel more uncertain.

3. Everyone has different needs. If these needs are not addressed, riots can break out and civil unrest.
So, a different management approach is needed, one that considers everyone’s emotions and needs within legislation and using technologies effectively and safely so that outcomes are favourable (not necessarily ideal) for everyone.

The different management approach is a systemic approach, one that embraces change, uncertainty, is always acutely on the ball with the needs and emotions of their workers, customers, shareholders, legislation, technologies, and are insightful about the impact their decisions will have on all these factors.
To do this successfully organisations are continuously capturing feedback from these groups, and the wider society, capturing what they are learning along the way as the situation unfolds. This collective knowledge informs the business owner/leaders what steps to take going forward. That is one reason why governments and bosses provide updates around once a week because they need to learn as the situation unfolds before making the next decisions going forward. 

Published on Quora