The crisis is here, fierce and strong like none before it. No one really knows how long it will last or what impact it will have. It is a huge, immensely powerful storm that is sweeping everything away, throwing everything into turmoil, and in which the old rules of how and what to do no longer apply. Will the market be different afterwards? That is impossible to answer and is not important right now. First, we have to get through the storm, hopefully safe and sound. Here are a few thoughts for those who find themselves in this situation with their companies—which is to say, everyone at the moment.
1. Talk to your clients
Talk! Talk! Talk! Across all channels. By all means. Call them. Use video conferencing so they can see you. Use social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Xing, even Instagram. Be clear, open, honest, and transparent. Tell them what's going on with you and what you plan to do. No drama, just the way things are right now and what you intend to do about it. Don't tell a story, because you and your company are in the middle of a storm right now. It can change at any time, become even more violent, and then you'll have to speak again, probably about new measures. And your facts must always be true, your plans must fit together, even if they change. Only if you are clear and honest now will you retain your credibility in the future. And you're going to need it.
2. Sell, listen, and convince
Sell! Direct! Fast! Sales are even more important now than they used to be. And to do that, you need to know who really needs what right now. In this extraordinary situation, all your clients have completely different needs and requirements than before. Projects, purchases, and promotions that seemed important just a moment ago are no longer there. So: what do they really want? What do they really need? Ask them, observe them, and listen to them. What can you offer them that will actually help them? You have to show them, they have to find it with you, order it, and you have to be able to deliver it quickly, or at least respond immediately. Fast and decisive action is important now.
3. Keep your company running
Work! Work! Work! Your business needs to keep running now. Your team must be kept busy; they must be able to do something that gives them all the feeling that they are contributing something important to a positive outcome. In sailing terms, this means keeping the ship moving. It must keep moving. Soccer players express this somewhat differently: get into the game through fighting. They add that through hard work, you can regain the playful elements that are also important for success.
4. Create! 10 good ideas a day
It's up to you while the storm rages. You have to find new ways, new solutions. Your mind is working at full speed; there's no need for routines. Think everything through again, do things differently. New situations will constantly arise in which you have to act in new ways. But also trust in what you can do, what you have learned, experienced, and discovered. What will help you now is your seamanship, your craft, your skills.
5. Prepare! Plan!
Be prepared for all kinds of new situations. Remember: it's a storm. It's unpredictable and can change direction completely from one minute to the next. You think it's calming down, and the next moment it's stronger than ever. Observe your surroundings, everything that could happen or have an impact. Factors that never played a role in your market before may now be crucial. But it's not the same as before; there are no longer any “industries.” In a storm and at sea, there are now new waves, even darker clouds, even stronger winds. Other ships far away are starting to list—to prevent the same thing from happening to you when the squall hits, you need to reef your sails early. To draw the parallel: take economic measures in good time so that you don't end up in a similar situation. That way, you can keep calm on board and continue your journey, albeit more slowly, but at a reasonably steady pace.
6. Give a little joy. Hope.
For your clients. For your crew. Give them a smile, give them strength. Everyone needs that now more than ever. And it's part of your job. You all belong together. Support each other, help each other. With words and with actions. Stand together. That's the only way you'll all get through this storm: clients, colleagues, suppliers, the whole team.
7. Set a course
Have a goal in mind that you want to achieve. Set your course to achieve it. And be prepared to change it at any time. Because the wind will change, the waves will get stronger and higher, a reef will appear ahead of you, or something else unexpected will happen, maybe even damage to your ship. But you're the captain, you need to know where you're going. And no matter what happens, you adjust your course, change it, and find your way back. The most important thing is to sail the ship through the storm. An incident? A setback? No matter: keep fighting, keep sailing, and don't stop.
8. Eventually, the storm will pass
Imagine how it will feel when you have all made it. When you can sail calmly again, are back on land, talking to each other and rejoicing that you have made it. Right now, it's hard, you're pushing yourselves to your limits and beyond. It hurts. But you'll make it, precisely because of that.
9. Tools: what you need
Even now, in the worst storm, you must always check your ship, or your company, all the sheets, sails, fittings, and knots at all times and thoroughly. Is everything in order, is everything in the right place, are the sheets running smoothly, are the sails set, do you need to change any settings, tighten something, loosen something, haul in, reef? Sometimes it's the little things in and around the ship and the crew that make a big difference in a storm. You have to pay attention to every detail, at all times. And even now, in this situation, it may well be a good idea to start something new, introduce a new tool, or launch a new project. Why? Because in a week or two, it may be exactly the tool that leads you to your goal and helps you survive this storm.
- An example: You don't have an online shop yet – build one now, immediately. Because you've never needed one more than right now, when your clients have to stay at home and can no longer come to you. But don't build it in giant steps – take small steps, with quick solutions for immediate results.
- Another example: Your company has never been able to work from home before. Now you're introducing it, and fast. Otherwise, you may not be able to work tomorrow. What tools, processes, and rules do you need? You need to respond quickly.
10. No niceties
Clarity—tell it like it is.
- Analyze the situation. Accept it as it is. You can't change what happened earlier, last week, or even yesterday. Just look ahead. What you, what all of you together want to achieve. That's what's important now.
- Describe the situation as it is. Don't sugarcoat it, don't dramatize it. Say what it is and what you're going to do. Ask others for their opinions. Check your own perspective. Then decide. Together with others, with everyone, or alone. As is appropriate. In the end, one person gives the order to maneuver. Otherwise, it will be too late.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Master and Commander, based on the fantastic books by Patrick O'Brian. Exciting and with many storm scenes—this is how a crew and a captain or a female captain and the senior crew members must stick together and work together.
“Aufrichten und Weitergehen” (Stand up and keep going): Gabor Steingart has set up a great podcast called “Der achte Tag” (The eighth day). It features selected bright minds reflecting on the present and the future. In the episode from Monday evening, March 23, 2020, mental coach Antje Hemsoeth talks about how to find strength in a crisis. She advises top athletes and board members, and her thoughts, images, tips, and models on how to motivate yourself in such extreme situations are similar—different words, similar message. Very exciting and highly recommended!
Questions about our sailing and other experiences in storms...
and how to get through them, hopefully well: pole-position@drive.eu
