The world is re-opening – and what a mess it’s in.

Politically, socially and economically, the challenges are enormous.  Tensions are increasing, gaps are widening, extremism is rampant, supply chains are splintering, health issues are all around us, climate change is accelerating and the All Blacks are losing!!!

Amidst all this chaos, productivity, efficiency, corporate performance, worker dissatisfaction and standards everywhere are slipping.

It’s time we went back to work – personalised yes, flexible yes, but to work we must go.

And not ‘back’ to work, but ‘forward’ to a new way of working.  We must raise the bar to pre-Covid levels in terms of excellence.  We must rebuild our sense of Purpose.  We must re-inspire our people.  We must revive our Culture.  We must develop hunger, ambition, belief and courage.

My former Saatchi & Saatchi Chairman, Bob Seelert (KRC August 15^th, 2022) spelled out 10 truths 10 years ago that will stand all businesses in good stead as the great re-entry begins.  In essence, he advised businesses to:

• Get the truth out on the table,
• Re-establish standards for the new reality,
• Think long term, act short term,
• Communicate, communicate, communicate,
• Get all hands on deck,
• Get out with your customers,
• Stay true to what made you great in the first place,
• Reframe the value of your product or services for the new environment,
• Every time you think of the word ‘add’, you should simultaneously think of the word ‘reduce’; and every time you think of the world ‘create’, you should simultaneously think of the word ‘eliminate’,
• Set tight priorities.

More to follow later this week.

KR