Session Review May 2020
Hosted by Andrew Stoneham Knott, Managing Partner at Miramar Global, with introductions from both Derek Gaunt and Andy Salmon on consecutive days, May’s goal was to encourage a discussion about how leaders are assessing the recovery from COVID-19 and what that means for strategy development and communications.
The discussion centred around business transformation, with a view that there would be no return to our perceived state of normal. We are shaping new lives and operating environments now, an initial need driving a desire for a different way to do business. With cultural transformation underway, and entirely new approaches being baked into company culture we talked about the importance of taking a strategic pause and managing both personal and professional energy to ensure leadership longevity.
Members considered whether we were about to witness the emergence of post COVID-19 “trusted trading hubs” for countries who share a fact based, demonstrable and compatible policy approach and what that would mean for global travel and therefore the consequences for business.
We touched on whether we would start to see the mobility of operations or workforce into these “hubs” or zones in the short to medium term. The open forum allowed guests to seek views and guidance from their peers in a closed environment and learn the different views within other strategically aligned organisations.
Clear guiding principles have helped to shape the narrative of many corporate responses to the challenge posed by COVID-19 and communication has been at the forefront of most agendas. The session attendees shared their experiences of communicating with their teams and the value of their leadership.
Fear and uncertainty has been a driver in a lack of ability to absorb and react to change and our members shared their own experiences of what has and hasn’t worked for them. We learnt the importance of empathy to challenge fear and encourage a reciprocal mindset in order to undertake successful business communications. We shared ideas on using training to increase ability and energy within our teams.
Finally, Andy Salmon introduced us to the power of the “OODA Loop”. Observe, Orient, Decide, Act as a roadmap for communication. Based on his experience within a military setting, he shared how the structured approach used in military exercises can be translated into a professional environment for best practice in high pressure situations.
