Keep score Current & future clients, suppliers & workers keep score of how firms behave. During Covid-19, we’ve learnt to count paid/ unpaid contributions, and recognise decent/ poor conduct. Firms’ social capital, brand & goodwill are being immeasurably, but markedly, changed by the crisis. The financial tally will follow Guessed the Word? …
Month: June 2020
Crash View Covid-19 as a huge computer operating system crash. But instead of merely installing a software patch & carrying on as before, let’s reset. Fix what we got wrong, and go forward on a new & different basis. Control Alt Delete Guessed the Word? Series 60 (8/9) pic: Dr…
Indispensable Soap opera. Greatest life-saver & now Covid-19 indispensible item. Dish the dirt – why do billions comply with instructions to wash their hands with soap? Because we believe science, public authorities & the media. Unexplained orders from distrusted bosses don’t wash. What’s the story? Simple soap & glory Guessed the Word? …
Rush to untie lockdown shackles. Unknowingly, we’d all rehearsed for Covid-19 for 20 years & moved to online orders; work/ study from home; email instead of writing; being entertained when & where we choose; got video-conferencing to replace meetings. So, prepare now to set your firm free – will it be radically different? much the same?…
Trinity A trinity of partners, working in sync, can propel progress after Covid-19: 1. Private innovation 2. Public investment, and 3. Social support, for those who won’t benefit from 1. & 2. The right party, pedalling interchangeably in the driving seat, will speed up the journey to recovery. And guard against too many being left…
Guess the Word and Contact Us for Prizes! Series 60 starts soon….. 1st letter of each Post Title (in a Series) spells a business word – spelt correctly or jumbled up. Previous answers: Series 59 spelt H-E-Y-P (HYPE) Series 58 spelt B-I-O-M-E-Z (ZOMBIE) Series 57 spelt R-O-U-G-H-F-L-U (FURLOUGH) Series 56 spelt N-O-W-L-O-C-K-D (LOCKDOWN) Series 55 …
Plague How to trade during plague? See past precedents. Plague stone receptacles at parish & quarantine boundaries sterilised coins in vinegar, in exchange for goods. 1348-50 Black Death took 1/3 of Englanders. 1665-66 Great Plague killed 100,000 Londoners (1/4 of the city). Then & now: Panic buyers welcome! But disinfect before entry Guessed the Word? …
Yank out Covid-19 dilemma: how to yank out under-performing products/ services/ units? A gentle approach spreads the pain, but slow removal just prolongs the agony. Rip off the sticking plaster in one go. Swift, short, sharp shock; then focus on higher-margin &/or better prospect items to ensure survival Guessed the Word? Series 59 (2/4) pic:…
Everything Covid-19 is the ‘everything crisis’. Its impact is sharper, deeper & less predictable than previous shocks. Even good firms & talented workers will be affected. Don’t put all the eggs in one basket – diversifying reduces risk of running out of cash before recovery starts. To get an omelette, we have to break eggs. …
Home office Covid-19 workplace divide: those with a home office & those without. We’re all home workers now. What’s needed to settle down to work in unsettling times/spaces: A dedicated workspace. A solid, spacious desk. A comfy chair. Overhead & desk lamps. Ideally, a window. Adjust as needed for online meetings – ironically, when working…