Pandemic Problems? Sure, But We Have Hope, Lots & Lots of HOPE: By Jeffrey Valles, Colonial Bronze

Time and time again we hear that hope is not a strategy and should have no part in day-to-day planning. With all that said and noted, a business without hope will slowly shrivel and die.

No matter how well constructed, financed and staffed, all businesses will go through times of trouble. Markets will realign, products will lose their delight and a pandemic can shut down an entire economy. Twice. These incidents can take even the finest sculpted business and throw it straight into a hurricane of uncertainty. This is when owners and managers must have hope; lots and lots of hope. It is in these times when talented leaders throw off the shackles of logic and fight to keep their companies alive, their employees confident and their customers engaged. This is no easy feat, but one’s hope for the future drives them to do anything to make that future possible. It’s what small business owners have been doing for centuries.

Hope plus love of the business, commonly referred to as passion, gives one the blind energy to fight against all odds. But with all of hope’s inspiring benefits, we cannot let hope get in the way of doing smart work. Hope fuels us. Talent, hard work and a bit of luck will make the day great

Hope for the best and plan for reality.

As your hope for the future helps dull the sting of the pandemic’s resurgence, it is a good time to check in and learn how your employees and customers are faring. As Covid-19 looked to be decreasing, we were beginning to see the light and then WHAM! Going backward is never easy. It makes us feel helpless and ungrounded with no idea of what is coming next. Now, owners and managers need to reach out and leverage their hope for all to see. Help those in your business world find a grounding in the day-to-day work. Help both your employees and customers locate and capture the opportunities that remain.

No one really wants to be left alone in times like these. They might not be looking for a party pal, but they are looking for a trusted business partner when together both parties are stronger. Once again, let’s not over think this. Management’s job is to place its employees in the best possible position to succeed and support our customers in their business endeavors. The more we listen, chat with and observe our employees and customers, the better partner our brand will be. When this is carried out successfully, employees will remain engaged in what benefits them and the company versus fixating on the global gloom. This focus will allow them to effectively listen, chat with and observe your customers and help them navigate these bizarre times.

Hope is a unique superpower for management. Like any superpower, if applied too often it loses its might and if taken for granted it can deceive us but when used effectively, we can bring down giants.

Do we thank Pandora or…?