A “New Normal”, Are You Ready?

A “New Normal”, Are You Ready? – by Arnie Wohlgemut

The other day I was chatting with two friends and the topic of “things going back to normal” came up. One hopes that after this pandemic is over, things would be back to “normal”. The other was not so sure our old “normal” would ever be back.

This is not a new topic; do a Google search and you will find an estimated 100+ articles written about a “new normal”, some with hypothetical images of what that would include.

“What the world needs more than ever are courageous, genuine leaders.”

Patrick Lencioni

I believe that all this centres around the need for all of us in leadership positions to learn how to be human again. To be courageous and genuine leaders, caring about the needs of others and not just our own needs. In business, that may mean people focus versus profit focus.

For the first time in my life, our society has to work together for the good of others. For example, physical distancing and wearing a mask is good for everyone. It is not a political statement; it is a reflection of our values.

The time is now for leaders around the world, in business, governments and NGO’s to work together to create a better, more inclusive normal.

“We need to release ourselves from the lie that our worth is work. That our value is tied to a bank account.”

Paula Faris

Having lived through a lockdown, many of us had time to reorder our priorities. Our schedule driven lives, both at work and in our family life, have been so compressed that we had no space for faith and hope. Faith in ourselves and those in our care and hope for humanity.

Yet, the desire to have things go back to “normal” is firmly placed in our sub-conscious.

We wish for things go back to normal is because we were comfortable with the life we created. It was predictable even though it may not have been fulfilling and enjoyable.

I am looking forward to a new normal while being cautiously optimistic about what the future in management and leadership looks like.

We can’t change our way of thinking or renew our priorities from the comfort of “the superficial and the legacy models of the past” says Dr. Lance Secretan. “It is time to ask ourselves, Am I capable of doing this? Do I wish to do this? Am I tweaking and amplifying the paradigms of the past, or bringing about the new thinking necessary for a sustainable future?”

Where do you stand? What are you willing to do to help humanity with the “new normal?