Tag: pandemic

Hard Won Lessons from the Pandemic

On March 21, 2022

In Career, Leadership, Nicholas Fainlight

The recent pandemic has had a significant impact on the global population. The most-affected countries have seen their economies shrink and populations dwindle due to the virus. But not all countries were affected equally. Some managed to recover from the pandemic.

The Hard-Learned Lessons From Businesses That Survived the Pandemic

1) Keep an eye on the bottom line – A company’s priority is always profit. Still, it becomes even more important to focus on the money coming into and going out of your business in times of crisis. It’s imperative not to lose sight of financial management during periods of crisis because doing so can lead to bankruptcy if things worsen.

2) Businesses can take advantage of political shifts. During times of crisis, governments may be more open to partnering with businesses or providing incentives for companies to implement better practices to boost economic health. Governments may also offer tax breaks or other incentives for companies that invest in areas like renewable resources.

3) Grow a solid customer base – One key lesson from businesses that survived the pandemic was how important it was to have a solid customer base. Many companies that could recover did so because they had loyal customers willing to put up with shortages and difficulties to continue supporting their favorite brands.

4) Diversify your portfolio – Most people are only familiar with “survival” strategies for making it through tough times. Still, this pandemic taught us that different designs are necessary for recovering from a disaster, too.

5) Keeping your employee’s morale high by taking care of them as they care for you. It is important to do your best to keep them healthy in their workplace.

6) Prepare for the worst. The Covid pandemic was swift and sudden. Though it would be challenging to prepare for an event like Covid, it is possible. Think about what you need and what you would want if the situation arose.

Businesses that recovered from this disaster took a variety of approaches. Some diversified their portfolio by expanding into new markets or investing in renewable resources; others used social media campaigns and advertising campaigns as ways to get their message out and grow sales even when they couldn’t.

Great Business Books to Read Following the Pandemic

By Nicholas Fainlight

On August 24, 2021

In Career, Education, Finance, Investing, Leadership, Nicholas Fainlight

Last year’s pandemic made running a business harder than it’s ever been. Even with government aid, business owners had no time to cope with their new way of living, causing over 100,000 small businesses to close for good. As the pandemic finally reaches its close, businesses are facing a promising future. This new future isn’t without its challenges, such as providing new strategies to help businesses succeed in the post-pandemic world. Below is a list of books designed to help business owners cope with new challenges after Covid.

Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And how anyone can harness it. Even you.)

Everyone’s had a rough year with Covid and politics. Tensions are high, and what better way to combat that with a little bit of humor? This book explains why humor is important in the workplace and how business owners can apply it to their own company.

Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

If anything the pandemic has taught everyone, it’s that they need to be tougher in this unpredictable world. Self-discipline is key to facing new challenges facing business owners, and this book gives a complete guide on the history and application of Stoicism.

Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance

The pandemic has taught everyone a new way to do business, and that’s through the use of digital means. If someone wants to work remotely, that can happen. However, without that face-to-face value, building trust and communication is more difficult. This book teaches how to cope with not having employees around anymore to talk with, leading to a more successful business.

Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding from Anywhere

Remote work is still a staple after the pandemic. It opened a new way for employees to work for businesses, and it turns out that it’s very effective. Whether this trend will disappear with the pandemic or not, it’s still a good idea to learn the ropes of succeeding in a remote working environment.

No one knows exactly what the future is for businesses. So it’s best for business owners to equip themselves for anything. Whether it be another pandemic or if they want their business to go in a new direction, these books are here to help.

Remote Leadership Mistakes

By Nicholas Fainlight

On September 14, 2020

In Career, Finance, Investing, Nicholas Fainlight, postgraduate, Technology

Just when you think you have the whole leadership process figured out, a pandemic completely changes everything. Today, instead of face-to-face interactions, you are forced to conduct meetings and catch-ups on video calls. The most important thing is adjusting to the situation and learn how to motivate and manage your team remotely. Understandably, there are new skills you will have to learn. However, many leaders are continuously failing their remotely-working teams by making the following mistakes:

Lack of clear priorities, goals, and directions

As a team leader, you have to set clear priorities and goals to improve team performance. It’s not easy to do this remotely; however, ensure you review your team’s priorities and goals from time to time. An effective team will quickly outline goals, and a good leader will give team members clarity on their roles. Use virtual meeting platforms to update your team about any changes and hold catch-up meetings regularly.

Being Extremely Rigid

Today, most managers are tracking team members’ hours and monitoring daily activities to determine if the employees are working the agreed number of hours per day. Everyone can benefit from a flexible work schedule. Having a better integration of personal and work life can lead to a healthier, more productive, and happier team. As a leader, you should stop micromanaging and tracking how many hours an employee has spent on their screens. Instead you should focus on their daily achievements Give your team some space to breathe and don’t be so rigid. They know what works best for them.

Unproductive collaborations and communication

When working face-to-face, most collaborations and communications take place through informal conversations and interactions. However, this is not there with virtual teams. You need to find ways to foster better communication. The best option is to take advantage of online conferencing platforms such as Zoom.

Unconstructive, inconsistent and non-existent feedback

Giving employees feedback will motivate and improve their performance. It also keeps the team members satisfied since it shows you have their best interest at heart. Be consistent, offer suggestions on how they can improve, and coach them. Let your team learn from you, accept their feedback, and act on it. You can offer frequent feedback to your team through short video calls and creating one-on-one time with individual team members.