For many organisations, the impact of the ash cloud has made them realise just how global the world of business has become. It’s been a bit of a wake-up call. Because so many of us rely on flying staff around the world or on using air transport to import and export goods, we’ve seen some major disruptions to UK businesses.
This is an extreme example of the kind of uncertainty facing us in business today. It is difficult to predict and plan for every eventuality. This is why leaders and managers need to be creative and agile – they need the ability to respond very quickly to unexpected challenges, and to make decisions based on gut feeling. Challenges like this are unprecedented, and require swift solutions.
This has also been a particularly difficult challenge for many who have lost millions of pounds worth of business and seen their share price fall. So leaders also need the ability to make tough decisions to minimise the impact this has had.
This also presents great learning opportunities for leaders and businesses. For example, some employees may have the opportunity to extend their skills and experience to cover the roles of colleagues stranded overseas. Virtual team working can be deployed and improved when it’s not physically possible to get people together. Employees can work with others they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to work with. Those organisations who already use technology such as videoconferencing, elearning and online collaboration tools are well placed to face many of the problems we’ve faced over the past week.
For some, this has also been an opportunity to examine whether they need to rely on air travel quite as much as they do. When they look closely at the resources needed to complete a job or deliver a contract, many are available locally. Do we really need to fly expert colleagues around the world when often they could be utilised closer to home?
Some businesses have had to quickly diversify and adapt the services they offer, to meet the needs of their customers in order to survive. Many have seen a bit of Dunkirk spirit emerge, where employees are working together increasingly closely and creatively to triumph in the face of adversity. The ash fallout is a good example of a situation where the strongest, fittest and crucially, the most adaptable, will thrive.
How have you and your organisation coped with the ash cloud challenge? Has it been tough, and what have you learned?
The green shoots of recovery are appearing. But when the current recession finally ends, and things return to 'normal', what will the new ‘normal’ look like? Will things ever be ‘normal’ again?
Business has become more complex, diverse and uncertain. This will only continue. In fact, it is likely to become a lot more complex, diverse and uncertain. Don’t believe it? Consider how global our economy has become. More players from around the world will be entering markets and competing successfully. We’ll see new technological breakthroughs which could alter everything. We’re running out of valuable natural resources. I could go on.
And even when the economy does recover, there are other critical areas which may take a bit longer to get back to 'normal'. One key area is trust in organisations – will employees, customers and other stakeholders ever trust again?
Uncertain times call for whole leadership. Whole leaders use their head to set strategy, their heart to connect with the world and their guts to make instinctive and intuitive decisions based on clear values. The smart leaders who successfully combine these skills are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities the new, volatile normalcy presents.