From endings to new beginnings

Most of us in Europe have underestimated the risk of a pandemic and the consequences for our society and businesses. The impact of the current outbreak varies per industry; some companies will have a very hard time surviving while others thrive. But no matter the economic impact, this crisis affects us all. There is a general feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing what the world will look like afterwards that requires a new mindset and a new set of behaviors. 

Could you take advantage of this period to re-invent your business? Change requires a sense of urgency, that comes either from ‘feeling the heat’ or ‘seeing the light’. Having a clear purpose provides the light, it gives direction for innovation as MIT’s little devices lab demonstrates. Their purpose is to explore the design, invention and policy spaces around DIY health technologies which gave them ample opportunities for COVID-19 efforts such as respiratory support tools. The crisis provides the heat, it creates a new necessity for transformation. We now see universities adapting to e-learning faster than before, restaurants coming up with new dine@home services, hotels becoming birth centers or office spaces, and cocktail bars publishing recipes for ‘quarantini’s’.

And what re-set is taking place on a personal level? This period calls for all of us to embrace uncertainty, to deal with the unforeseen and the unpredictable. In moments of crisis, we need to strengthen our ability to rethink and reimagine the future.  Our society is built upon trust, we can only change this world for the better if we can stay positive and believe we can do so. Only then our dreams have the power to become self-fulfilling prophecies. 

Are you able to embrace the unknown? Can you use this crisis to re-frame your future?