Tips to Lead for Growth in 2021

American Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case Studies

There have been great strides in developing vaccines for COVID-19, with four different companies announcing vaccines that will be available soon. While that is great news, the logistics of producing 300M doses in the US, keeping them cold enough for distribution- as cold as -100 degrees Fahrenheit won’t happen overnight. That said, it’s important as a leader to lead for growth next year. Here are three tips to lead for growth in 2021.

Tip 1 – Re-evaluate your business plan

If your business plan is based upon having physical locations, what steps can you take to increase the speed of your digital transformation? If you supply goods or services to industries that have been affected, are there complementary industries you can provide your goods and services to?

Since things appear a little clearer, gather your leadership team to develop the best case business plan for the next two years. Then develop a plan B and a Plan C business plan. Everything that I have read says there will be a phased approach to delivering the vaccine starting with health care workers, people at risk, then the public. I believe it will take until the last half of the year before things return to a semblance of the past. I’m a pretty optimistic person.

Tip 2 – Focus on company culture

If you are like me, you are suffering from COVID fatigue. Many of your employees are being asked to work from home for the first time. The impromptu chatting with neighbors or in a break room has disappeared. Can you establish a morning coffee break employees can join? What about zoom cook-offs where employees can share home recipes and then show the completed meal?

Look for ways to remind people that their hard work isn’t going unnoticed. Can you provide gift cards for a meditation app? Can you purchase gift cards that can be used for a powerful massage gun like a Jawku which can relieve sore muscles from sitting all day on Zoom?

Peter Drucker said culture eats strategy for lunch. It is more important than ever to focus on generating or keeping a positive company culture as everyone adjusts pitches in to support your growth plans for the next two years.

Tip 3 – Over-communicate

If your staff is remote, there is no such thing as overcommunication. Your employees are concerned about the future. Share with them the business plan for the next two years. Let them know what the B and C plans look like.

Provide a forum where they can ask questions and have input into the business plan. The more they are heard, the more ownership they will take in making it happen. It’s a tremendous way to get them involved and engaged to lead for growth in 2021!

As always, it is an honor to serve you, and I hope that you and your company are getting better every day!

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