2020 was a rough year. We know this by now. Still, 2020 was not all bad as it brought up some shifts, away from our rat race, that had been necessary to make us stop and think for a (“universal”) minute.
We had a firsthand glimpse into what matters most and what we have forgotten to keep important for so long in our lives: connection, communication, and commitment. We all started learning this as we went.
Here I am, about to recapitulate what has happened in 2020 and what I am anticipating to accompany us in 2021 and I thought it should be something to share as it concerns all of us:
1. Connectedness
We have had a lot of time to think and deal with ourselves. Many of us started to prioritize our time as well as the people that we want to spend it with within our core bubbles. Since there has been nowhere to go and being too busy to connect hasn’t been an excuse anymore we are more connected than before by getting in touch with people in a sudden shift virtually…and uncomplicated.
By now, everyone knows how to start video chat – so we progressed not even in connectedness, but some people gained an increased understanding of digitalization. Especially elderly peers.
Dinner parties and happy hours are just a few occasions that we anticipated with virtual possibilities to connect and forget for a while that we are not in the same room.
But the biggest advantage of being connected has been the fact of showing love and availability.
2. Support
As businesses had been shutting down during the first hit of COVID-19 we still had the option to interact and support locally – and we better continue in doing so! This is the way of keeping our communities alive by spending money on local businesses and show love through our support in our communities instead of mass-shopping from global retail giants and fast food-chains.
Enjoy the coffee in the little bakery down the road and get your next unique sweater from the boutique around the corner!
Instead of ordering Christmas gifts online, many people have shown their respect and support for businesses close to their hearts and homes by purchasing their goods and gifts locally.
The protocols that each business has in place are, for the most part, very well adhered to and show people’s respectful handling of being in this together by the way we look after each other in our daily responsible interaction. This is so beautiful to see!
3. Trust & Accountability
When it comes to the workplace, COVID-19 has shaped a new comprehension of workstyles, simply out of necessity. Not only the way in how we work changed after physical business spaces went into lockdown but the way in which we collaborate.
We have experienced a shift into trust-based coworking and leadership. Management has had to rely on getting results delivered within people’s own time management as the schedule became invisible to the leaders through remote work handling.
Further, support through leadership is expected and more than welcomed with creative ways of connecting.
Accountability became a great measure of people-business and is here to stay.
So, all signs are up for a new age of leading in a remote world that is connection-based, dependent on communication skills and emotional intelligence.
All in all, we have learned so much in this past crazy year, it was not all bad.
I see this as a necessary wake-up call to remember the things that really matter and to change perspectives on how we once used to be or what we used to do before we became too busy to connect and too much worried about control. Suddenly, the people we have been used to see all the time are out of sight, we are alone but simultaneously closer than ever before.
Let’s all take these values into the new year to start it off with a grateful heart, aiming for honest support, care, and collaboration. We are in this together. We are all shaping 2021.
>> Is your intention setting done? If not, I am happy to support your growth and new venture plans throughout 2021.