Every crisis has three phases: the emergency, a regression, and, finally, a recovery. And while the latter phase may seem like smooth sailing in comparison to maneuvering your business through Covid-19, it can actually be filled with withdrawal, loss, and doubt. That’s because, during the emergency, the sense of purpose seemed crystal clear: Act now. Safeguard the business. As the recovery unfolds, more fundamental and nagging questions arise: What comes after? What parts of our business and organization will even be relevant in the future? What is the new big picture? To address and answer these questions, leaders should focus on three areas: recognizing that they’re faced with a new, broader challenge; recalibrating their team; and reopening with attention paid to the small stuff.
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“Our business is coming back faster than I had ever imagined. That’s really good news, so I should be thrilled. But why am I not feeling relieved?” a senior leader asked me recently
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