Jeweller - December 2020

Business Strategy
even during the toughest situations, and
those who do not. Which brings me to a
quote that caught my attention during
the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis:
“A crisis does not develop character, it
reveals character.”
The pandemic is affecting people,
businesses, communities and
governments in a myriad of ways, but it’s
also revealing characters.
So, what is character? It is the aggregate
of features and traits that form the
individual nature of a person or thing. It
includes our moral or ethical qualities
as individuals, teams, businesses and
societies.
Some people are magnificent at leading
the way with clarity and purpose, while
others are out of control and create
mayhem and panic. And others still
are somewhere in between.
I know you are already seeing certain
people flash before your eyes as you
read this!
Our character – expressed through
behaviour and actions – does impact
others for better or for worse, especially
in times like this.
As a business owner and manager, ask
yourself these four questions:
• How do I handle myself under
pressure?
• How do I want to handle myself under
pressure?
• How do I want to present myself and
lead in a crisis and beyond?
• How do I want to be perceived and
remembered by others?
As Maya Angelou once said: “People will
forget what you said, people will forget
what you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
Through the second wave – and beyond
While the first few months of the
pandemic were a lesson in character
and preparedness, the next months
crystallised further insights.
First was that relocating can be
liberating, both physically and
emotionally.
I am a creature of habit when it comes
to work routines and had run my
business from a commercial office
space for more than two decades.
I thought working from home would leave
me feeling sad or mournful – however,
the exact opposite occurred.
Instead, I felt free. I also got the chance
to update my workspace and habits
which improved my – and my team’s
– productivity.
They say if you want to change old
habits, the best time to do it is when
you are changing your physical location,
such as moving to a new house or
business premises.
This year has been an opportunity to
change for the better, and to seek out
new ways of working that make sense
for the future of my business.
The next lesson was about the
importance of staying the course;
relationships, commitment, and
teamwork can save the day – or the year!
My team is very strong and committed,
with a clear focus and purpose that allow
us to navigate every situation with a
sense of control.
I promised my team at the beginning of
the pandemic that our number-one job
was to stay together and stay in business,
and we did just that.
Simply put, we did exactly what
we advised other businesses to
do throughout COVID-19 – keep
communication channels open,
develop new relationships and nurture
existing ones, adapt and develop
new offers, and identify new market
segments to ensure that you have a full
pipeline of opportunity.
Knowing how to strategise and sell are
vital business and life skills we can all
benefit from, now and in the long term.
Finally, I learnt that mental health is vital
to our overall well-being. Taking time to
check in with employees, customers and
suppliers does matter.
Sometimes, the best thing we can do
is listen and respect another person’s
KEY
INSIGHTS
Define your
purpose
Unite and focus
your staff by
articulating a
clear vision for
the business
Reflect and
improve
Assess your
management
style and habits,
and how you
can improve
Embrace
change
Times of
crisis and
disruption are
opportunities for
evolution
feelings – even if they are all over the
place and somewhat negative.
However, we can do this in such a way
that we do not get swept up in their
emotions. Instead, as leaders, we can
be a neutral sounding board of calm
and reason, with a ‘Can do-What if’
approach that provides hope and
purposeful optimism.
Equally, it is important for business
leaders and owners make time and space
to unload feelings and emotions in a
healthy way, so that they do not disrupt
their employees, customers, business
partners and family.
The end of an era
I am a 2020 Year 12 parent. Like many
other parents, we have had our fair
share of extra challenges and work this
year participating in the schooling of
our children.
This year also signifies the end of
the schooling years as parents for
my husband and I – 19 years of dropoffs
and pick-ups, parent-teacher
interviews, and so on.
As my son graduated, I found myself
reflecting on these 19 years as part of the
school community; all the relationships,
projects, and community activities we
participated in to help it flourish.
For many people, 2020 represents the
end of an era for their business – whether
it be relocating a store, shifting to
e-commerce, or retiring and handing on
to a new generation.
But if this year has taught us anything,
it is that this process of change is as
wonderful as it is sad; after all, the end
of one era is just the beginning of the
next one.
SUE BARRETT is founder and CEO of
innovative and forward-thinking sales
advisory and education firm Barrett
and online sales education platform
salesessentials.com. Visit: barrett.com.au
59 | December 2020