The Covid pandemic has sent a subtle message that many organizations have not yet heard and responded to. That message is, “Beware of the threat of a pandemic!” Before we address the true meaning of the threat, let us investigate the basis that gives this message the power behind it.
Variation is Our Enemy
Nature and the universe on a whole, are amazingly efficient. One of the ways that this becomes a reality is, by the use of “variations on a theme.” Seemingly complex conditions can be created simply through making minor variations at specific points within the whole. It repeats itself with enough variation to create what appears as unique individuals.
A better way to see the beauty of this is found within “music imitating nature.” This has been one of the way concert symphonies are described. Many symphonies are based on eight “bars” of music. For those who want to know a bit more, in some cases, that is just 32 musical notes. This, of course, can vary, based upon note duration, etc. but the point is that when one listens to a symphony, they are often immersed in the complexity of it. The fact is that the same 8 bars are played repeatedly with slight variations over the course of the symphony. Oftentimes the composer will write half of the total score and then reverse the variation and return to the original theme at the end.
Another interesting example is found in DNA. In a human, there are only 46 chromosomes. These chromosomes are made up of literally tens of thousands of base pairs. Humans have a basic form, differentiated enough that we can easily differentiate between a mouse and a human, but beyond that point variation takes over to the point that no two humans are virtually the same.
The Hidden Threat
We have belabored the variation on the theme concept, but it is important to recognize it in order to understand a hidden threat, that Covid poses, to the economy and society on a whole. Covid’s threat as a virus will subside as a vaccine is distributed and the society builds immunities to it. Covid, however, has exposed a hidden weakness in our economy and society
Some psychologists have warned of the Post traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSDs) that the pandemic and quarantine has created, others claim to have identified inherent weaknesses within individuals on a whole, that limit tolerance and subsequent resiliency. Whatever the root cause may be, the fact is that Covid has left a scar that poses as an ongoing threat to our economy and society, for a decade, if not a generation to come.
Our current focus has been on the “Covid virus” part of the phrase “Covid pandemic”, but the real ongoing threat is from reactions of a large mass of individuals that panic or respond adversely on a pandemic scale.
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The fears of a deadly pandemic and the subsequent quarantine were in response to a virus that no one could control. The fact of the matter is that in the remainder of this decade and the decade to come, economic and social reactions to potentially uncontrollable situations, deadly or not, will take on a similar but appear like our response to a potentially deadly virus. Why? Because we have done it before, and it worked.
Businesses have little or no control over the situation, but they have total control to how they respond. Economies around the world teetered on the brink of collapse. Many businesses closed, Others immediately adjusted and survived and still others thrived. All these businesses had the same set of threats. How they responded made all the difference. Some will argue that there was a difference between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses and their survival was driven by that single category. This may be true in part, but many “non-essential” businesses survived, and it was again due to their response to the situation.
The Future is laden with Threats and Opportunities
In the upcoming years, variations on the Covid theme will arise. The threat may not be from a virus. The source could be social, or environmental. What matters is the social and economic reaction and response to it. It has been said that “history will repeat itself, until we learn the lesson that it intends to teach…” There are many lessons related to Covid.
From the Cii perspective, organizations and businesses need to create a 3-part plan to remain viable while waiting for the next threat and in a position to respond to whatever is thrown at them. The Cii BPM delivers 3 plans as part of the process of developing a comprehensive Business Process Management System. They include:
A Management Plan which controls the business’ day to day operations in the current environment.
A Reaction Plan which controls responses to changes in operations bring it back to “normal” in the current environment.
A Disaster Recovery Plan which prioritizes threats and creates responses for as many possible scenarios as possible and response plans for each.
Organizations and businesses would be much better off having these plans in place with only the Management Plan being used. The other two plans safeguard against the natural threat of “variation of the theme” that I am sure will become more apparent in the coming years. Properly established the combination of these plans can open new market opportunities upon a change in conditions.
If you need help, the Cii is positioned to be the one to do so, with its team of seasoned and experienced experts. They can address and improve current performance challenges and set the stage for continually improving, and resilient performance. Put your organization in a position to be able to handle nearly anything that is thrown at it. Check us out at www.thecii.com