The economic shock post Covid-19 means there won't be any 'normal' for some time. Peter Kerr, MD at coaching specialist AuxinOKR, says the time is now for businesses to embrace change. A series of workshops have been launched to help.
If anyone thinks they are going to return to the way they were trading before the pandemic, then they are in for a rude awakening. We won’t see a new normal anytime soon. Economic conditions are tough and more disruption is on the way. Business leaders regionally, nationally and globally need to prepare for the challenges.
This is not a time to ignore the present and sugarcoat the future. I don’t want to sound either negative or alarmist, but we are plunging head-first into unchartered waters.
We remain in choppy COVID waters, we’re surrounded by recessionary pressures and in the UK, we have the added uncertainty of Brexit. Forward-looking businesses need to prepare now, develop a robust strategy to confront today’s challenges as well as the curveballs that are likely to be thrown in the future.
Of course, some companies and organisations will already be well down the path of reviewing business operations and their strategies for growth; for some this might be more about survival than growth. The best leaders will rise to the challenge, make some tough decisions and embrace change. Companies that embrace change to ensure continued growth and greater operational resilience will be the winners in the years ahead. We believe the adoption of OKRs will be the salvation of many companies. It is a critical thinking framework that turns business strategy into measurable goals.
OKRs – which stand for objectives and key results – provide a management team and its workforce with focus by setting ambitious goals which are then achieved through specific tasks. Success is measured by the key results which describe the outcomes you want to achieve. Objectives can be very fresh and based on the latest information at a point in time, allowing you to align teams and shift efforts, perfect when the economic world has been turned on its head.
In a time of such uncertainty setting ambitious targets for a future we cannot predict is just guesswork. Instead, use the OKR framework to explore the assumptions about what the world will look like in the future and establish how your company or organisation can continue to be relevant to clients by adding value and improving long term sustainability.
Working in partnership with RTC North, Scaleup North East and the Supply Chain North East, we have developed a unique series of workshops intended to help regional businesses survive and thrive during these volatile times.
If you want to shape the future of your business, rather than be shaped by it, these workshops will provide a strategic framework based on critical thinking and agile principles.
The three workshops, run over three days towards the end of October, are:
WORKSHOP 1: It’s Tin Hat Time!
Creating an action plan that makes a business and leadership team more resilient.
WORKSHOP 2:
Leading for a Better Future Strengthening leadership skills.
WORKSHOP 3: Making It Happen
Using OKRs to ensure your strategy execution is as good as your planning.
When OKRs are embedded in a business they will:
-Create a sense of urgency.
-Give clear accountability.
-Establish a culture that embraces learning.
-Help spot any blockages.
-Create momentum to drive progress.
-Foster a commitment to continuous improvement
For more information please visit: www.auxinokr.com/rtc-supplychain-workshops
