Thoughts for organizations on their journey to the post-pandemic era

One year ago, our lives collectively changed. We will all remember where we were. I was at Midway Airport in Chicago awaiting a plane to take me back to Las Vegas when the TVs went to the White House and the first briefing by what we quickly came to call the White House Covid Task Force.

Twelve months, 365 days, 525,600 minutes … and yet a century of change.

As the vaccinations sought around the world now find their ways safely and eagerly into awaiting arms, the long Covid-19 tunnel is opening.

Schools are going back to in-classroom instruction.

Early indicators are that there is pent-up demand for travel.

Sports — youth, interscholastic and professional — are making plans to return.

In Las Vegas where I have a vantage point, the strip and its resorts are returning to life.

The vaccination is giving the confidence and optimism for which we have yearned and hoped.

Welcome to the Here and New. The Here and New will require continued caution with masks, spacing, hygiene and some psychology, as we reopen. In many ways as we thoughtfully reopen, we are approaching the “first day of school.”

There is excitement, enthusiasm, and naturally and certainly some butterflies.

In conversations with leaders and communicators, I’ve noted the importance of assessing the current situation and state of the organization in contrast to where we were in early 2020. Through the pandemic we have found new — maybe not better — ways of doing things. We adapted. We became more agile and resourceful. Take stock of those things.

The Here and New will involve retraining our mental and physical muscles to get back into routines, learning new routines, and breaking and making habits. Relationships we enjoyed previously in our teams have changed as we ourselves have changed as the result of this once — hopefully — in a century pandemic. We need to know ourselves and see and meet our colleagues —through listening and empathy — where they are before we can help them successfully evolve to where they are needed to be.

Bring the team back together by doing strategic thinking. What are the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? What’s the culture? Is what we had what we need? Has the culture evolved for the better, or for the worse? Do the values still work? How do we want to work and relate with each other? How are we individually and collectively? With a lower case “c” we should celebrate and acknowledge what we were able to do, while honoring those who have been lost.

Teamwork has gotten us through this. We have taken inspiration from the front liners — healthcare, the food sector, logistics, educators, public sector and first responders. We have been inspired by the National Guard and their employers and colleagues who rally when their colleagues are called to duty to serve.

The tough decisions made across the board the last 12 historic months have confirmed that character matters, and doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time roll up to reliability and trust. Culture and tone start at the top. That’s leadership.

Clark Dumont is principal of Dumont Communications, which specializes in strategic and organizational communications.

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