Alone Together. In this Together

Before the pandemic hit, I was having a coffee with my friend, a hugely successful senior executive leader in a very successful global firm, who after our meeting, was flying to Brussels to their quarterly strategic leadership off site event. “How long are you going for ?”. “2 days". "Is it an annual event ?" .”No, we do this every quarter” ”You devote all that time and cost to fly people in from around the world…as frequently as every quarter ?”. "Yes”. They looked back, nonplussed. Let me explain more, they offered. “One, it keeps us focussed on our big goal. Two, it keeps us disciplined and tracking the things that will get us there. Three, it keeps us together and accountable. So when the going gets tough, we know what we are aiming at, we are disciplined and measuring the right things and we are together and in it all as one team. Oh, and the higher frequency of these meetings means that we become friends, support each other and know each other well. That gets us through the rough patches too. It’s actually a competitive advantage for our company !’” Latte’s downed, we shook hands (remember doing that?) and off they went.

Impressive, I reflected. That is one reason their company are so successful. A great way to manage a successful company. Super team work, regular time out, routine management and creative time away to think things through and plan the future. Since the pandemic, the world has changed and so many of us are working at home. So how do we keep our business on track ? So how do we keep ourselves on track ? No longer can we meet for coffee, let alone go to larger business gatherings. We are ALL in our studies, kitchens, lounges and our bedrooms. Everyone is alone with their thoughts just now. But one thing we all are is this.

In It Together.

And that I think is one of the most powerful ways to think about this. When you are alone at your desk, so is everyone else. The self doubts (am I doing enough work?), the ponderings (what happens if my company doesn’t have enough work? - will my job still be there when I get back? ), the too many cups of tea, the noticing things we have never noticed before. (I googled ’bird song’ the other day). Were there really all these birds before Boris and other leaders locked us down ?. Where did this newfound avian interest come from ?. 

One way or another, we are all serving self isolation together. From new starters to CEO’s, we are in this together. We are a new community. 

Alone Together. 

Now Lockdown has made me reflect back to that conversation with my friend, way back, when we could grab coffee…. As I saw them drive out of the hotel car park and off to the motorway, it led me to think of an idea…

What if we as individuals had our own personal boards of directors and took this sort of strategic approach to our lives and careers.What if we should each have our own guiding coalition. A micro-board of directors of our own. It could even just be one person. Helping, guiding, listening, challenging, pushing us a bit. Imagine if you had a superb micro-support group, right now in lockdown ?

Of one or two other people, chosen carefully, they could make a huge difference to our success.

But what about who to select ? Here’s an idea..

I read the groundbreaking book E Myth by Michael Gerber many years ago, where he described the basic components of a small company as these three things. 1) Sales 2) Production/Manufacture 3) Operations. Simple right ?.

So how could this pan out if we could design our own personal micro-board using this framework ?

One would be our sales and marketing director - they would have great skill at advising on selling what we have to offer our companies and the world in Lockdown.

One would be our technical/production director. They would be brilliant - yet technically - in what we deliver as a professionally during Lockdown.

We could then have an office manager or our own personal Operations Director to help guide us run our new ‘offices’ in Lockdown. 

Or of course, one could just be a friend. Old or new. Simply a friend to talk too. Perhaps having all of these could be a push. One friend could be a great help (I have two people to help me). 

Now. more than ever I think that we need a few very trusted, caring friends to support us. We need them. They need us.

Lone working doesn’t have to mean Lonely Working. 

I can't really see a down side. As long as they know how to use Zoom that is !

We are All In This together. All Alone Together. But with a little help from our friends, I don't think that we have to be completely held back by Lockdown. 

Whether a Chief Exec or a new starter. People need People. 

Stay Safe, Gareth