the great pivot of 2020
It started as a two-week “out of abundance of caution” break from our normal daily work lives. Then it was another two weeks, then another month…and here we are, six months into a pandemic and economic crisis none of us planned for. Like everyone else, CVWmedia has encountered a number of logistical challenges along the way, many of which will make us stronger in the long run, and I thought it might be nice to take stock of the lessons we’ve learned and the pivots we’ve made over these trying months.
work flexibility
Each January, CAO Becky and I compile a short list of objectives for the year, and this year at the top of our list was to extend more flexibility to everyone here, including encouraging occasional remote work. We had just completed a total IT infrastructure upgrade—new server, new data storage, and a new virtual private network for connecting to our work computers from anywhere so we can work as if we were sitting at our desks. It’s not often we can say, “Mission accomplished!” by the end of March for something we thought would take most of the year, but since then we’ve remained 80% remote versus 20% in-office. Post-pandemic, we’ll probably flip that percentage, but it’s good to know it’s possible.
resourcefulness
Our annual theme this year is RESOURCEFULNESS, and to say we’re making progress on this theme would be an understatement. We’ve had to learn to work in a constant state of flux, adjusting to changes as they happen. There is no “inside the box” right now, and while it can feel unsettling at times, the upside is that creativity in our work and ideas, and even our management style, is often enhanced when things don’t stay in place.
communication
As we were coming to terms with working together separately becoming a semi-permanent situation, I realized meetings were more important than ever before. Our usual 9:00 a.m. staff meetings, which we weren’t having when we first shifted to remote work, became Microsoft Teams video meetings. Seeing each other’s faces and hearing each other’s voices had a stabilizing effect for us and brought some normalcy back into our workdays.
wellness
We’ve been very fortunate to have all remained healthy, and sick days this year are at the lowest levels I can remember. That’s a good thing, but I’m more interested in a different trend, which is not using vacation time. Even though travel has ranged anywhere from difficult to impossible, I’ve come to realize that taking time away is more important than ever.
what i’ve learned
The biggest pandemic lesson for me has been to simplify my own job and ensure that the basics are always covered regardless of what’s happening around me. That’s not always easy when your workdays are unconventional and unpredictable, but most job descriptions can be broken down into a short list of must-do priorities.
Other things I’ve been reminded of by the pandemic, in no particular order:
Make the decisions that need to be made; no more, no less.
Stop from time to time, and appreciate what/who is in front of you.
Show empathy toward others at all times, and expect those around you to have empathy for one another.
Give people space, and let them do their thing, but when the time comes to show leadership, don’t miss the opportunity to do so.
Above all, work/life balance should be the new normal, not the exception.
I can’t go back and start 2020 over with all this newfound wisdom without the difficulties we’ve all faced, though that would be stellar. But I can ensure that I and all of CVWmedia incorporate these lessons far into the future as part of what will become our new business-as-usual.