And Now for Something Completely Different

How will your organization emerge from its post-pandemic cocoon?
Still as a caterpillar? Or renewed as a butterfly? Let’s take this opportunity to get unstuck together.

The pandemic that’s been thrust upon the world in early 2020 will pass, eventually. When it does, asset-owning organizations are going to resume operations in what is likely to be a new normal.

A colleague of mine was visiting St. John’s, Newfoundland for work when the biggest storm in half a century hit the east coast. He, along with the residents was forced to hunker down, batten the hatches and wait out the storm. Daily life ground to a halt. The storm did pass after a few days and they dug themselves out and in some respects better for the experience. He returned home just in time for another storm, this one viral. Cities, states and nations are in self-isolation or quarantine. Organizations are doing the same.

This immediate viral threat could last months. The aftermath once the storm passes on the economy, our daily lives and our jobs could last years. The consequences are massive by anyone’s standards within their lifetime. By now, no one doubts things will never be the same.

What will the new normal be? No one knows for sure. Many organizations will passively react to challenges that emerge. A few organizations will strike at an unprecedented opportunity to significantly alter how they do business within their operations.

Let’s face our former reality. We were stuck if we are honest with ourselves. Stuck with middling reliability and production performance. Stuck spending too much money on maintenance and turnarounds and capital, although it felt like we didn’t have enough. Stuck with too many people (yes, I said it) again feeling like we didn’t have enough. Organizational inertia is a bitch. There’s an immense gravity pull towards how things are currently done even with plenty of inefficiency and ineffectiveness. We are (or were) making modest earnings, sure, but we were mired in mediocrity.

That wasn’t working (well). Let’s try something completely different.

The past was the past, the way things were. We can become unstuck if we choose such a different mindset. We can make the future what we want it to be if we are willing, able and ready.

How much must the new organization change to find success in the new landscape?

Is it simply an alteration? Too weak. Evolution? At minimum. Metamorphosis? It could work, but a bid dramatic. Transfiguration? Yes, but change must not only occur on the surface. Revolution? Too heavy-handed. Radical change? Not necessary, it's still the same business. Transmogrification? No, we don’t want to go backwards.

I’m deliberately avoiding the word transformation. Unfortunately, that term is already tarnished by technology solution providers and management consultants, in my opinion. New evidence suggests only 25% of organizations exit from transformations meeting their business objectives. That is a disastrous record considering the incredible amounts of money spent.

That wasn’t working (well). Let’s try something completely different.

Perhaps renewal is the best word. New, made from the old, but not the same.

What is renewed, after this storm, in the new landscape? What a great conversation to have at this moment. I’ve got time and so do you while we’re in this chrysalis.

The adversity we’re feeling now will ultimately reveal itself as a massive opportunity. Let’s make the most of it while we’re hunkered down with the battens hatched.

Don’t stay stuck — get unstuck. Don’t remain a caterpillar — emerge a butterfly. Let’s begin to weather this storm together.

Scio Asset Management Inc. empowers operational leaders to See. Think. Decide. Act.