WORKING THROUGH A CRISIS
MAKING COLLABORATION WORK
Making strategies hasn’t stopped.
Developing plans for the future during COVID-19 has forced businesses to be more creative.
Strategy development has always been a collaborative and creative process. But, the collaboration part has been severely tested. Collaborative practices and behaviours have had to alter considerably. The creative part of the process has had to work far harder.
The last six months removed face to face collaboration with teams. The creative process had to find workarounds.
Our work has always been high on output.
Physical content, strategic plans, blueprints and roadmaps. In our world that comes with a heavy side order of content, images and narratives. Valuable side-effects that make the mysterious world of strategy come to life for those that have to deliver.
I can’t remember a time when it was any different. To me that’s what should be delivered. Engaging, inspiring and creative equipment that makes strategies work.
Working Virtually
The plague taught me a few things about virtual working. It’s added new dimensions to the creative process of making strategies.
It's not really altered the outcomes that much - strategies still get developed. It hasn’t changed the thinking process - thinking is definitely the primary process. With or without the pandemic it’s still the raw material in developing plans and strategies. There’s been some advantages too.
Having distance from the challenge has been useful.
Objectivity has always there but distance has been healthy.
It’s allowed for reflection that’s not possible in the heat of the battle - the typical close contact strategy discussions.
It’s forced our clients to consider things more too.
To create material/briefings that are better formed and less abstract.
Because we’ve always had discipline and structure as a fundamental part of what we do it’s been possible to trade critical questions and conversations.
Here is just one example of how structured analysis and assessment can be turned to an advantage by being virtual.
THERE’S NOTHING VIRTUAL ABOUT DOING REAL WORK
We Are Still In The Real World
Yes, I have missed the traditional cut and thrust of the workshop.
I can’t replicate the act of drawing out the future in real-time on a 100 foot wall using virtual means just yet. It’s technically possible but it misses that visceral act of being present watching collective conversation be honoured through visualisation.
I love the face to face meetings that can create something impossible to create otherwise. It will return as we get over the worst of the crisis.
It’s been a chance to try out new ideas. Different ways to stimulate conversation, to assess situations and possibilities. I’ve had some time to learn new shortcuts, discover aspects of existing tools I hadn’t tried before and I’ve had a little extra reflection time.
It also reminded me that I've been working this way for a very long time.
