Thriving in Turbulence...How do we handle disruption?

My youngling (she is three) keeps saying, “when conona vinus ends, we shall do ….”. Like her, we say it loud or deep-down wish that we could miraculously snap out of whatever this is and get on with life as we knew it. It is hard to come to terms with the fact that there is a breaking of the norm because human nature dislikes change and the disruption of known patterns and routines we effectively control. However, whether we like it or not, life will never be the same again. The question is, how do we cope with the uncertainty of not knowing the full impact of COVID – 19 on our personal lives or in the future? How do we adjust to significant, life-altering changes we have no control over?

First, we must expect and accept that this and many other disruptions will be part of life. It will be helpful to spend time anticipating some of the things that could change and processing possible responses. This is not for purposes of deepening the panic but for purposes of preparedness, which helps navigate unexpected challenges better than when one is in denial. Second, there is no use trying to fit square pegs in round holes. We need to throw out most of the standard rules that may have worked in the past, with the understanding that new situations require different responses. This realization calls for a willingness and openness to unlearn, learn, and re-learn. The third is the adoption of a beneficial mindset that keeps us away from obsolete assumptions, which often block us from seeing emerging realities. Hope is vital, but we must be cautious about being too optimistic, believing the future is always positive and, therefore, not entirely paying attention to possible interruptions. Too much pessimism, always believing that the future is bleak, will cripple us from seeing the many opportunities we could take advantage of. On the other hand, believing that the future is given and so passively approaching it with the belief that we cannot do anything about it, makes us play the victim. Forth, we must create new rules for this new season or adapt to the ones that work for us. 

Being agile enough to quickly adjust to possible solutions before a crisis happens means that we proactively catalyze the required action to survive and thrive. Ultimately, we must accept that the Covid-19 disruption will re-shape the social, political, and economic structures as well as alter how people think and behave forever. It is imperative for all of us to move away from what used to be and consider what our society might come to look like – we have a chance to collectively re-set a preferred alternative to what was not working in the past. 

Dr. Katindi Sivi

African futurist and founder of LongView consult.