We have learned a lot this year – who we are, what we care about, and how we work. We’ve learned – confirmed, just this week! – that there really is an “us” and “them.” We have also learned that the concept of bifurcating our lives into “work” and “home” is a myth. Many of us have known much of this for a while; 2020 has highlighted the truth in a bright and unforgiving way.
Most of the topics that have dominated this year weren’t even on the radar at the end of 2019. I am comfortable asserting, however, that these challenges are here to stay. Our lives and perspectives have changed forever.
As in any other major change, we are disrupted. We are resistant. We are angry, depressed, frustrated and, eventually (we expect), accepting. But accepting doesn’t mean that we know how to respond. In fact, acceptance is only the beginning of learning how to behave in the new and different world.
At Quantuvos, we talk to people every day about the things they want to accomplish and the issues that are most troubling. Out of those conversations we have identified several common threads and are working with individuals and organizations to address:
-
How to build and maintain relationships within a remote environment
-
How to keep a dispersed team inspired and productive
-
How to work from home and manage work/life balance
-
How to communicate with those whose beliefs and values are different than our own
-
How to address the ongoing challenges of diversity, equity and inclusion – as a leader, as a diverse team member, as a white male (and, sometimes, female)
-
Leading others in the midst of constant disruption
-
Building interpersonal skills in a digital world
-
Aligning your team to your desired culture, values, and guiding principles
-
Difficult conversations and giving/receiving feedback
-
Transitions of all kinds – school to work, individual contributor to people manager, manager to leader, new seasons of life
