Trevor E.S. Smith | My COVID-19 strategy and offer

THESE ARE clearly different times. I can’t recall experiencing anything like this, even for a brief period.

I confess that I am not as challenged as many. Spare a thought for mothers who have to play the role of mothers, teachers and homemakers, while keeping the working fires blazing under adverse conditions.

Then there are those like my barber for whom this situation must be unbelievably traumatic.

For what it is worth, I will share my strategy in the face of COVID-19 realities.

1. PROTECT THE MIND

While going to extremes to avoid being physically infected, I have been even more vigilant in ensuring that I retain my focus.

While others find and share social media posts from disparate parts and questionable sources and stay glued to a screen, I have kept my exposure to ‘the news’ to the barest minimum.

I am not going to be motivated by watching the global or local numbers rise.

It is not a lack of caring. In fact, I am playing the most important role in the battle. I am staying far from people.

The reality is that this situation will not last forever. Any ground that we lose now will have to be made up in the future. Staying firm and motivated lessens the ground that will have to be recovered, and keeps me in a state of readiness to deal with whatever turns up in the future.

So, regular sanitising of my mind and observing social distancing from potentially distracting information is one component of my COVID-19 strategy.

2. SEPARATION

Living in an environment in which three generations interact closely daily, separation is really difficult. I console myself that it is much more difficult for the grandchildren.

The key, though, is to realise that here is an opportunity to put technology and social media to positive use. Skype and WhatsApp provide platforms for tight engagement – from a distance.

3. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

I have taken advantage of quieter times to maximise what I can extract from a programme of study.

I have also been carving out the time to pursue the goal of being able to play music on a keyboard by ear. I set myself the target of playing 10 full songs by ear as at year end. I have two completed.

These are precious times. Make the best use of them!

4. RAMP UP BUSINESS

Of course, I have doubled down on my business projects. There is the recurring situation in which some companies thrive during economic depressions. Why not ours?

Do you think mask manufacturers are crying in their milk?

This is the time to build capacity internally. Identify gaps, and strengthen self and the team.

Spend time in product development or the refining of systems.

Working to keep the team on track and motivated helps to weather the present storm and places me in post position, when the race to catch up starts when some semblance of normality returns.

5. CARE

This is a time to recognise how interdependent we are. Whether we like it or not, we do not live in a vacuum. Our actions impact the lives of others.

People are experiencing severe hardship and non-financial challenges. Reaching out with even a kind word makes a difference. Material acts of kindness go even further.

I reflected on how I could make my greatest material contribution. It came to me that I have content that can do for others precisely what I have been doing for myself and my team. It was a difficult decision, given the commercial value at stake, but that is precisely what is required in these truly challenging times.

We are going to provide access to our time, task and stress management course, among others, in our online High-,Performance Team Building Clinic, at no cost through to September 30.

Simply send an email with full name and the best email to info@successwithpeople.org to gain access.

Turn isolation into a blessing. Use the opportunity to develop yourself and your team!

Trevor E.S. Smith with the Success with People Academy. We guide the development of high-performance teams. We are interpersonal relations, group dynamics and performance-enhancement specialists. We provide learning and productivity-enhancement technology solutions. We offer behavioural assessments from Extended DISC, sales and sports competence assessments on the FinxS platform and e-competency frameworks and e-onboarding solutions in our SPIKE technology platform. Email: info@successwithpeople.org