It is interesting to observe human behaviour during the lockdown in South Africa and around the world. On the one hand, people went into shopping frenzies. Panic buying toilet paper and hand sanitiser, then board games and educational material, and as of late barber tools and hair dye. Others got up to all sort of antics at home that are shown off on social media. The Running Mann completed a full Iron Man by swimming 345 lengths in his pool, riding on an exercise bike for the 180km cycle leg and running 325 laps of his driveway twice. Marathoners lapping the living room ran the Two Oceans over Easter. For me, it meant doing those long-postponed projects around the house and having to entertain toddlers at times.
It is interesting to observe human behaviour during the lockdown in South Africa and around the world. On the one hand, people went into shopping frenzies. Panic buying toilet paper and hand sanitiser, then board games and educational material, and as of late barber tools and hair dye. Others got up to all sort of antics at home that are shown off on social media. The Running Man completed a full Iron Man by swimming 345 lengths in his pool, riding on an exercise bike for the 180km cycle leg and running 325 laps of his driveway twice. Marathoners lapping the living room ran the Two Oceans over Easter. For me, it meant doing those long-postponed projects around the house and having to entertain toddlers at times.
So for most of us as entrepreneurs, the lockdown presents two challenges. Being cut off from others, being in isolation, is not a natural or preferred state. Technology does allow us to connect easily enough with colleagues or customers. We can call family and friends and talk to them, even see them, basically whenever we want while in lockdown. But it’s not quite the same as standing around a braai.
And this is why people will defy the rules from time to time and violate the social distancing rules. How are you dealing with this crisis psychologically? You may have seen the diagram: Who do I want to be during COVID-19? Are you in the fear zone, in the learning or the growth zone? Are you making the most of this time to work on your business?
The more pressing issue for most small businesses is the loss of income that will be incurred during these 6 weeks and the effect that will have on cash flow. Things won’t just be back up and running in the blink of an eye thereafter either. It will take time to gain economic momentum, especially so in the aftermath of the state capture and Moody’s downgrading South Africa to junk. COVID-19 has changed the world as we knew it. Travelling won’t be the same. Business won’t be the same. What are you doing to deal with this crisis? How are you changing your business?
So say the bosses
Lockdown does make you realise what loss of control may be like. The psychology of lockdown suggests sticking to rules gets harder the longer it continues. It is an unnatural state of affairs that we will rebel against. The Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It (Ubuntu) speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself.”
This relates well to the 90 Rules for Entrepreneurs’ “No business is an island”. We are interconnected and interdependent as entrepreneurs and businesses. A crisis for one may become a crisis for all. As it did during COVID-19. And when times are tough good relations are invaluable.
The Sologix solution
GrowthWheel for Crisis Management, an advanced series tool, was released a few weeks ago. It is made up of some new and existing decision sheets aimed at helping business owners navigate out of a difficult situation. Sologix used this to develop, in record time, an online course called Crisis 101 that has been uploaded onto our online coaching platform. This could not have been done without the dedication of the team: Anrich, Kobus, Tomas and Carla.
The course will help you to:
- Pinpoint the cause of the crisis – the difficulties experienced may be a result of underlying problems in the business merely exacerbated by the economic crisis.
- Assess your personal situation – do you have the means and will to steer the business out of this?
- Assemble a team to help you find and execute a solution to the crisis.
- Stringently manage your cash throughout the process.
Become a member of our Sologix community to get free access to this and other courses during the lockdown in South Africa until 29 April 2020. Join an online course or contact us for personal business coaching by sending us an email here.
