As we stand together fighting the unforeseen and unexpected global pandemic, mankind seems to have unearthed and adopted new means of survival, revival and possibly even rebirth.

Among the dozens of emerging statistics on the global spread of Covid-19, we have also realised escaping social and economic ordeals is not easy. Both developed and developing global economies have been hit hard. Governments and strategists are acting on swift response to avoid a deep recession by mobilising stimulus packages.

In the last 70 odd days of lockdown, life has made us realise its many amazing aspects, biggest being the need to continually build muscle, in order to continually grow. Adding muscles provides strength and builds immunity to face such crises.

The question is how do we build this muscle? By pushing or pulling against an obstacle. Building the muscle of resilience and opportunity is no different.

The challenge we face now is one of the biggest life lessons of our times. The choice is truly upon us to either get bogged down by the crises or take this as a steppingstone to a collective, secure and prosperous future.

Here are my views on how we can best leverage the pandemic.

Learning To Ensure Survival

The only way to take this life challenge is to 'never stop learning'. Knowledge aids survival. The fact that the human race survived wars, disasters and calamities is a testimony to our hunger for life, growth, success that has made us beings that can beat the odds.

One look at this contemporary world, and we will realise how people across age groups are fast unlearning traditional lessons to adapt to the new normal. The disturbing scenes of deepening economic challenges are somewhat balanced by the heartening visuals of people across all walks of life acquainting themselves with new concepts like social distancing, self-quarantine, digital and self-reliance or better still 'atmanirbharta'. This confidence suggests we are treading cautiously towards a better future.

Developing An Aspirational Mindset

New and old businesses have made their choice to build muscle against these diverse odds, and ensure that not just us, but our customers also stay a step ahead of the crisis. A crucial trait that defines our fate is our mindset. Yes, the desire for change and growth can move mountains.

The belief that our best is 'yet to come', is our biggest driving force. I recommend developing an aspirational 5X mindset. It is a simple-yet-effective response to the current world order that helps us be ready for the new one.

Taking Care of Body, Mind and Soul

A lesson learnt ever since the pandemic is that our lives matter the most. A healthy mind and soul can never be bereft of possibilities. Wellness first and we must take time out to build resilience and positivity.

In our organisation, with the support of our learning teams, internal leaders and a team of doctors and psychology experts, we have worked towards building a culture of holistic well-being and mindfulness to facilitate good thinking by our minds.

Skilling To Enable Transformation

I have been a vehement supporter of new-age technologies and immense possibilities of the digital world. With a majority of the urban population working from home, including even the primary schools' kids and teachers, the scope of digital gets only clearer. Digital is here to stay, and it calls for each one of us to reskill for the next level.

Whether it is about catching up on things that you had been wanting to do for a long time, or learning skills that will eventually become indispensable, now is the time to add some more weight to your armour.

Massive reskilling measures will be our biggest strength for transitioning ourselves and our customers into the new After-Covid (AC) age.

Inspiring, Assisting & Equipping Leaders

Building muscle is as important for the captains as it is for the navigators and the crew. The pandemic is a crucial time for the leaders to closely evaluate the situation and resources, identity opportunities, people potential and swiftly execute a neat contingency plan. We must therefore have development programmes in place for the leaders to enhance their capabilities and make them more nimble and agile. Leadership assessment skills and focused self-development journeys are effective means to sharpen the competencies of our future leaders and delivery engines.

Clear & Consistent Communication

Regular exchange of ideas is a great step towards collective awakening. We must connect to collaborate, as these conversations will aid in exchanging observations and discovering best practices to shape an After Covid World (ACW).

In the words of Winston Churchill, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." As we prepare to enter the various 'unlock' stages, we should take note of these crucial learnings to foster a conducive growth environment.

Article published in Business World.