The COVID Paradox

It may seem rather implausible, but the pandemic has created abundant opportunities to revamp organisational culture.

- Jon Wortmann

The pain and loss of this era in human history cannot be overstated. No individual or organisation wants the disruption the global COVID-19 pandemic has brought to every country and many businesses. The pain, in different ways, is real for everyone. So is the need to continue sustaining and growing environments where employees and teams can be successful. Every leader, when faced with unexpected change, has a culture opportunity.

Culture, in general, is the beliefs, values, and behaviours that are observable in a group. When organisational life is normal, patterns often continue because they existed before. High-performing organisations assume a high-functioning culture. As a result, the good times make culture change difficult. Even when a business struggles, busyness, structural barriers, and human inertia prevent reflection and intentional shifts to make a culture more effective and impactful. When crisis happens, however, what was once intractable becomes open. Cultural norms can be analysed and adjusted. Leaders who did not have time or appetite for change demand new ways of thinking and working.