Had anyone read a manuscript at the start of the year about the events that unfolded in 2020, they would have likely assumed they were reading wild fiction.
It’s still difficult to imagine that so many people have experienced such significant changes and challenges in their personal and professional lives. Yet, they have, and they are. It has been a year of constant adjusting.
Not all adjustments have worked seamlessly, nor would you expect them to. Not every change has been well received, nor should it be expected to considering the
I recently heard a banker explain in a team meeting that while their current state of socially distanced operations was the “now normal,” it was not the “new normal.” He assured them that the present was not going to be the permanent.
That reassurance is needed, as many folks would agree this year alone has felt more like a decade. Case in point: I recently asked a group on a Zoom meeting to reflect on their social media photos and postings of personal and business events from one year ago.
Understandably, those events from last year felt like ages ago considering the events, surprises and difficulties packed into 2020.
Yet, I noted how this year also showed how adaptive and resilient they can be when called upon. No, that doesn’t mean they’ll be thrilled about the new challenges that a nationwide business disruption brings.
It should, however, give some level of confidence to bankers in their ability to handle whatever comes their way. Resilience is as much a developed skill as an inherent trait.
In the famous words of Mike Tyson, “
The ability to outwardly display good humor during trying times is also a powerful skill to develop. People are naturally drawn to others who remain positive and upbeat in difficult situations.
Leaders across the country have been reminded this year of the tremendous impact their tone and demeanor have on the teams they lead. Humor during challenging times does not imply a leader doesn’t know how to be serious. A balance of humor more so signals calm, confidence and competence. It is also contagious.
The ability to look outside of oneself and show empathy to others is an equally valuable skill. In stressful times, people naturally gravitate to people who show they care about their well-being.
This is as true with the teams managers lead as the customers they serve.
Asking personal questions and allowing others to share their stories, thoughts and concerns strengthens both personal and professional relationships. There are large parts of 2020 most would like to leave behind, but there are also powerful leadership qualities developed and honed under pressure that should stay with us.
From a business model standpoint, we were forced to change things quickly. With that, however, we were given many opportunities to evaluate best practices. From staffing
Many of those experiments suddenly became not just rational, but necessary. Necessity was the mother of invention (or adaptation), time and again.Banks that had only discussed what a digital-first model would look like found themselves implementing one (almost) on the fly. There have been both pleasant and unpleasant results.
The experiences, however, have been informative and useful in planning the future.
There are aspects of legacy business models that are now sorely missed. And there are other models that are being revealed as obsolete.
When banks return to certain practices and operating procedures, they’ll do it with a clearer understanding of why. The same will be true for “temporary changes” that become permanent.
There is much of 2020 that bankers want to leave behind. The lessons learned and leadership skills honed, however, will not be.
