The pandemic year was a year of ‘tests’ and learnings on more than one level! ?

In the beginning, it was brutal - trying to balance clients, team, resources, revenue, and costs – all while this pandemic was taking its incredible toll on our communities and the world.

It made us realize how woefully underprepared we are in the face of nature showing us who is the boss!

But we got better and broke out of the “mind shackles” on which processes could be handled as part of ‘work from home.’

On a personal front, it made me realize the value of the support system we have and that we should make every effort to reach out to our neighbors. Kindness matters!

Health is wealth. This is not a cliché. Never has this adage been truer! Do something every day to improve your physical and mental health. Walk, jog, do Zumba or Sudoku, read a book, plant a sapling – whatever gives you joy!

Cross-functional training and video meetings on Microsoft Teams – have helped us to keep the team engagement going as well as improve the baseline of resources required per process. We could step in for our colleagues if they needed the day off to tend to personal issues or did not have electricity or when network access was down.

At times when our work volumes were low, we used that window to train team members.

At times when our work volumes were low, we used that window to train team members.

Nothing different. We just did the simple things but did them well.

Our HR ensured we connected at least once a month just to play games. Online charades can be so chaotic and so much fun!

Work from home is a boon. It has opened up many opportunities, increased the geographic boundary of talent that can be hired, enabled flexibility and convenience for all employees.

In a pre-pandemic era, after exhausting our time-off, we would have been forced to decide on whether we choose home or the job. However, this last year has allowed us to consider things differently.

Although, the line between work-life and home-life is a blur. It is a challenge, I believe, no one has yet been able to successfully balance (no matter what they claim).

The new definition of work-life balance, in my personal view, is a hybrid setup. A couple of days a week, work from an office and the rest from home. Though as an organization, due to the ever-changing situation, we have not yet formalised a policy.

You also cannot undermine the bonding and productivity boost experienced by all because the brainstorming session was done in person!

Seek first to understand then to be understood. Stephen Covey defines this as the 5th habit in his bestselling book – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Everyone wants to be understood, valued, and affirmed. To understand, it is critical we listen. The ability to hear is a gift. The willingness to listen is a choice.

Borrowing again from Stephen Covey,sharpen your saw – have a balanced program for self-renewal in all areas of your life. Learn a little more every day, even if you feel you are an expert on that subject. Learn new things.

Adapt or be left behind – whether it’s adapting to new technology or a new mindset.

I do not believe that COVID -19 exposed us to a new set of leadership competencies. Empathy was always a necessity; it just needs to be prioritized.

1. Communication – verbal and written communication is paramount.
2. Change enabler – recognize what needs to change, when it needs to change and help people with managing the change.
3. Boundaryless mindset – understand the entire chain, and how your function impacts the overall member experience chain.

1. START – Focusing on e-Learning with serious intent.
2. STOP – Silo functioning
3. CONTINUE – Investing in technology to reduce manual effort, improve processes, and improve the experience – members and team.

Try different industries early on in your career before you zero in on an area of specialization.

If you think, you can be an entrepreneur - take the chance. Do it.