How to Set Up 2021 for Success

Give your business the fresh start it needs with acknowledgement, adaptation, gratitude, and leverage.

Well, that was a sh*tty year. As I write this, there have been 82 million people worldwide who have fallen ill with COVID. We lost almost 2 million to the deadly disease, with 20% of fatalities being in the US alone. Nearly 40 million Americans lost their jobs because of the Coronavirus Recession. Family vacations were cancelled, Thanksgiving dinner tables were lonely, and we’ve been cooped up in our homes for 10 months and counting. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. 2020 sucked. So take this New Year’s Eve to rant and rave about the hassle of wiping down groceries, the struggle of trying to muffle your “it’s just allergies” cough, and the near impossibility of trying to get any work done while simultaneously stepping into the role you never wanted or expected to be cast in: home school teacher.

Through the challenges, however, there have been unexpected silver linings. Parents have had the opportunity to spend more quality time with their children, businesses shifted seamlessly to a successful remote environment, and we all learned how to bake a mean sourdough loaf. Everyone seems optimistic that 2021 will be a brighter year, and lucky for 2021, it doesn’t need to do much to achieve that. Next year doesn’t need to be a great year. It’s doesn’t even need to be a good year. It just needs to be a non-catastrophic year. But why shouldn’t we strive to make it great? We have a giant opportunity in front of us to take the silver linings and the learnings from 2020 to set us up for success in 2021.

How to Set Up 2021 for Success

Acknowledgment

After losing their job, not seeing their family and friends for months, and bingewatching the entire series of Parks and Rec three consecutive times, nobody will be impressed by your 20% off after-Christmas sale. Don’t be tone deaf. Make sure to acknowledge the hardships that your customers faced this past year. Come out of the gate with empathy and understanding. Let your audience know that you are there for them and want to help. It’s not an after-Christmas sale, it’s a “damn, you had a sh*tty year and you deserve some extra care and comfort” celebration.

Adaptation

2020 taught us how to shift gears on the fly. Offices closed, but business resumed. Sure, there was a learning curve. Mute buttons needed to be unearthed. Camera angles needed to be adjusted. Backgrounds needed to be filtered. But, look at us now! Even Joan from accounting has figured out how to socially distance her face from the camera lens as she sits proudly in front of a Hawaii landscape stock image. We made it work. We’re now set up to easily adapt to different circumstances. Don’t revert back to the old ways just because you can. Yes, an in-office experience is usually preferred, especially when it comes to building a company culture. But remote work has its benefits, too. People feel less stressed, which improves productivity. There are fewer interruptions and disruptions, so work is more efficient. If and when you can open your office safely, do it. But implement a work-from-home policy so employees have the best of both worlds. You may even be able to downsize your office space and cut some of your costs. Saving money in 2021? Yes, please!

Gratitude

One of the greatest lessons we learned this past year is how to be grateful. Grateful for our health, grateful for our safety, grateful for our friends and family. 2020 really put everything in perspective. It’s showed us what truly matters. The worst thing we can do as the world starts to open up again is lose sight of the gratitude. Everyday that you get to wake up and work hard is a blessing. Every customer that chooses to spend their time and their money on your business should be recognized and appreciated. Call each employee and let them know you understand how hard this year was and how you couldn’t have done it without them. Send a thank-you note to all of the customers who helped you get through a difficult year. If you show up with this attitude, everyday will have more meaning. Your company’s idea of success can adapt to incorporate the effects of gratitude. Don’t get so caught up in the little blunders. It’s wasted time, wasted energy, and in the end, it won’t matter. Let things go, lighten up, and be grateful as a friend, as an employee, as a manager, and as a company.

Leverage

2020 has been an (fingers crossed) anomaly. Things will slowly start (fingers crossed) going back to normal. Covid-19 will be a (fingers crossed) thing of the past. As the world begins to reopen, will you be ready to leverage the landscape? Create connections by highlighting some of your employees’ and customers’ personal pandemic stories. Enhance brand loyalty by supplying your clients with personalized masks and hand sanitizers. Surprise and delight your audience with “we made it!” coupons. Show appreciation by gifting your employees a week of vacation to finally take that family trip they’ve postponed for a year. And when it’s safe, boost company morale with welcome back gatherings. Don’t wait for the time to react. Set your plans in place at the start so you’re ready and waiting in the wings.

2021 should come with a much needed sigh of relief. Take a nice, long, therapeutic breath, and then put the wheels in motion. Sure, you can sit back, watch the dust settle, and let this next year wash over you, but why not take back the reins? We were all at the mercy of 2020’s uncertainties and now we’ve been given the gift of opportunity to rise from the ashes and let 2021 kick 2020’s a**. Take it. 

Happy freakin’ new year! Wear a mask.