Pub. 1 2019-2020 Issue 4

A s COVID-19 uncertainty spreads around the world at an exponen- tial pace, the global community is finding out that reacting quickly to the societal and economic disruptions that the virus creates, no matter how agile a reactor you are, is not good enough and quite frankly, is simply not working. With disruptive changes moving so fast, everything seems to be uncertain, and that uncertainty can cause us all to “wait and see,” which is the exact opposite of what we should be doing now! The only way individuals, entrepre- neurs, business and government leaders can get ahead of the spread of the virus, and get control of its speed and devastating impact, is to stop focusing on reacting quickly, or “pivoting,” as some have called it, and start becoming anticipatory by separating the Hard Trends that will happen from the Soft Trends that might happen and can be changed. You cannot change a Hard Trend, but you can see it coming, and by knowing what will happen before it happens, you can create strategies to take advan- tage of that trend, giving you certainty and the confidence to make bold moves as you move ahead. Another major advantage of Hard Trends is that they allow you to identify the problems that are ahead and solve them before they occur. Go Opposite in the Face of Uncertainty You cannot change a Hard Trend, but you can see it coming, and by knowing what will happen before it happens, you can create strategies to take advantage of that trend, giving you certainty and the confidence to make bold moves as you move ahead. 14 UP DATE