In many respects the world – from individuals to Planet Earth as a whole – is now undergoing a complete turnaround. Turnarounds are important and the word may have various definitions in different contexts. By way of example:
Turnaround is defined generally as a change in direction, for instance it can mean the financial recovery of a poorly performing company, economy, or individual – demonstrating an important change in a situation that causes them to improve.
Turnaround Strategy in the corporate world is usually referred to as a retrenchment strategy that is followed by an organisation when it is felt that the decision or policy made earlier is wrong and needs to be undone or corrected before it damages the profitability of the company. It can also refer to the process of completing or the time needed to complete a task or project, especially one involving receiving something, processing it, and sending it out again.
There are several signs that the management of the world and its key stakeholders requires a turnaround. Global preparedness for major crises – despite the many institutions that exist – is not coordinated, transparent or effective and public health throughout the world is extremely vulnerable. Whatever and wherever the origin of this global virus – a severe acute respiratory syndrome or coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or Covid 19 – its manifestation and transmission have demonstrated a major shift in recognising what may be possible in terms of threats to the lives of many in different places – and the world as a whole. It is interesting that the human respiratory system is the main target. This has been placed at risk generally for our global population, especially over the last 30 years since key international environmental legal conventions were agreed in Rio de Janeiro. Then Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, a doctor and politician who is former director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the former prime minister of Norway— became known also as the mother of sustainability. She headed the Commission for Sustainable Development and coined the definition of sustainable development as follows:
“Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
According to Dr Brundtland, sustainability can change the patterns of development that have threatened the environment. Sadly there has been the devastating decline in air quality in most jurisdictions worldwide due to ongoing environmental and climate change disregard, despite the wise voices of science as medicine, as well as philosophy and spiritual values or tenets. The pandemic has exposed – and continues to expose – so many weaknesses in the global human system and the unhealthy, flagrant lack of concern for the planet as a whole. It has exposed the critical danger of the growing social and economic inequalities, and has raised questions about the quality of the world’s leaders or leadership. There must be a rethink, a real turnaround.
Nowadays, several months into the Covid-19 pandemic, the disruption of our lives might still seem to be no more than a pause — global in scale and unprecedented but nonetheless a one off and temporary. Yet even now so many sectors are facing critical change. In a matter of months, the coronavirus has reset the clock on a long term aviation boom that has been one of the major cultural and economic phenomena of the postwar world. The explosion in air travel shrunk the planet, created jobs and hundreds of millions of first-time fliers. It dispersed families – rich and poor – over the world’s continents. Now all air travel is on hold and it is reported that airlines are slashing seat capacity by 70%. What will happen if, as indicated by some scientists, this pause lasts years and the impact changes the way of life in an ongoing manner? It has been suggested that even in the event of apparent elimination, SARS-CoV-2 surveillance should be maintained since a resurgence in contagion could be possible as late as 2024. What if there is no return to what people have considered to be normal life even when the pandemic is over? Normal is probably not the right word: what can we call normal? We will certainly return to certain aspects of a way of life that we are more familiar with – there may be some fundamental changes, or more nuanced ones. The use of technology and digital solutions will accelerate and the reliance on traditional physical resources will change. This pandemic is likely to be more than just an interlude – it should herald a reset or turnaround, especially as more comparisons are made with the lack of preparedness for climate emergencies on a global scale.
A new era – post the pandemic – has been postulated regarding the human way of life generally. Greater transparency, fairness and simplification of our societies have been referred to. Indeed one of the side effects of Covid-19 is to expose human accumulation and wasteful lifestyle over decades, as well unsustainable complexity in the individual, political and economic spheres of life. Hectic, fast, busy – a cluttered schedule, home, calendar and living space in the so called developed world. Excessive purchases, wasteful approaches which do not pay attention to the hierarchy of waste – reduce, reuse and recycle – without care or respect for the planet, lands or oceans. Over anxiety to fulfil perceived obligations without careful balance and prioritisation – with hard to manage calendars and often unnecessary travel for social or business commitments despite the digital age – whether for local, domestic or international trips.
Meanwhile increasing layers of complication: new bureaucracies, legislation, divisions of labor, tax loopholes have been creating even more opaque complexity and future problems in terms of governance and responsible risk management. Unnecessarily complex systems of health care, education and taxation have created and not solved problems. As we know the most simple designs are often the best in life: a turnaround is needed urgently. Excessive conduct, complexity and an inability to simplify is recorded to have brought down several civilisations, from the Mycenaean and Minoan to the Hittite and Mayan, including some Chinese dynasties and the Roman Empire. Such falls lead to rapid simplification, which in the ancient Vedic times had created a sustainable society and perennial way of life.
To embrace simplification and develop innovation – with fair and equitable solutions – can enable the turnaround that this world needs and the planet is demanding. Perception – fear, fatalism or hopelessness, negativity, blame and self pity – in the face of crises and unexpected mishaps must change. Self empowerment and responsibility for self – balance – are vital. There is an opportunity to re start the economy with a fresh eye that takes account of mistakes and learns from life lessons. The systems must be fit for purpose. Simplification may cause upheaval to some in our health care, tax and welfare systems; yet evidently those who rely most on medical or financial assistance cannot even navigate the complexities of getting it. Fairness and the ability to realise individual potential, with appropriate access to education, training and vocational instruction must be available in the Twenty First Century: this is overdue. In some countries, the reforms may come about through civil unrest; the better way is to do it inclusively, deliberately and mindfully.
The Covid-19 pandemic lockdown has caused immense disruption to many’s usual social and working lives. As individuals we can also simplify and prune our priorities while we deal with these challenging times. We can use the time to delve into our selves and our approach to our life, time and resources. We are being confronted with increasing questions and views as to how this pandemic will impact the sustainability of human priorities. Further, the impact of Covid-19 on business, including the impact on: nature-based solutions and the biodiversity agenda, energy transition, environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives, and on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) goals, as well as water supply risk – to mention a few examples.
Clearly, individual awareness and self responsibility improvement can create a turnaround on many levels. As Mahatma Gandhi indicated, change begins with you – you cannot change the world, only yourself. Moreover, when uncertainty is the only constant, moving forward in business in the current economy can be a challenge. Many aspects may seem beyond one’s control. Yet risk also creates opportunity. For example, society may well increasingly demand that companies, both public and private, serve a clear social purpose. Beyond such concepts and policies as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and any ‘greenwash’, concrete adaptability and implementation will be most important.
At a time of crisis there can be the opportunity for more flexible approaches such as: adapting operations and supply chains as they shift to creating products that help communities; protecting public health and saving jobs; relying on collaboration and resilience to expand the clean energy market; and committing to create a more equitable world – a more inclusive and regenerative economy. Impact investing can be another priority. This is responsible investment which intentionally produces direct benefits for people and the planet. Institutions are now making investments that directly produce social and environmental impacts to go beyond ESG integration by rating companies for ESG compliance. Impact investing looks to anticipate the planet’s future needs and how to meet them. There is a growing demand for more ethical investments and investments that produce measurable results in addressing ESG criteria and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs include microfinance, education, healthcare, community as well as Sustainability. Moreover, on the individual level, everything from nutrition or diet to healthcare and medicine more simplicity may be the trend as many will consider needs mo than wants. Such a turnaround may mean that one day humanity may look back at the Covid-19 pause – when the usual pace of economic “development “ with so many negative repercussions was stopped – with gratitude. Perhaps once again there will be reconsideration of gross domestic product (GDP) to extend to green accounting to place value on the world’s resources.
Another major turnaround can be in our leadership. People will view leaders from a different perspective having witnessed the chaos in trying to find suitable strategies throughout the world. As regards real leadership qualities in the face of such life and death crises, the qualities of leaders will be more and more under scrutiny by more and more people in another form of turnaround. Less ego and more humility would be welcome, more consultation and engagement with the people, the stakeholders. It is often useful to consider and learn from the past. In terms of saving lives Sir Ernest Shackleton has been called ‘The greatest leader that ever came on God’s earth, bar none’ for saving the lives of the twenty-seven men crew stranded with him on an Antarctic ice floe for almost two years. That was over 100 years ago. His extremely practical and simple guidelines have been cited as being relevant now as we face an unprecedented public health life and death crisis, ongoing lockdown and a highly unpredictable future for all of our key stakeholders. Three of Shackleton’s core leadership principles are outlined below.
1. Close crew interaction with regular informal sessions for the group to bond more closely while ensuring that he spent private time with each member of the crew. Nipping problems in the bud before escalation and recognising the importance of the crew staying united, in order to survive these months of uncertainly. Morale had to be high – that was his responsibility.
2. Balanced optimism throughout the crisis. Focus on short term objectives-often through intimate interaction to understand the crew’s wishes – was one of his greatest leadership attributes. He knew that he had to maintain optimism and would plan small rewards to anticipate their emotional needs, concentrating only on actions achieving short term successes, thereby building confidence and commitment.
3. Structure and the ability to anticipate and plan, so that the creation of an able and disciplined crew could be prepared for any outcome.
Shackleton was known to maintain a balance between these principles: that was the essence of his success. Once his goal and personal focus became clear, he had the foundations in place to surmount also impossible odds with a crew that was close, optimistic and structured. This unique success is an excellent inspiration for today: there is no doubt that the world requires inspirational leadership today to achieve the turnaround that will also prepare humanity for any future crisis.
It is timely- even overdue – to consider a global debate upon a positive turnaround that can be embarked upon. This can include appropriate values, standards and laws that are fit for purpose in a post pandemic era that reflect a more sustainable approach, turning the crisis into an opportunity to become more resilient. This turnaround can ensure positive change that can be a win win for humanity and the planet as a whole. As an international environmental and risk management lawyer and adviser and as part of our activities at Adhyatmik Foundation (where I am Vice President – www.adhatmik.org) we are offering courses, sessions and tools for life and health management to enable a more sustainable future for individuals and organisations.
