OK, so calling it an apocalypse could be a bit extreme (we are yet to find out...), but there is a lot for us all to consider ahead of when we eventually come out the other side of this.

There is no doubt that the world is going to look different after this from many perspectives. In terms of change, we are witnessing a rapid shift in the business landscape with layoffs, remote working, furloughing, and limited services. We also see a rapid difference in our personal lives with isolation, social distancing and lockdown. Significant change oozes around us all.

Proactive v's Reactive 

There are two types of change: proactive and reactive. Proactive changes try to avoid threats and capitalise on an opportunity, while reactive changes occur after an event has occurred. I think it's fair to say that no one indeed could have predicted the scale of what we are enduring leading to the globe currently dealing with it in a reactive manner.

Moving forward, we have a choice as to how we deal with the significant change that we will have to go through when the pandemic is over. As a homage to the thought of healthy life again, we thought we would share some great models to prepare us to deal with this change.

Here are nine popular models with a quick summary of each:

1. Lewin's three-step model
   Old activities must be unfrozen, and a new concept introduced, then new activities must be frozen
   
   
2. Bullock and Batten's planned change
   Exploration, planning, action, and integration
   
   
3. Kotter's eight steps
   Establish a sense of urgency, form a powerful guiding coalition, create a vision, communicate the vision, empower others to act on the vision, plan for and create short-term wins, consolidate improvements and produce still more change, institutionalise new approaches
   
   
4. Beckhard and Harris's change formula
   C = [ABD] > X, Where C = change, A = level of dissatisfaction with the status quo, B = Desirability of the proposed change or end state, D = practicality of the change, and X = cost of changing
   
   
5. Nadler and Tushman's congruence model
   The organisation is a system that draws inputs from internal and external sources and transforms them into outputs through four components: the work itself, the people, the informal organisation, and the formal organisation
   
   
6. Bridges' managing the transition
   Transition, which differs from change, consists of three phases: ending, neutral zone, and a new beginning
   
   
7. Carnall's change management model
   Change depends on the level of management skills in managing transitions effectively, dealing with organisational cultures, and managing organisational politics
   
   
8. Senge et al.'s systematic model
   Start small; grow steadily; don't plan everything; expect challenges
   
   
9. Stacey and Shaw's complex responsive process
   Change emerges naturally from communication and conflict, and mangers are a part of the whole environment

The New World

What does this look like for your business? We expect that there will be many changes that you will have to make. How do you plan to meander through it? Proactively or reactively?

If we deal with future changes proactively, we can attempt to avoid further threats as best we can, and we will be more likely to take advantage of opportunities that will present themselves after this is all over.

Start Early

Great use of time would be to find out and understand all the tools that are out there that could help bring your business back to its pre-COVID successes. The earlier we start thinking about potentially significant changes to our organisations and then strategically planning the change, the more chance we have of successfully delivering the actions needed to recover from any loss we have incurred through COVID.

While we do not profess that we have all the answers, we will be writing more about the professional challenges that we face and our thoughts as to how to overcome them, so keep an eye out for these articles - we are all in it together!