Pivoting

When trouble is encountered, what do you do? Most likely, you turn to another pathway, or process, or problem solving action. In moments you very likely find a solution to keep moving forward. No food in the refrigerator? Check the wallet for available cash and go buy the needed food items. Or, if a meal is imminent, go to a fast food outlet and buy the sandwich, hamburger or Egg McMuffin. Finishing the meal you create a shopping list and go to the supermarket to buy the food.

When the pandemic stopped at our door, we learned to order groceries online. We either arranged pickup of our order at the store, or we had them deliver the order to our door. Over the next few weeks we switched our grocery shopping habits greatly to conform to health demands, and then supply issues.

Over more time, we learned to do without certain items, and to use other normal supplies carefully to prolong their availability and usefulness. We adapted. We pivoted to another way of doing things.

Businesses pivoted as well. They had to. Customers needed them and their goods and services. Big companies had the team, the space, the inventory and the deep pockets to adapt well to the changes. Not easy to do, but they could do it, and did.

Small businesses had neither the money or leverage to pivot adroitly. They could focus on the personal side of the customer’s needs, but their revamping the way they do business was much more difficult.

Instead, small businesses re-invented themselves. They did not have the large inventories, large space commitments, or overhead to carry. Small businesses had something else to work with. Mainly, small size allowed them flexibility to adapt totally. They could move quickly with changes in demand and supply. They could even re-invent the business entirely.

Change is opportunity. Size is an impediment to change, thus limited opportunity. Small size means ability to move quickly in whatever direction is appropriate to the circumstance.

Consumers can do the same thing – pivot to a different need and use pattern to everyday goods and services. It is amazing how well we do by giving something up. We find substitutes, or we learn to do without. We focus on other things and learn new enjoyment. New freedom, too. Self-sustainability is a benefit of that freedom. Simpler lifestyles emerge. More time appears like magic to be used in whatever new way we desire.

The pandemic caused America to change in many ways. Some good, some bad. But we pivoted to new ways of living, consuming, working, living and loving.

The pandemic was a major shock to our social equilibrium. That shock came with a price of death, suffering and loss. But it also came with new realizations and possibilities. Opportunities emerged for our consideration. We were stretched to be more of what was demanded of us.

And we prevailed. Whether for better or worse only time will tell. Meanwhile, we are challenged to be better than we were. Those who are up to the task will benefit. Those who are not, will lose.

Which one are you?

November 25, 2021

 

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