Contingency by definition is an event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted - so we can plan for disruption but not necessarily for the particulars. That's ok, it sounds like life in general to us!
We have all heard of having a contingency plan but they usually consist of reserves we can tap in to if we hit turbulent times. Let's flip that script - what if contingency was a mindset and a norm, because it kind of is.
It is foolish to count on anything as a constant, really. Employees, leadership, technology, business models, products and services they all change (and should) over time. So what if you sought change rather than avoided or struggled to ride it out? When change becomes something you can count on and use as a launchpad for growth the word contingency transforms into a source of excitement!
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PLAN FOR CHANGE + USE IT TO EVOLVE
Here are our tips for building contingency into regular practice:
- Reach out to your clients in new and interesting ways. Don't wait for creative touch points to be necessary, be the company that is good at connecting no matter the format. Check out these unique global marketing strategies
- Get really good at leveraging tools while always seeking the next best thing. Just like school, the most important skills are transferable. So you don't want experts on a specific program but rather experts on quickly learning and adapting to new technology, because something better is just around the corner and you don't want to get left behind!
- Spend as much time thinking about your next big pivot to advance your cause as you do perfecting the current state.
- Tried but true, make time to invest on the business and in the business. Every employee should be improving tasks while completing them.
- Find like-minded industry colleagues and collaborate. Coopetition means to work with competitors you respect, share core values with and have something to gain by working together. Evolution is a product of collective movements forward and that doesn't have to stay siloed to your business. Learn more about coopetition here!
Each of these tips involve existing in a state of contingency. Accomplishing tasks while anticipating change. They actually lead to constant innovation, flexibility and adaptation. It's like trail running - you know how to get from A to B but have to run on your toes, alert, ready for barriers and with all the skills to jump every hurdle as they come.
When you know the rain is coming and decide to dance in it, nothing can rain on your parade!
Get out there and make an impact - rain or shine! ️
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About the contributor:
Co-Founder & Senior Advisor
Co-Founder and Sr. Advisor of Botree, Teena Sauve is a driven entrepreneur with a diverse background. Starting her career in the armed forces, Teena has carved out a unique career path that has amassed her experience in healthcare, corporate management, business development, leadership coaching and not-for-profit. This plural skill set has led to her vocation, optimizing businesses through people and process. Her professional career developed alongside her passion for community networks with an undeniable synchronicity.
Over the past decade Teena has cultivated a grassroots not-for-profit organization aptly named WE Unite. With the organization's 10th anniversary upcoming in 2020, WE Unite has begun the process to become a registered charity. The organization's 300 members have made a significant impact on the region through fundraising for local families, hands-on volunteerism, female empowerment initiatives and charity collaborations that have gained them recognition both municipally and provincially. WE Unite's mission is to "make a difference through purpose" and have a vision to see every community in Canada host a branch of their grassroots community group.