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How Business Leaders Can Ignite a Brighter Normal in 2021 with Meaningful Stakeholder Value and Profit

By Rod Wallace, PhD and Teri P. Cox, MBA

As we’ve navigated through the dark clouds of COVID-19 and 2020 – the drama of the disease, the unsettling political and racial unrest, economic and other uncertainties – there’s still that nagging need to return to the comfort of ‘normal.’ 

The pandemic seriously disrupted our business and family life, how we interact with others. We’ve kept adjusting the ways we live and work.

We’ve mostly evolved from in-person contact to virtual connections and meetings with colleagues, employees, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders key to our organizations. We now utilize online tools and platforms to conduct most business remotely. We’re networking more by virtually re-connecting with friends and colleagues from our past to explore new mutually beneficial commercial opportunities — all to stay safe and keep making progress.

Across industries, a myriad of mind shifts and innovation are under way, rapid responses to the world’s dramatically changing needs and challenges.

Solid progress has been made on the disease treatment front. Biopharma companies and universities across the globe have been partnering with governments 24/7 to fast-track better COVID-19 tests, proven treatments for all stages of the corona virus, and vaccines to prevent it. There’s diversity in vaccine clinical trials. Effective treatments are already approved for hospital and advanced cases. Thirty-six promising vaccines are being tested, one has been approved and is beginning the rollout in distribution, starting with first responders at key hospitals and the staff and residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities for older adults. 

All looks more hopeful, as we wind down from this troubling year and focus our efforts on making 2021 better for all of us.     

There still is much work to be done. The election results are final, yet clouds of moral outrage continue to add confusion. Acts of anger, frustration and sadness bring testament to our nation’s racial and political divide. This year, we saw inspiring numbers of Americans of all races coming together, calling for something better. More organizations now consider racial issues deeply at the institutional level and translate awareness into meaningful action. Some progress, yet societal transformation needs to continue.

Safety precautions and guidelines keep developing, with more business openings and social gatherings over the holiday season across the country. Still, just about every state has seen serious spikes in the number of new cases of COVID-19, as more activities are held indoors. Experts are concerned about this second wave of cases made worse by overlapping with the flu season through the Fall and Winter months.    

This confluence of radical change has churned a “perfect storm” in 2020, bringing us all together for a reason. All with signs that we can’t go back to the way things were.

As leaders, we’re challenged to illuminate the way to a BETTER normal in 2021 that reinforces relationships, adds more value and also makes a profitable difference.

Employees still seek positive reassurance – a forward vision for their future with strong companies, employment security, safety, and inspiration. Families and communities want safety, stability and a hopeful outlook for health and prosperity in the New Year.

This unprecedented new reality presents a golden opportunity for refactoring the fundamentals in our organizations.

It’s time to find weak spots, continue to shift gears, and set the tone and frequency for empowering communications, forward-thinking strategies and pragmatic actions for 2021.

Build functional systems, establish policies, and structures that work better and apply fitting technologies. Construct mutually beneficial, trusted relationships and collaborations that respond to evolving business, community and societal needs.

Be that source lighting the way forward!

Here are four timely questions to consider:

1.   As a leader, how can you take this time to strengthen your company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – to address the shifting needs and challenges of key stakeholders? To ensure that it’s woven into your new strategic imperatives, the fabric of your business, organizational constructs and brands and delivers sustainable value?

2.   How can your business connect more strategically and consistently with stakeholders – both internal and external – to better understand and address their needs and fears?

3.   What reinforcing initiatives should your company consider implementing — through collaboration and communication – that add transparency, express empathy and reassurance and provide more value to support employees, customers, clients, partners and the communities you serve, as all navigate through these evolving times into 2021 and beyond? 

4.   How can you act on these new opportunities to build more trusted win-win partnerships with stakeholders, address their needs effectively and make a measurable impact now and over the long term?

As two strategically focused business and communications consultants with seasoned perspective and complementary expertise, we’re combining forces to help organizations explore these questions and discover answers that make a positive, sustainable difference.

We’re forming a strategic alliance, building on over 60 years of combined experience in strategic thought leadership and research, successful business and organizational program development and implementation in CSR, change and issues management.

We’re partnering to help businesses delve into these issues more thoroughly and develop sound strategies, pragmatic tactical solutions and programs that will achieve organizational objectives, make a difference now and into the future.

What we bring to the table:

Rod Wallace, PhD. – A business strategist, economist, and speaker focused on energizing organizations to deliver profit and make a positive difference. A unique background that crosses international business, social research, and technology, and provides thought leadership for teams seeking to develop a pragmatic way to deliver distinctive value to investors, stakeholders and society. A Fulbright Fellow who has worked with a leading economic historian, led multi-organization, billion-dollar challenges worldwide, and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on society, investigated Japanese pharmaceutical distribution for the Japanese Ministry of Trade, Economy, and Industry, and led a Nobel-Prize winner-endorsed review of the food industry. Publications focus on the interplay between history and the present, technology and society, collaboration and competition.

In the Amazon best-selling book Drowning in Potential: How American Society Can Survive Digital Technology, articulates the unique challenges of our modern age while presenting strategies and tools for overcoming society’s most pressing issues.

Teri P. Cox, MBA – An analytical, passionate and creative strategic consultant, writer and speaker with over 40 years of public relations, CSR, advocacy, marketing, research and issues management experience. Has served leading pharmaceutical and consumer products companies, government and stakeholder agencies, professional and trade associations, research institutions, non-profit associations, global communications agencies and environmental enterprises. Helps position organizations strategically by building win-win partnerships with stakeholders linked to their mission and goals. Has dedicated her life and career to challenging the status quo, finding innovative solutions, and advocating for positive change. Has provided thought leadership, expertise and programs to inform businesses, marketers and government officials, empower cancer patients and survivors, and train advocacy volunteers and support caregivers across the country – making a difference for millions.

As a business leader, gain new insight and a clearer vision to ignite a brighter, more beneficial normal for 2021 and beyond. Work with seasoned strategic partners to consider the creative, pragmatic approaches and tactical solutions that will deliver greater stakeholder value and profit. 

We’re combining forces to become your trusted strategic partner in 2021.

Please reach out. We’d love to hear from you and explore how we can help.

Dr. Rod Wallace: m: 1-302-723-9422                             

                            e: rod@rodwallacephd.com

Teri P. Cox:        m: 1-609-306-9730

                            e: tcox@coxcommpartners.com

Our Best Wishes for a joyful holiday season and a healthier, happier, more peaceful, collaborative and prosperous New Year!