Chuck LEAN Business Consultant
To be creative, businesses need to have an open mind and make connections, as well as imagine and explore new solutions to problems that simply did not exist before. And crucially, they need to learn rapidly from mistakes. It’s not just about coming up with creative ideas, but putting them into action and responding to the shifting priorities as new regulations are enforced throughout the pandemic.
During the lockdown, there was little time to test new creative ideas, and businesses had to just run with them. Having the creative ability and motivation to respond and make changes has been crucial to the survival of many companies.
With consumers now policing businesses that flout the regulations – either formally or by word of mouth online – the pressure on businesses to innovate has increased. The next phase of creative thinking may be needed sooner than we think, as businesses and consumers face up to the prospect of further restrictions and government intervention.
Creativity will help businesses survive these pressures and secure their place in this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world. And their experiences can help others innovate and avoid any painful and expensive mistakes. These creative successes will be studied and taught on business courses, examining how their adaptability led to company survival and resilience, leading the way not just through this ongoing crisis, but through any turbulent times in the future.
What ways are you being creative during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Remaining agile
Permanent closures have been [removed] with some well-loved names [removed] , such as Glasgow’s oldest Indian restaurant, the Koh-I-Noor. But others have creatively captured new opportunities, like the popular small chain of restaurants called Six by Nico, which before the pandemic offered themed tasting menus, and had just expanded into England and Northern Ireland. The restaurant [removed] to provide an at-home dining kit experience, which often sold out within minutes of each Friday menu release.