VIEW FROM THE CHAMBER

As we continue adjusting to life in a pandemic since the UK Government announced lockdown measures on March 23, many of us have been working from home – or is it being at home trying to work?

The chamber team have embraced technology and advocated virtual meetings, project management tools and various ways to help us collaborate internally and with our membership at this uncertain time.

We have learned to think quick and fail fast in these past weeks to lobby, discuss and drive through change with ministers, chamber partners and our strong Lochaber community proving their resolve each day.

Tom Peters, an influential management thinker hosted a webinar recently for World of Business Ideas (WOBI) and paraphrased one of his books, The Little BIG Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence, saying: ‘It’s the small courtesies that last forever, indeed it’s the small, tiny stuff that you remember.’

An interesting thought as we make our journey to the ‘new normal’ and navigate our way through the changing landscape.

He went on to read an information notice distributed by a community college in Oregon, USA that was sent to all staff to help them adjust, adapt and remember the little things:

1. You are not working from home, you are at home during a crisis trying to work;

2. Your personal, physical, mental and emotional health is extremely important right now – take care of yourself;

3. You should not try to compensate for lost productivity by working longer hours;

4. Be kind to yourself and don’t judge how you’re coping based on how you see others coping;

5. Be kind to others and don’t judge others and how they’re coping based on how you’re coping;

6. Success will not be measured in the same way as it was when things were ‘normal’.

The world is changing at a rapid pace and we’re all trying to keep up. Just remember, look after yourself as much as you are looking after others. We’re in this together.