“A black swan is an unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected of a situation and has potentially severe consequences. Black swan events are characterised by their extreme rarity, their severe impact, and the practice of explaining widespread failure to predict them as simple folly in hindsight.” I thought this is an appropriate description of what we are experiencing. The challenge is now how to adapt to this situation. How to make the best of it?
This week I have tried to deal with this new reality. For my long-term consulting engagements in Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Georgia and Pakistan I have considered the possible scenarios to achieve the agreed upon results. Engagements that require communications to transfer knowledge, seek feedback or discuss possible solutions for identified problems. And how to communicate when international travel has been restricted? Should we opt for video conferences or simply extend the engagement and hope for better times? My personal experience with video conferencing is that they are not quite effective. You miss the human interaction which is a key element of business communication. You can’t make eye contact necessary to seek endorsement or emphasise a statement to a particular person. The reaction on someone’s face which you don’t see on when the face is squeezed into a tiny frame. Discussions are often hampered by a poor or delayed connection. You don’t have the short talks after a meeting for some further explanation or confirmation. Then again, it may be the way forward.
For now, I have been able to reschedule most of my engagements focusing on home office work in the short term and preparing for technical missions and workshops in due course. Ideally from June onwards though if the crisis takes more time, it will have to take place after the summer period or indeed through video conferencing. Luckily I still have quite some home office work in the pipeline so at least till summer I can keep myself fairly busy.
Even more challenging are the trainings. Delivering trainings online is also not my preferred option. Seeing the participants in tiny pictures on the screen. Not knowing whether they are dozing off. Using a chat function for the Q&As. I want a training to be dynamic, interactive and engaging. Though I also realise the need to develop such propositions. So, I have been communicating extensively this week with K-Infra, to see how we can design an effective online training as that is likely to be the only way possible to continue with this business in the short term. Discussing questions as which platform, which tools, do we need to change the schedule? But also thinking about whether to stand or to sit down in from of the camera, use the built-in camera or buy a webcam, how to make use of a whiteboard, etc. I didn’t know there were so many tutorials for online training on youtube (must not very good by the way). We have made progress though we’re not there yet. Most likely the training scheduled in April for the Dutch government will be the first opportunity to test it.
So the main focus of this week was adapting to the new reality and preparing for new ways of working which presumably applies to most of us. I was very much impressed by how swift and effective the Dutch school system adapted to the new situation. When the government decided to close the schools my kids thought holiday had started. Though within a few days they were back into a rhythm of (online) classes, homework and tests. Overall, I am very grateful for the way my country is dealing with the situation, in particular the medical staff working 24/7 to take care of the infected. And our leadership that is calm, transparent and diligent in making decisions and acting in the best interest of society. Despite a few narcistic, trumpian, lunatic politicians and a small minority of the population that doesn’t understand the need for social distancing or that there is no need for stockpiling, most of the people are trying to follow the government’s instructions, make the best of it and take care of one another. Let’s hope it works and that we can rise above it.
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