A new age is born
I woke up on my birthday, March 24th, in a surreal state. My country, South Africa, is two days away from a nationwide shutdown, joining others around the world that are faced with the same reality.
We are indeed living in an unprecedented time, perhaps not since World War 2 have we seen government-imposed curfews and quarantine, the shutdown of international business and massive disruptions to our healthcare system. It is true that we are at war, but our enemy is invisible and indiscriminate.
This morning, I managed to find a quiet place far from another soul to contemplate the situation. I resolved to not be dragged down by the severity of what we face. For in this time of suffering and yes, even death, we must be inspired by hope.
Here is my hope
For everyone to find their own narrative that is filled with positive grit and defiance, rather than succumb to the freely accessible negativity surrounding the crisis.
For big business, and those who can afford it, to support their staff and smaller businesses that are stretched to breaking point. As an entrepreneur, the light at the end of the tunnel feels distant but there is but one choice; to persevere with a relentless determination to overcome.
For those philosophically contemplating their situation, to balance your views with the realisation that it was not a case of if, but when, we would be faced with a global disaster like this. All the signs have been increasingly pointing towards such a significant event, it is now for us to weather the storm and take meaningful lessons into the chapters that follow.
Today, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an “immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world amid #coronavirus”, stating that “this is what our human family needs, now more than ever.”
I hope those bearing arms heed his call, so that we do not layer suffering upon suffering.
A new consciousness
For some time, I have been evangelising the premise of more conscious business, promoting the ideal of inclusive and sustainable success based on a narrative that considers a multitude of stakeholders beyond shareholders.
Two weeks ago, I announced the launch of Animarem, a boutique impact consultancy that focuses on guiding and powering this shift toward conscious business.
I firmly believe that it is right now that leaders in the business community need to embrace the age of the social enterprise. Already we have seen remarkable contributions to local and international communities being made by companies everywhere. We should not have had to wait for a global crisis to spark this change, but more importantly, my invitation is to sustain it beyond the pandemic.
It is crucial to our connected humanity.
If you share this belief and are ready to embark on this journey, even in these tough times, I welcome your contact and would be honoured to support your pursuit.
#birthdaymessage #consciouscapitalism #consciousbusiness #consciouscompanies #bcorp #sustainable #change #advisory