Diversification
Diversification
We are currently in lockdown in France and have been for nearly one week now. We can only leave the house with a special permit, and only then to go to the hospital, pharmacy, supermarket and to work (if in possession of another special permit). All shops selling non-essential goods are closed and we are looking to find other means of achieving our aims. This is only France though, much of the rest of the world is in a similar position and if not yet at this stage, they will be.
This is a difficult time for all concerned and everyone is suffering, albeit in different ways. It is not, however, a time to give up on the future. I have spoken with friends, colleagues and family all over the world this week – some of whom have been subject to redundancy and unpaid leave battles; some have lost a lot of money in investments and it is a generally worrying time.
Businesses are looking to ‘Diversify’; businesses are being forced to ‘Diversify’ – pubs and restaurants are moving to serve take away menus, training establishments have been forced to get their e-learning suites off the ground, schools are having to create home learning packs. These are only a few basic measures. How about companies such as GTech, a vacuum cleaner manufacturer, who is looking to come to the aid of the British NHS by manufacturing ventilators? It means that what many are trying to do at the moment may not be working in their specific areas of expertise and they may not be 100% adept at what they are doing…but they have sat back and thought about what they ‘can’ do and what skills they can put to good use during this time. Many will come out of this with greater hope for the future as a result.
I have also heard several stories this week of people ‘Diversifying’. Two well qualified executives in my network in the past week, one a Learning & Development Consultant and the other a Senior Commercial Manager, who facing redundancy, have taken jobs in their local supermarkets. Supermarkets are crying out for employees at the moment, their needs have never been greater. These people have not let pride stand in their way, nor sat back and allowed the situation to engulf them. They have put on a uniform and gone out to work – they are gaining new skills, keeping busy, earning money to put food on the table and helping the rest of the world get through this global crisis. I admire them.
This is the time to break out your inner entrepreneur and get your skills working for you!
I myself will be teaching my own niece, nephew and friend’s children French and Yoga for kids from today as part of their home schooling! It’s been 12 years since I taught children’s French and it certainly wasn’t online then! But I am a language teacher, I do have teaching materials, I live in France, speak fluent French and I have access to the internet! Neither am I an actual Yoga teacher but I know the kids generally like doing yoga with me, I know my own practice, I know what we usually do when they come to visit and again, I have the time and the ability. So why not?!
What can you do to get involved and diversify?