Time 4 Change London - If not 2020, then when?

If not in 2020, then when?

I didn't start out thinking it was time for change.  But I find myself in that situation.

Doesn’t everyone?  

      Isn't change one of those things that is always constant? 

      Whether it’s forced on you or it’s your decision?

            Planned or unplanned?  

                  Good or bad?  

                         Big or small? 

    It’s the one constant we have in our life!

Who could have predicted a year ago the changes we've seen over the last few months with the Covid 19 pandemic? 

Well, some… after SARs, Ebola, Zika and others, scientists predicted it was just a matter of time.  Bill Gates predicted it as well -- in 2015 he gave a TED talk about how the world was not ready for the next pandemic.  And in 2018, he urged President Trump to invest in technologies to respond to a pandemic. 

Closer to home, In 2016, Exercise Cygnus simulated a flu outbreak and carried out a "war-game" for the UK's pandemic readiness.  It warned that the NHS could not cope with a pandemic -- keeping the "terrifying" results secret.   (So instead of the world spending money on getting prepared, we’ve spent money to fight man-made weapons!)

Who could have predicted the traction that Black Lives Matter would finally be getting after so many terrible deaths (threats & constant fear) over the years simply because of the colour of someone's skin?

And that (finally!) the support for Black Lives Matter would cross race, age, gender, religion, countries -- and political affiliation!!!

Who would've expected the changes we’ve seen over the last few months a year ago?  Not the average Joe Bloggs.  Not me, by a long shot! 

And as much as I try to plan for things, mulling over my decisions – sometimes over and over and over again -- questioning is it the right thing to do?  Sometimes you just have to take the plunge.  Take the risk -- not knowing everything you’re going to be faced with that’s just around the corner!

As one of my friends wrote to me this morning when she got off her shift at 2 a.m. as a Nurse Practitioner in an emergency room -- 

"there’s always tension between the economy and life and death. And there’s always risks in life"

My friend’s risk is her life right now! 

She’s been one of the nurses on the front lines for months with this pandemic!  Every day she’s at work they are having to reuse N95 masks, which were always single use/disposable pre-Covid.  Fortunately, she’s managed to stay healthy.  But every day she puts her life at risk to save those from Covid (among other things)!

Her risk is clearly a risk those of us who are not on the front lines aren’t facing day-to-day, despite us doing our “weekly shops” without the “world besting” track and trace system.

Boy!  I thought perhaps my life had risks -- but some of those were risks I chose -- I bought a house in London at the end of February.  And weeks later my role was made redundant as the Covid 19 crisis hit!

But it's not just me – the whole world is dealing with change!  We’re all facing change and perhaps changes to our risks, shared values -- our purpose -- each of us in very different ways!   Some with more risk than before -- from Covid 19 or other illnesses.  But some with more hope that their risk will be less if Black Lives Matter can finally influence critical actions and changes that are desperately needed (and well overdue!).

My biggest risk is about financial security for the future.

The potential that at 56, I might never get a job again that I love -- since I do have to keep paying the mortgage I just signed up to.

But I’ve changed so much in the last few months – the old Business Plan may not work for me any longer!

I want to do something where I can really make a difference – a purpose!  I want to be a force for positive social change, moral change, economic change!  In every job I’ve ever had, fairness has always been top of mind…but I didn’t realize just how much that’s meant to me until the past few months!

I was inspired by a number of things that brought me to where I am right now…. some of this inspiration comes from just the sheer situation we’re in right now.  

Those on the front lines who have given their lives to try to keep the rest of us safe, and alive!  

Those who are fighting for their lives -- and rights they inherently don’t have because of the colour of their skin!

Poet Leslie Dwight said it best -- what if 2020 isn't cancelled?  What if 2020 is the year we've been waiting for?

And there are others, linked through shared values and purpose, who have and are making a difference for change in the work they do on a day to day basis…

Larry Weber – author, Authentic Marketing, and founder, chairman and CEO, Racepoint Global -- who believes the rules of engagement for businesses have changed -- that "increasingly customers and prospective customers are going to be looking for companies that are good".  In 2019, Larry was keynote speaker at Capital Communicator's PR Summit DC.   In this 3-minute video Larry shares with Simon Locke (Founder & CEO CommunicationsMatch) the importance of "companies having both a moral purpose and an ethical approach to capitalism." 

In Authentic Marketing, Larry references Fortune's annual Change the World list.   Published initially in 2015 in conjunction with the Shared Value Initiative (created and supported by FSG), it recognizes 50+ major companies annually using "shared value strategies to deliver scalable social impact, as well as a meaningful contribution to their revenues and profitability".  

Jacqueline Novogratz – author, Manifesto for a Moral Revolution and Founder and CEO, Acumen - who believes that "moral imagination is the basis of an ethical framework for a world that recognizes our common humanity and insists on opportunity, choice and dignity for all of us."  She believes we should all give back more to the world than what we take from it. Jacqueline works to "enable human flourishing".  She founded Acumen in 2001 to "invest in people, companies and ideas that see capital and networks as means, not ends, to solving the toughest issues of poverty".  This TED link provides a summary of her work and mission, with links to her TED talks, and news and ideas from her.

Duncan Brown – Independent advisor, Principal Associate IES (institute for employment studies), and Visiting Professor University of Greenwich is a prolific author and speaker on HR and reward issues -- who continues to fight on a daily basis for society to "create a more equitable, collective, compassionate approach to reward and people management".  He recently led a "Rewards after the Pandemic" group to create a charter and framework for companies reviewing their Reward Strategy after the pandemic.  Duncan is a frequent contributor to LinkedIn and has published over 50 articles.  On 21 June he published: Black inequality, White fragility and why HR needs to change which pointed out that organizations have a long way to go to address inequality and unfairness.

*** NOTE:  This clearly is by no means a full list of those fighting every day for change with these shared values.  There are so many others!  (who will be highlighted in posts to follow)

These are just the ones who hold those shared values that call out to me, and continue to promote purpose and change -- the ones who have directly impacted me in the last few months via Webinars and LinkedIn posts to get me to the place where I say -- 

YES -- I do have a financial risk for the future!

But our biggest risk -- me included -- is for a future that isn’t what we want.

Are we willing to take a stand and fight for a future we want?  

    At whatever age we are?   

        Or whatever our situation is?

I've decided to face my risks and fears head on with purpose!  My LinkedIn tag line now reads:

Exploring Opportunities to work as a Force for Positive Social, Moral & Economic Change ⭐ Career Experience: Total Rewards

I hope that you’ll stand with me to help make the positive changes the world is so desperate for!

If not in 2020, then when?

Under Development:

www.time4changelondon.com

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