At the start of last year, no one could have predicted how much COVID-19 would alter the landscape of businesses across every industry. Salesforce.com consultants felt this as work slowed and projects were not steadily available from consultancy firms. Yet consultants who embraced the changes brought on by the pandemic are finding new ways to achieve success.
Those who not only survived but thrived during this turbulent time were able to adapt quickly by embracing the unknown. Many had to scrap existing ideas, turn tried and true strategies on their heads, and completely reinvent how they handle business. Now, as we enter a new year where COVID-19 is still a real presence, more and more people are embracing change and using this time to reassess their strategies for success.
Self-Reliance
When the pandemic slowed down business, those who have been successful realized quickly that they couldn’t just sit around waiting for their firm to find another project for them. Instead, they figured out what their next move was and attacked each day, constantly looking for new opportunities in spite of the circumstances.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues this year, those striving to be successful are continuing to work just as hard, if not harder to find projects and deliver excellent services each day. To make that effort worthwhile, they need to find ways to maintain motivation without the face-to-face stimulus of normal sales engagement. And it can be hard to get up each day and deliver quality work but it’s essential because the changes brought on by COVID-19—working from home, slower response times from clients, uncertainty in job security—aren’t going away any time soon.
Look for New Opportunities
The potential for new opportunities is everywhere as long as you continue to put in the effort. Being stagnant right now is not an option if you want to be successful. There are steps you can take to seek out opportunities, like reaching out to your network, instead of waiting around for something to fall into your lap. Monitor current trends and reach out to past or current clients to gauge what they need right now and how can best deliver to them.
Rethink your Goals
Given the turbulence the pandemic caused, you may have created goals that now seem unreasonable given the circumstances. But you don’t have to throw those goals out the window. Instead, rewrite your goals, downsize, narrow in on the essentials and make them more manageable. And once you’ve got a more realistic set of goals, get to work. Crush them.
Successful consultants start each day by laying out a plan. Figure out what you need to do each day in order to be productive and then, as they say, just do it. Don’t make excuses and just do the work. Which is of course easier said than done but it’s the most surefire way to take control of any situation.
If you’re finding it difficult to stay motivated, circle back to that list of goals you’ve created and make moves each day to cross another one off the list. While you might be used to outside sources that motivate you to work (deadlines!) right now as the motivation might have to come from within. As you continue to work from home make sure you’re strict with yourself and your schedule. Stick to your plan, buckle down, and do the work.
Another component to reimagining your goals is rewarding yourself, if not for a job well done then for a job well, done. Maybe you made it out of last year net even. Congratulations! There are thousands and thousands of people who may not have been so lucky this past year. As long as you can look at your work, at the end of the day, and feel proud of what you’ve accomplished, you’re in a good place. The pandemic isn’t going away so you need to embrace the changing circumstances instead of waiting for them to change.
Get Comfortable in the Uncomfortable
As the future becomes more and more unpredictable, consultants can either adapt and take control of their careers or sit around, waiting for something better to maybe come along. The ways in which consultants handled the COVID-19 crisis will be influential in determining how they will hold up against the unpredictability of the future. Success in the long run will be determined by a consultant’s ability to adapt to uncertainty, pivot quickly and scrap long-held tactics for newer, more effective ideas. COVID-19 is a learning experience for you—to assess how well you function in uncharted territory.
Were you successful? Did you excel within your industry? How could you have done better to prepare yourself for the unknown?
These are all questions consultants should be asking themselves as they face new and unexpected challenges in the new year. It’s difficult and uncomfortable to prepare for the unknown which is why those that want to be successful can’t just sit around and wait for things to go back to normal. There really isn’t a normal anymore. While you can’t prepare for exact situations, you can embrace change and practice adaptability to help you stay afloat in an ever-changing environment.
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