For many of us, 2020 was the most challenging year of our lifetime. Lives and jobs were lost, savings were exhausted and social connections were frayed or broken by the stress and uncertainty of COVID-19.
But 2020 also forced us to learn and grow. We faced new obstacles and were pushed into unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations. We had no choice but to face those challenges head-on and adapt.
As the year comes to an end, I want to share some of my silver linings from 2020.
New Conversations Strengthened Relationships
Gro Alliance is a close-knit, family-owned company. But we learned so much more about each other’s family lives in 2020. We juggled work responsibilities around disruptions in daycare, never-ending changes to school schedules and possible COVID exposures. These unfamiliar situations pushed everyone to learn more about every employee and feel more comfortable sharing personal challenges and brainstorming solutions. As a result, we are a stronger team with a greater understanding of our co-workers’ lives.
Greater Comfort with Uncertainty
Nearly every week presented a new set of challenges. From covering shifts to rebalancing field scouting assignments, our team had to be ready for anything! We all chipped in at various times, from completing shipping paperwork to supervising a detasseling crew. The result was an employee base much more comfortable with uncertain work schedules and a huge improvement in cross-training. We all learned a lot about what each other does and gained a deeper appreciation for everyone’s contributions to seed quality and the company’s success.
Increased Respect for Diverse Opinions
The increase in personal information sharing gave us deeper insights into what our employees believe, their priorities and lives outside of work. This insight naturally brought to light a wide range of opinions and thoughts on almost every issue imaginable. Views that were more closely held were now out in the open. The response was incredible! Rather than create an atmosphere of division, we listened with respect and curiosity. We gained an appreciation for the diversity of thought within the company which facilitated more open communication.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for a repeat of 2020! However, our employee response to COVID-19 has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. We were all tested in ways we never expected and have become a much stronger and more united company because of it!
