During this time of working from home, I have pondered and compared a bit between what happened when Indonesia faced the 1998 political-economic crisis and the current COVID-19 emergency. If anyone assumes that the impact of COVID will only be felt for a few months (especially in Indonesia), you are dreaming. COVID will have an impact at least of one year in the future. So, what we do or don’t today will also affect what we will obtain after COVID-19 ends.
At that time, 1998, the manufacturing and service industries collapsed and were forced to carry out structural and operational efficiency and downsizing. The emerging theme—one of which is touted by Singapore—was re-engineering the corporation.
When the economy is slowing down, creativity and inventiveness are pushed to the maximum extent possible for at least two interrelated objectives: (1) seeking a precise breakthrough in the global economic downturn; (2) reading the best opportunities when there are signs of recovery and getting ready to fight over the moment with the best players in their respective regions. The first will produce innovation and the second will create readiness.
At times like that, blue-chip companies—like ASTRA—didn’t even stop its recruitment. They only replaced the strategy by aligning current needs with the need to build readiness. The training also did not stop, instead it encouraged to involve global innovative players. Local educational institutions (including management education institutions) also gained momentum to become important players in the new economy and to create special forces that helped companies to survive during the Clash of the Titans in the struggle for the new champion.
My observations this time are rather worrying. Some people I know who are smart young workers only wait because they don’t have work in the office. I ask—is there no strategic discussion if COVID-19 can be overcome; how to generate the fastest recovery and avoid resilience that is too slow because it has been resting for too long? The answer I got was just a smile.
I work in a private university in Jakarta. We are quite busy with building new habits (actually lagging behind), namely online lectures. Senior lecturers—like me—are a bit frustrated because of myopic technology. But, again, absent from my observations are serious efforts to prepare for the recovery period and to read, in the dim future, what opportunities might arise and need to be addressed to change the history of our business as usual—including college.
I am not a workaholic. I am also pleased with the relaxation enjoyed by COVID-19. But, in my heart, I am very aware that some people, parties, corporations, are in an innovative process. The post-break symptoms—called the Bus stop syndrome—show that to start the same thing after stopping for some time requires very slow acceleration. Especially if the engine is cold. Thinking about opportunities and investing in efforts to find space and build readiness requires collaboration and mutual support. More than that, it takes people with vision, with eagle’s eyes, and with the spirit of a champion athlete. Stay healthy but still be creative and work hard so that you become the Champion next year.
