So, how are you bearing up? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel - not yet, but there are some benefits we can enjoy now.
It is 7.15, I open my bedroom curtains. A beautiful spring day; the sky is blue and the sun shining. In Hyde Park, the leaves of the Horse Chestnut trees have escaped their buds and are pushing up their candelabras of flowers; white, crimson and pink. The lime trees are a stunning ‘lime’ green and the grape hyacinths have made way to blue and white ‘bluebells’.
It is quiet. I look at the sky, no aeroplanes- none!
I am used to them flying over the Thames landing at Heathrow every 30 seconds now not one.
I look at the Bayswater Road. A red London bus, the 148 to Shepherds Bush passes by, empty - completely empty. It is followed by a white van and three police cars - that is it - no traffic.
I get dressed to cycle around the park. The street cleaner, an elderly hunchback with a white beard, and high visibility orange and lime green jacket, probably from Eastern Europe is slowly and methodically sweeping the street of the brownish flowers from the London Plane trees, ‘Good morning’ he says.
I look up Connaught Street, towards the Edgeware Road deserted, I can hear the screech of the green parakeets, the squawk of the Magpies and the song of the nightingales. Without the rumble of the aeroplanes and the drone of the commuter traffic their song is clear and thrilling.
In the Park I peddle past Speaker’s Corner, a fox saunters across the Parade Ground - its coat gleaming, its tail bushy. I ride past Hyde Park Corner and past the north side of the Serpentine. A couple of Egyptian Geese are proudly protecting their one gosling, yesterday they had four; mother nature!
Apart from a few other cyclists and exercise walkers the park is empty. I peddle past Kensington Palace and the Albert Hall, before cycling on the south side of the Serpentine, the blue water against the bright green grass takes my breath away - never have I seen a London spring so magical - thanks to Coronavirus the mischief behind Covid-19, the reason why we have been ordered to Stay Home, Stay Safe, Protect our NHS.
The effects of Covid-19 on the lives of ordinary people is and will be devastating. Many have and will lose their loved ones, go bankrupt, become unemployed and get sick with worry, but if you look hard there is a silver lining.
My vision post Covid-19 is that we will reflect on what we do, who we do it for, why we do what we do and focus on a Culture of Care. To help us on our way, I am writing a book ‘ A Culture of Care - Winning Business post Covid-19’ which my publisher Filament says could be available as an e-version as early as mid May. My mission is to disrupt the complacency of our working life, our bad habits, and poor practices, to better serve our clients.
But the trend is already underway. Take Craig Swart our Podcast Professional of the week, a private client lawyer and litigator in Jersey. He is quoted in Chambers and Partners as ‘efficient in suggesting a way forward in a no-nonsense manner’. Craig is a great example of how a litigator can also adopt a Culture of Care with his clients.
He is not alone, the Podcast Professionals we invite to be interviewed for our ‘How to Keep your Money’ podcast library we chose, not just because they are leaders in their field of expertise but also because they care for their clients.
With the increase of information available on the internet, canny professionals have had to move away from what I call a Mindset of Id - where a Professional is proud of their superior knowledge and information and treats their clients as a necessary nuisance.
Happily this type of professional is in decline with more and more seeking to find solutions for their clients, rather than more problems and to explain in plain language complex issues in words which the client understands.
In my book ‘A Culture or Care - Winning business post Covid - 19’ I focus on the two opportunities each professional has and can use to their advantage; their clients and their network, to win business and build trusted relationships.
Next week, I will focus on what I see as some of the least attractive aspects which I can see arising from this Coronavirus and lockdown and what we need to think about to be ahead of the curve.
If you would to find out more about our Podcast Professionals or would like to join our project to create the definitive podcast library of information for the UHNW community contact deborah@garnhamfos.com or call 020 3740 7423.
Keep safe, keep strong and keep well.