It’s December and that means the year 2020 is about to finally come to an end. This has been an unprecedented year in so many ways. From a pandemic to murder hornets to perhaps the most emotionally charged election cycle in the history of the U.S., the only thing that seemed to reign for most of the year is chaos. As the calendar turns over to 2021, however, let’s all make a pledge to furlough chaos and get on with our personal and professional lives.

Living in uncertainty is nobody’s strong point, but hopefully nine months into this exercise we are all getting better at it. A first step toward putting the chaos behind us can include focusing not on what you can’t control but what you can control. Identify your strengths and those of your organization and look to amplify them. 

Along those lines, don’t try to look too far down the road. Take it one day at a time. One customer at a time. So which customer is most important to you and your business? The one standing right in front of you. Focus on winning that moment and then the next one. And before long, you can’t help but get on a winning streak.

While you and your company will undoubtedly change plenty from this whole experience, one thing that must remain a constant is your organization’s purpose and mission. During times of crisis, it becomes easy to try to be all things to all people in the attempt to save top-line sales. That’s not a sustainable approach. Tim Powell of strategic consulting firm Foodservice IP rightfully compares it to running fast without a destination. How can you get there if you don’t know where you are going? Your company’s mission and vision should be the prism through which you view any decision about what comes next. Any ideas, no matter how appealing, that fall out of the realm of your mission and vision should be set aside.

Equally important, avoid group think or doing something because everyone else is doing it too. That benefits nobody. Invest in critical conversations and critiques about what’s working and what’s not.

Stick to what you can predict. In a blog post, Powell writes “Ask yourself, “What are we certain that will happen with our customers, competitors, and the market?” Chances are, there are a number of things that will surface. Prioritize those you can predict and work the unpredictable outcomes...”

In doing so, Powell suggests preparing for multiple outcomes. And given today’s unique business and political environments, that’s savvy advice. Plus, as Powell rightly points out, planning for multiple outcomes fosters innovation and ingenuity. 

What encourages me most about the future of the foodservice industry is its resilience and resourcefulness. From operators to consumers and all the way down the supply chain, the industry has adapted in ways nobody thought imaginable when the year began. Yet, when customers and consumers see that creativity and commitment on display, they want to be a part of it. It’s contagious in the best possible way. 

Focus on what you can do for them instead of what you can’t. With that as a starting point for any conversation, chaos will have no choice but to eventually go on furlough because there will be no place for it in a focused and collaborative environment.

Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!