This month is all about reflection for the Peas. We looked back to check in on 2020 and where we’re at since our post in January about What We’re Excited About. But before we start…

On a Personal Note:

Our team has spent the last month listening and learning along with our community and stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight against racial injustice. We will take an anti-racist approach to our work, and continue to learn and grow individually. We welcome conversation about how, as marketers and humans, we can all do better.

—The Peas

Less Small Talk, More Checked Off

Sara

Well the beginning of this year went a little differently than planned and being in the office less somehow allowed me to take more time to know our tech. The one part I haven’t implemented yet is regularly scheduling time to do so and I think that will be ever more important as returning to “normal” starts to happen. One additional thing I’m recommending for myself and you for the rest of 2020 is to commit to documenting processes, creating templates, and getting ideas down on a searchable, digital platform. Your future self will thank you. 

Making Time for the Little Things

Erin

I never would have imagined that—as I wrote my piece of our blog post earlier this year covering what the Peas were excited about in 2020—I would be reflecting on a year (so far) that has taken so many twists and turns. Some welcome, some not. 

Coronavirus - oh, coronavirus. You have swiftly turned so many people’s worlds upside down and your impact will be lasting with an entire generation.

What I find interesting—and have heard echoed from many other colleagues, commentators, and industry leaders—is that in the small business world, the pandemic is forcing a lot of changes to happen immediately that were already slowly happening over the last few years. Remote work. Virtual meetings. Fewer meetings. More team chat online. What we thought we would plan for “someday” has become a critical part of our daily operations. We also see more compassion for our humanness (between employees/employers, clients/vendors) and empathy for the other. This one I want to focus on for a sec.

When we started 2020, I anticipated that it would be the little things companies did that would really make an impact. I have seen a lot of that happening during the pandemic - people giving back something to their customers, even if small. People taking a little extra time or effort to provide a great experience when they know their customers are struggling. People easing deadlines and due dates to try to support their neighbors. I think it has helped us connect just a little bit more with brands we trust.

I believe that business has been forever changed—not only by the pandemic, but also by the civil rights protests that continue to demand action and justice; that we will give a little more grace to the people we work with; that we will be more open about new ideas and not be afraid of change within our organizations; that we will listen to more voices from different perspectives to help us see things differently. I am inspired, encouraged, and hopeful that even though business is changing and things may look uncertain at times, we are resilient and will make it through.

Culture and Communication

Isaac

I began the year inspired by a video that outlined how disruptive organizations used their culture and company-wide communication to inspire growth. Now, during a moment of extreme uncertainty and stress, communication is more important than ever. Double down on your value of transparency. Bring your team in on the challenges your company is facing and the plans to get through it. While the goals might have changed, the importance of a shared vision will help keep everyone engaged.

Still All-in on Agile

Tyler

Looking into the new year, I recommended going all-in on agile. At the time, I had little idea the challenges 2020 would pose—both personally and professionally—nor the opportunities these challenges would present.

The global pandemic has resulted in tragic loss of life and livelihood for many, and has impacted the lives of everyone in innumerable ways—most notably the ways we interact with one another. For every business and organization, this has required a fundamental reimagining of the ways we do business.

We’ve adjusted to masks, remote work, and more. But the full impact of the pandemic has yet to be realized, and we must remain—or shift to—agile if we’re to be successful amidst the “new normal”—whatever that means. To some, this may sound scary, but to the savvy agile practitioner, it’s an opportunity to optimize operational inefficiencies, and much more. But the challenges and opportunities of the first half of 2020 didn’t stop with the pandemic.

The Black Lives Matter movement and the systemic oppression it aims to dismantle gained new traction, spurred by yet another tragic loss of Black life. We must rise to meet this moment and reimagine the fundamental structures upon which our society is founded to ensure equity and freedom for all.

While this must start with personal introspection, those in positions of power—in government and in business—have a unique opportunity to amplify Black voices who have long been silenced, and to push for meaningful change in ways most others cannot. Again, to some, this all can sound a bit scary—and not at all agile-related. But at its core, the agile values and principles put people first, and emphasize building something that works for everyone. Together, we can do just that.

So again, I urge you to go all-in on agile to make meaningful change in the second half of 2020–and beyond.