To be in quarantine has its benefits. I will publish daily to cover the outline for the week.  In my last publication, I wrote about the “strategic innovation” methodology to structure a health-contagion problem, and how to solve it using multiple solutions mapping. This is a framework that is not used for pandemics, but it helps at least to manage issues with an unconventional perspective. The COVID19 up to this day is causing a 5% death rate on the infected, or in other words, one in 20 people who get the disease dies. In parallel to the sanitary nature of the disease, there are economic, social, political and environmental situations to solve which are tied to sanitary decisions. I am not blind when it comes to understanding that a virus spreading doesn´t end with the disease, but it affects different layers of issues, particularly each solution assembles an economic-social-political-environmental-inner development measure in our society.

Closing the eyes to Disruption Technologies”. An aquarelle exercise by Eleonora Escalante. Made with love on paper Fabriano Artistico 300GSM. Size: 28cm x 20cm Photo reference: HYM glasses.

To lockdown, cities imply to stop the “routine status-quo”, the productivity, the consumption, the business, economic and financial world at its roots. Every single industry is affected by this type of event. Some industries more than others. In consequence, it is crucial to educate children, school level students, university learners and everyone in relation to crisis management and its different types of emergencies. A society that is not prepared in advance to keep their communities alive, is a society that has not learned the lessons from 6,000 years before.

To learn to be prepared in the case of catastrophes and pressure disasters of complex nature must be a piece of basic knowledge for everyone, as much as our teachers have taught us math or other subjects. I believe that there is no society on earth prepared for these types of things. But at least in general, we all are required to know what to do. When a crisis arises, and societies are not prepared, be completely assured that vulnerabilities occur. It is like a school test, if we don´t study in advance, we will inevitably fail.  In the case of earthquakes, floods, drought, famine, nuclear leaks, wars, migrations and refugees, wars, if nations are not ready, everyone is running in different directions, without a consensual strategy of what to do. Sometimes each nation is trying to replicate the success of the first country to be hit, as in this case, China, when each country has a different political economy than China. In order to act with quick and steadfast solutions to save lives, particularly the life of the elders, children and sick, it is convenient to be well prepared in advance.

My point of view will be always as a strategic innovator and corporate strategist. I am not a pandemic specialist when it comes to sanitary solutions, but I can lead projects in which my work is within a multidisciplinary team. I have tried to gather my management ideas about the COVID19, by showing you how to use the Markides mental philosophy framework, which I have twisted and modified beyond economic projects or business purposes. Nevertheless, I am sure that in the case of infectious diseases there are plenty of other models or frameworks which help much better to solve these issues. These mental models must be available for each member of society, particularly for strategists, or consultants much better in advance, probably at business schools. MBAs have to teach at least two core courses of crisis management as soon as possible. In addition, some crisis preparedness and how to help to solve pandemics have to be in the curriculum development of educational programs. Teachers must have the responsibility to teach about these things every year of schooling, since kindergarten to high levels at the university, Ph.D.s, and postdoctoral research. As a legacy of this temporary Coronavirus global crisis, it is clear to me that education has dismissed the preparedness mental frames when it comes to a disaster of this wingspan, regardless is it is rich or poor, each family member and the social-government and private entities must be prepared in advance, for these situations.

There are at least 6 global threatens that can destroy the world in matters of days:

1. The financial instability or financial crisis
2. Food Security Volatility
3. Natural disasters: climate and meteorological, hydrology, biologic, geophysical (as earthquakes)
4. Wars and violent conflicts.
5. Epidemics
6. The intoxication of water and oxygen.
7. Genetic Mutation Poisoning that can destroy our nature and species.

The COVID19 or Coronavirus is just a tiny example of what can happen in matters of days when leaders are not ready nor prepared to think well and do not know how to analyze problems to provide the right solution in multidisciplinary contexts.

Effects when lacking preparedness (concerning an uncertain pandemic).

1. Ignorance ignites wasting time, efforts and resources. When societies and governments are not prepared for pandemics, they are taken by surprise. There is no emergency plans on how to solve these issues. Leaders apply what they believe is correct, without knowing in advance about the shape and nature of the pandemic, losing resources and wasting energies.
2. Panic origination: Leaders are here to provide solutions to the population. Not to guess neither to create panic. When in fear, people tend to protect their own life, creating a cascade effect of different psychological conducts that can alter the social order. The terror can cause worst conditions of conflict to society and governments, if not anticipated to control them accordingly. For example, people can be killed by a heart attack instead of the virus itself. Terror to death instigates a lack of future, in consequence, when hope is lost, people tend to do crazy things. Or rely on technology only, without thinking about the most important basics that human needs (food, shelter and survival resources).
3. Medicine’s purpose is challenged and a multidisciplinary approach is required. Usually, health studies do not offer more than medical diagnostic and treatment (or application technologies for it), therapy and rehabilitation, pharmacy (traditional sometimes alternative), and the rest of administrative health-care value chain activities. But for pandemics of uncertainty, even the health care providers are not even trained to be ready for them. Our solutions when in terms of sanitary pandemics are beyond the medical treatment and the health-care value chain. It requires multidisciplinary analysis and multidisciplinary solutions.
4. Economic Financial Rescue Packages must be well prepared in advance: If cities are shut down, either by pandemics or another type of crisis, people at the base of the pyramid, and the middle class who depends on a monthly wage, who can´t work from home, need the reassurance that their job will be there once the temporary crisis passes. Lack of savings and monthly wages triggers more uncertainty. Lay-offs can trigger the worst subsequent destruction to society later on.  It is important to be prepared in advance for these types of situations. Financial innovation for crisis insurance has to be designed in every country. Let´s say that as much as every salary is discounted with medical insurance and 401K plan, there must be a figure of crisis insurance that month by month is discounted as a “saving” contingency to be released in these emergency times. If during a working lifetime, the crisis insurance is not needed, then it can be returned back to employees as part of the retirement saving when they retreat.
5. Government measures are insufficient. The private sector has to create contingency plans for crisis control. China’s political economy is different than the rest of the world countries. Europe and America´s political economies are also completely distinct. It is time to put both systems to work together in order to create organized solutions for pandemics. The COVID19 is enough reason to create an emergency-crisis global task force to solve each of the empty holes we are facing at the moment.
6. When you don’t prepare well to structure problems of this nature, any jester or fool can set you banana skins so you fall. It is so shameful to live these events without being prepared. We must treasure the lessons we learn daily, it is a real-life training to open the eyes to emergencies of this nature. Wherever you are and belong, it is crucial to start our preparedness journey for these issues. Otherwise, anyone can fool us in the future with the worst conditions, and our decision making will be wrong. There are always people who will try to exploit the painful conditions of disease, and they will mock you in the crisis to get advantages. In the technological field, there are scamming vulture entities waiting for you to fall. It is important to discern when certainty comes with reality,  or when “fake news” is used to manipulate decision making to set slip troubles through social media. 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:28)

These are general thoughts for you to think about them at your temporary confinement. Please be informed and conscious that I have just one side of the cake view. My thoughts and point of views, even though are integral, require validation from other experts.  I am also extremely positive. We will get out of this Coronavirus wave. I am certainly sure about it. But sometimes God sends temporary heavenly carriers (sometimes enemies using an “infectious disease”), as a  benediction command for us to be prepared. To be ready for a future of uncertainty where no math or technological application can help us, but the truth that we need to be prepared to think properly when in times of emergency or crisis. Numbers help us to see things with a mathematical perspective, but numbers can kill the blessing to decide with the heart, and can kill our learning occasions for a lifetime.

Photo reference utilized to paint the watercolor above. Source: HYM Glasses.

Blessings, see you tomorrow with the 4th topic of the week:  4. society isolated.  Benefits and Issues.

Sources of reference utilized to support this article: 

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd

Disclaimer: Illustrations in Watercolor are painted by Eleonora Escalante. Other types of illustrations or videos (which are not mine) are used for educational purposes ONLY.  Nevertheless, the majority of the pictures, images or videos shown on this blog are not mine.  I do not own any of the lovely photos or images posted unless otherwise stated.

Thank you for reading to me.

Published by eleonoraescalantestrategy

Corporate Strategy Artist, San Salvador, El Salvador View all posts by eleonoraescalantestrategy