During any time of crisis there are certain phases that folks will experience (of course this is all according to my opinion and observation – nothing has been tested nor researched nor verified). It’s important to understand the impact of what people will be encountering in the coming days, weeks, and months to understand how you can leverage your business to serve and support your clients, audiences and those you love in powerful, compassionate ways.

The 5 Phases as I see them:

1. Upheaval & Chaos
2. Finding Their New Rhythm
3. The Fear Becomes Real
4. Evolution Out of Fear
5. Learning To Live In The “New World”.

Upheaval & Chaos – During the COVID-19 pandemic, this is when suddenly kids are at home and parents need to figure out how to homeschool. People had to work from home (many whom have never worked remotely). Lockdowns went into effect, business closed, gatherings stopped and a whole new world was upon us; quite rapidly.

Finding Their New Rhythm – folks have now adjusted to the fact that kids are not going back to school until the fall and people have set up their home offices and have figured out how to work around the entire household’s schedule. People are realizing that, while this is temporary, this is not something that is going to pass in the near future. So they’re finding a new rhythm to their day-to-day lives. Some of their fears have subsided; others are emerging.

The Fear Becomes Real – For those in the vast majority of the US and Canada, we are (as the experts are attempting to predict) approximately 3-6 weeks from the peak hitting. As people move into this phase their fear of “Oh gosh, I hope I don’t get sick” turns into “OMG, my spouse has tested positive” or someone they love. All new fears and challenges emerge in this phase that people will have to adjust to. In making those adjustments, people’s priorities will shift and their actions will shift again as well.

Evolution of the Fear – Several weeks after the peak of the virus passes, while it seems that it still be around for awhile, people would have endured the biggest impact of the virus. They will have a better understanding of what life will be like. However, my guess is that people will still be cautious, will continue to be mindful and will prioritize things very differently.

Finally, Learning to Live in the New World – at some point in the future, we will all learn how to live our lives with COVID-19 being part of our reality. Forever our social structures, economy and priorities will look different than they did just months ago.

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As people learn how to live in this “New World” their challenges will change once again, their stressors, frustrations, hopes and dreams will take another shift. And we too need to be prepared to leverage our businesses to serve, support and guide our clients and audiences through it all.

I share all this with you because as leaders, when we can look two steps ahead (even though it’s everyone’s best guess since with how new and rapidly changing everything is), then we can continue to ask ourselves at each phase the two most important questions:

1. Why is coaching and my services, packages, & programs critical at this point in time to what my client’s new challenges are?
2. In what ways, if any, do I need to pivot my messaging, and adjust my offers? What creative thinking can I apply to leverage my wisdom, experience, skills and resources to serve my clients and audiences in the best way possible?

I believe that when you can clearly answer those two questions, you’ll be able to meet your clients where they are and support them through each phase; providing them hope and possibility along the way.

As of today (April 3), I believe that many of us in the USA are just moving out of the Upheaval & Chaos and are beginning to find out new rhythm of life. So it will be important for you to revisit those two questions to see if there are additional shifts you can make with how you’re interacting with your clients.