Steppin’ Out, Steppin’ In

In 1982 Joe Jackson wrote Steppin’ Out - with lyrics like ‘We are tired of all the darkness in our lives’ and ‘We are young but getting old before our time’ for me this song, inspired by city life, actually captures the atmosphere and feeling of 2021.

In August 2021 Sir James Dyson writes in the Telegraph ‘Workers must be "unequivocally" told by ministers to return to the office or the UK will fall behind its global competitors’. His view is not alone with other influential business leaders emphasising a return to the office as COVID-19 lockdown measures are removed across the UK.

Much of 2020 and 2021 across cities of the world have been filled with discussions around working from home, hybrid working, the new normal and so on. Millions of words have been written and spoken on this topic. Whole sectors hang by a thread as post pandemic economy’s struggle to reboot. City centre real estate still stands mainly empty, impacting landlords, local hospitality and empty transport systems.

Businesses are wrestling with new employee contracts incorporating home working clauses. Many of the large tech giants, Google, Facebook, Twitter, have indicated pay discrepancies for those that choose to work from home.

The global pandemic hit everyone, we all can empathise and understand this common experience. And yet in the business sector we seem fixed on trying to define the rules, agree the principles and make sure the new post pandemic guideline to working is well and truly understood and established as quickly as possible.

But surely we are all missing the point. We are focusing on the granular of ‘where’ we work and missing the opportunity that a massive new space has opened up. A new world, that requires a new way of thinking, a new space has been created right before our eyes.

Sir James and the likes of Google etc. should all know better as inventors and entrepreneurs - when there’s massive shift in something - tech, economies, science - amazing new opportunities present themselves.

As Joe Jackson wrote “We'll leave the TV and the radio behind. Don't you wonder what we'll find. Steppin' out tonight?”

I believe we face a massive new emerging space, a vacuum if you like. As we watch the Talaban swiftly retake Afghanistan as US and British troops leave. We can see clearly when finite thinking fails as the west thought they could change the Afghan political system in twenty years but the Talaban were willing to wait for as long as it took, they were infinitely waiting to fill the vacuum. 

This new normal post pandemic space is one that only the bold and brave will truly initially fill, explore and then ultimately occupy. Let’s not get distracted by putting the detail of where we might work in front of this amazing opportunity of steppin’ out and steppin’ in to this new space.

Understandably we are feeling tired and weary, and maybe Sir James and others are correct to be worried about Britain slipping from being a world leader in business and industry. But to focus on where we work will only distract us from the real prize and opportunity to step wholly into a new space.

Around the world nations have been focused on survival, rightly so resources have been focused on health, safety and preservation of life. But we are not only physical humans, we are spiritual too, we are inspired, healed and changed by beauty in the arts and nature, much of which has been withheld from us.

Now is a time to step out and be inspired, to step into this new space. To be bold, brave and push into a new world. I believe the bold and brave, those that embrace infinite thinking, that allow open-minded exploration of the emerging new world will embrace a great prize.

Let’s be a nation of business leaders that can think big as well as think detail, let’s not only think about where we want our staff to work but also think about how we and our staff can occupy all the benefits and opportunities a global pandemic has created and realised in our lives. What are the rules we want to play by? How can we lead with inspiration and enthusiasm? How can we harness this time to embrace wholistic sustainable ways to do business?

So much in the arts, literature, and the great faiths show true leadership is often with those that interpret the signs of the times. In the book of Genesis Joseph rose from a slave to a key holder of a nation and was able to understand and humbly interpret the times around him.

I pray I can be bold enough to step out and in to this new space, and that I will find those that can lead and inspire me to keep going. That I will also hand something of value and blessing to my children and other generations following on behind. Something based on infinite thinking not just finite business structures and results.

As Joe Jackson so eloquently puts it “Now, the mist across the window hides the lines. But nothing hides the colour of the lights that shine” Will there be new lights that will shine - only for those that step out and in to the new space.

Thanks to UnSplash for images and Joe Jackson for use of Steppin’ Out lyrics.