The cost of the current disruption to business and the economy is almost impossible to fathom. I suspect it will be February or March before the true cost of the pandemic becomes clear. However, I also predicted it would all be over by September so we should take that with a pinch of salt. Maybe we will not get a true indication of the damage done for years to come.
Much may be hidden from immediate view. Something that springs to mind is the loss of impetus. The delay in new projects, sales, campaigns and expansion. New business plans put on hold and with that, dreams shattered along with months, sometimes years of hard work and expenditure in preparation.
I also detect a significant shift in mindset. Organisations are thinking of consolidation, pulling back, hunkering down, retrenching. The "let's get through this" thinking.
Natural enough, but there will always be those thinking differently. Whilst not oblivious or uncaring about the human tragedy that has been coronavirus, there will be those searching for opportunities amongst the chaos and restrictions.
We should be applauding these people. They will be the job creators that society so desperately needs. They will be the entrepreneurs of the future searching out new opportunities to create prosperity and growth.
Governments can only do so much. They can try to stimulate activity and help the people and businesses devastated by the pandemic, but it is the entrepreneurs –either actual or spiritual– who will look for the positive angles in the doom and gloom.
All power to them - we are going to need them.