Omega 2020 – Good riddance!

Omega 2020 – Good riddance! Finally it’s the end of 2020. What a year! I know I’m not the only one who is looking back at 2020 and wondering ‘what on earth happened!’ It’s extremely tempting to define 2020 as the year of Covid-19 and forget everything else that has happened globally and personally. That would be a mistake. However I think its fair to say that the pandemic has captured the attention of the whole world. Many have died, whether that’s directly or indirectly attributed to Covid-19. Millions have lost jobs or businesses, and there has been a great deal of suffering all round the world. It has felt that the whole world has been shut down, locked down.

We’ve seen such distrust. Distrust of our leaders, our organisations and our institutions. What started as a reliance on Fake News propagated by Donald Trump has escalated into a distrust of scientists, experts or anyone not in our own tribe.

It is dangerous to our health and to our sanity. Who to believe? What to believe? When to believe?

Questions, questions, questions …

And yet, and yet … there has been hope, kindness and love, from one stranger to another. Whilst the coronavirus has brought out the very worst in people it has also brought out the very best.

There has been Maverick Leaders and organisations to admire, such as Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand Prime Minister), Marcus Rashford (who lobbied the UK Government to extend free school meals during the school holidays), and institutions like churches and community groups (feeding and supporting local communities).

It’s afforded time to reflect, to consider what is really important, and how we want to spend the rest of our lives. It has spawned creativity as we search for new things to work and do to survive, and has pushed us out of our comfort zones as we grew into new beings and organisations. Selling, making, producing new things to consumers who are more cautious and more critical of or intentions.

But other things did happen in 2020 …

• There is a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Puerto Rico.
• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announce stepping back from being Senior royals
• On 22 January, China locked down Wuhan in an effort to control Covid-19
• The UK formally withdraws from the European Union
• The last Ebola patient is discharged in Beni
• The World Health Organisation on 11 March declared Covid-19 a pandemic
• In May the murder of George Floyd by US Police caught on video, ignited widespread global and (US) national protests
• Twitter adds warning label to warn about inaccuracies in Donald Trump’s Tweets for the first time
• In June we saw the highest ever recorded temperature in the Artic Circle
• In September we learn that there might be life on Venus
• September saw more than 50 arrested as Portland, Oregon, marks 100 days of protests against racism and police brutality
• Naomi Osaka wins her second US title (Tennis)
• November brings the news that Former Vice-President Joe Biden becomes President Elect
• In December the first Covid-19 vaccine is administered in the UK

Omega 2020 – good riddance! One thing is for certain, this year, ends, poised for change.

What about you Judith?

This is what I wrote on New years Day in 2020:

• This year sees a shift for The Maverick Paradox.
• In the period of October 2019 to December 2019, the Maverick Paradox Stable was determined. This year sees The Stable being, refined, defined and nurtured.
• A new website for Mavericks in the Workplace went live at the end of October 2019. MaverickParadox.co.uk (the new site), joins MaverickParadox.com; where you can learn about Mavericks and download the Maverick Paradox Podcasts.
• The launch of The Maverick Paradox Magazine takes place this year, although its available for a sneak peek now! This magazine is written by mavericks to provoke maverick leadership everywhere.
• A new LinkedIn Page for the magazine has been set up, along with its own dedicated Twitter account.
• I will start writing book 2 this year.
• More professional speaking to take place and of course new clients to assist!

How’d you do?

I have refined, defined and nurtured the Maverick Paradox Stable, and yes the Mavericks in the Workplace website went live in October 2019, this month has seen the decision to completely revamp it with new content and radical new look! This magazine went live on January 13 of this year with some great writers. There has been a number of LinkedIn Pages added to the portfolio – here’s one of them. The Twitter account was set up and is being utilised. I had decided to write my book in April, l however I decided not to do this once it became clear that we were in a pandemic. The UK went into its first lockdown at the end of March. I put those energies into the magazine and transitioning into new areas of activity. My professional speaking went online and after a time of clients cancelling and postponing due to lockdown, I gathered new clients wanting me to deliver different things. It’s been interesting, for sure! Omega 2020 – good riddance! You were transforming. But it’s time for a change. Alpha 2021. The need to develop Maverick Leaders is stronger today, than it has ever been.