A new year, and a new day is thankfully upon us. For most, 2020 was hurriedly ushered – no, let’s be frank, booted out! A collective sigh of relief emitted as the smoke cleared from those few spectacular New Year firework displays that were permitted across the globe. Mostly, the arrival of midnight was enjoyed in muted celebration from living room sofas across the globe.

Did the first moments of the new year seem a little brighter, a little more desperately hopeful and inspirational to you this year? Or was that just our collective consciousness so eagerly anticipating the upswing that we all need in this enduring, exhaustive pandemic? Whilst the sun is shining on this new day, we have our umbrellas packed and ready. The forecast is still partly cloudy, with a probability of further downpours.

Maintaining a positive outlook through 2020 wasn’t easy. And even early on, 2021 is already proving to be a challenge as news of fresh surges and new lockdowns spread across the world, despite the high speed of the vaccine distribution. We all want to feel positive and hopeful, and not just have to front with a positive attitude at work. It’s okay to admit to those fearful and uncertain thoughts that creep in at 2 am, but nobody wants to dwell on them. It requires a conscious effort to put them aside. 

Which is why we are readying for SEASON 3! From Day 1 back in April 2020 the team at RISE committed to creating a safe space for the global Travel, Tourism & Hospitality industry – you and others across the world – to come together every week, to make sense of the impact of COVID19 on our industry, and all of our lives. 

We thought RISE was about “100 days.” Little did we know! 300 days, 2 Seasons and 28 Episodes later, the RISE team is still here with you, for you. 

And as a new addition to Season 3, we’ve created a RISE ‘Checking In’ blog, extending our ongoing conversation with you. We also hope that you’ll use this forum to tell us what you think, how you are taking on 2021, and let us know what you’d like to see on RISE. 

KEEPING IT REAL – AND POSITIVE!

So, where to from here? How do we keep moving forward, staying strong, staying hopeful while we keep our hands clean? 

Starting by asking ourselves “what has this year taught us?” is a powerful exercise in focusing on what’s important. Much has been written and indeed, discussed on RISE, about the value of reclaimed family time, and of exercising creativity and resilience on a scale that neither individuals nor businesses have needed to in the past 70 years. 

We’ve also seen a renewed focus on community, and the generosity of spirit this crisis has brought out in people. By looking at the lessons learned, as well as the unexpected gifts this forced global pause has brought us, we’re able to make some sense of what we’ve experienced and to think about the legacy 2020 will leave with us. 

We aren’t naïve enough to imagine that with the dawning of 2021, a reset button would be pushed and all would return to normal in either our professional or personal lives. We know that there’ll be new challenges to face and obstacles to overcome. “The next normal” has been a theme carried through the conversations between Demian, Anita and the over 50 industry leaders who’ve generously served as our Executives in Residence through Season 1 and 2 of RISE. There’s no going ‘back to normal’ and the best we can do is anticipate, prepare and rebuild the various sectors of our industry together, as we go through each next phase of normal. 

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER

Through Season 1 and 2 there’s always been a strong sense that we’re in this together, and that the only way forward is through honestly and openly finding common solutions to uncommon challenges. Our circumstances aren’t all alike, and in the same way that we as individuals will adjust and recover differently, so too will the various sectors of our industry. 

But one thing we at RISE know to be true is that we are largely co-dependent and so the best way forward is through continuing to work together, within our and other industry sectors as well as with governments to maintain the forward momentum and progress through this crisis. This spirit and energy of an industry united in seeking solutions is one of the uplifting legacies of 2020 that we at RISE love!

LEGACIES

Whilst sadly, the legacy of COVID19 for the foreseeable future will include unemployment lines, tighter purse strings, and continued travel restrictions, it has also left us a renewed appreciation for the need to create a stronger, more united, and more sustainable future for our industry, and our wider global community.

Leaders who have lived through previous crises, be they personal or professional, know this to be true. They, like all of us, also see COVID19 as a chance for renewed appreciation of the little things – those increasingly precious commodities like time together with loved ones – especially our elderly loves; of community spirit, and professional creativity and collaboration. They remind us of the importance of checking in on our own well-being, of caring for ourselves so that we’re able to take care of others and our businesses. Creating together, a positive, hopeful legacy, is now our opportunity.

Legacy will be the topic of our first episode of RISE: SEASON 3. Going ‘live’ on January 18th 2021. Our Executives in Residence are two iconic, incredible leaders who have decades and generations of industry experience. We’ll hear their stories and perspectives on businesses which have prevailed and continue to do so through generations of challenge and opportunity.

The team at RISE are excited for this new year and the fresh hopes and opportunities it brings, and grateful for our RISE Community; formed in response to a global crisis, and continuing to share, support and prevail. 

RISE: SEASON 3 will continue this forward momentum, as we move beyond crisis, to resolution, reconstruction and re-inspiration in 2021. See you there! Same time, same place, and now bi-weekly. 

Register here to catch us live, or to watch previous episodes. Thank you for being an invaluable part of RISE.