APPLIED LEAN CONSULTING

The psychologist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described the stages of grief people go through when a loved one dies in her book “On Death and Dying” in 1969. Psychologists, sociologists and economists have applied her theory to the process of dealing with any changes in life based around the concept of dealing with loss, whether it be a loved one, environment (such as a physical re-location), control (new boss), or established structure (e.g. time schedule, roles / responsibilities and process).

Given that the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis are two such losses (of market stability) that are so significant, we believe the Kubler-Ross change curve applies here:

The timeline is split into a number of stages in 3 distinct phases:

1. Shutdown – shock, denial and the reactions to fear / threat of what could happen.
2. Exploration – a time of re-orientation and understanding of transition: effectively of what is ending and what could be beginning.
3. Planning for the future – positive acceptance of the change and a level of excitement and anticipation about what the future opportunities will bring.
   
   

Three areas for every business to consider are:

1. Supply chain and your dependency on imports.
2. Supplier Lead time – building resilience into your safety stock calculations.
3. Assess your dependence on essential skills and plan contingency actions.