'COVID reset' discussed at WFEB mega event, IEL CEO bats for broader collaboration

On the occasion of World Health Day on April 7, the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB) hosted a mega global virtual conference with the theme ‘Changing Paradigms in a Pandemic World: How to regain trust?’. Covering all physical, mental and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the ‘breakout’ topics was “The COVID Reset: Building back with more Resilience, Connection and Equity”. The panel included Former Acting Assistant Secretary of Education Obama Administration and former CEO of Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) Johan Uvin, Senior Director and Head of US Microsoft Technology Centers April Walker and Partner/Principal of KPMG Madhu Mujoo. 

The session was moderated by CEO, TLEX North America Johann Berlin who called the coronavirus outbreak a “big tidal wave.” Noting all the challenges of last year amid the pandemic, Berlin welcomed the insightful panel participants who according to him brought deep expertise to the community. The first speaker in the breakout panel was Walker followed by Uvin and Mujoo.

Walker noted that the world has not yet “turned the coin yet” but called the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic “interesting” and “imperfect storm.” She said that the times that have now passed included several social unrests, inequalities in the last year along with the novel coronavirus. Walker said that she hopes people in the post-Covid era do not forget what the world has been through so that past is not repeated. She called for taking the “painful lessons” in the future. 

Answering Berlin’s question about the challenges, Mujoo said she doesn’t remember using the word “unprecedented” as much as she did in the last year. “As I look at very professional perspective I do feel there is a need for connection,” said Mujoo while noting the people’s need for looking for more connection and need to “redefine the work” that uncovered several inequalities. 

Uvin calls for collaboration in other areas

Uvin, lastly noted that the recent times were so “unlike” any other times and it brought so much grief to millions of people. He also said that all things and policies along with businesses witnessed a change in 2020 and according to him, it won’t change as the future remains “uncertain.”

Uvin said, “For me, I think, what Bill and Melinda Gates in their most recent letter called ‘we’re all in this together,’ this attitude gives me great hope in terms of where we are going as it pertains to global cooperation but to ensure that we not only have contained the virus but also extend this type of collaboration that has emerged to other areas of our work. Why not think about that type of global collaboration around other significant issues.”

Walker talks about ‘adaptive leadership’

When Berlin talked about ‘contact’ and the importance of which emerged in the pandemic and asked about ‘adaptive challenges,’ Walker said there is going to be ‘adaptive leadership’ owing to corporate space being open to vulnerabilities of people and adapting to the new innovations to connect to more employees.

She said, “This adaptive leadership to me means that we’re going to navigating new wars. And this new war is how we transition from being disconnected if you will, to how we become adaptive leaders. How do we ensure that we create safe spaces for our employees or those within our limits, to feel what they’re going to feel. This has been a daunting time but when I think about how we’re going to adapt as leaders, how do we become more vulnerable as leaders, how do we demonstrate that.”

Human connection and technological connection

Calling Berlin’s question about ‘human and technological connection’ as a “multi-billion dollar question,” Mujoo said it is something that enterprises are trying to solve. Mujoo believes that all enterprises need to “go back to basics” and “that’s the only way forward.”

“From a simplistic manner, I would say that we have to lead with empathy. ‘What does that mean?’, that means that every innovation, every policy, every business process that we’re looking at, we have to bring in human centricity in it and once that happens...intentional leadership is going to emerge. I really think that’s really the demand of the time,” said Mujoo.

Meanwhile, Uvin noted three levels of ‘adaptive challenges’ including personal, inter-personal and at the policy level. He said, “Starting with the individual level and on a personal level, I think that the energy and perspective that we gain when we have in-person interactions have most certainly been the most adaptive challenge for me during the pandemic. And I know from speaking with my loved ones that I’m not the only one.”

“Need for connection has been and will remain an adaptive challenge for many of us at the individual level at least for the seeable future,” said Uvin.

‘Pandemic of racial and social inequality

Walker noted that the last year witnessed inequality in the education sector and said “What we have is a pandemic of racial and social inequality” and “lack of access” in terms of education. She said, “This past year has, it hasn’t revealed somethings that we didn’t know. It’s heightened and put more visibility on them. And when I think about pathways, out of this or some of this, particularly in the space of education is digital skilling, it’s making sure that we are educating a populist that has been ignored for far too long” before adding that it is brown and black people who have been underrepresented. 

Image credits: WFEB/PTI