Managing and leading during uncertain and challenging times

• Interactive session postponed indefinitely, new date will be informed soon 

The country, after having gone through difficult times brought about by the COVID-19 pandem-ic during the past 26 months or so, has further challenges to put up with, due to the poor eco-nomic situation, and the prevailing uncertain political times. 

How would management and leadership navigate their organisations in such complex times? Maintain status quo? Endeavour to expand existing business? Diversify? More questions… Do they recruit replacements? Or delay? Or consider restructuring and enable multitasking? What about finances? Is top or bottom line more important? Or both? Cutting or reducing expendi-ture (may mean the same but often not so). 

Training, Advertising and Marketing are areas that are often cut, but would it help in the mid or long term? Would organisations manage their staff or workers with little or no training? Would losing brand image due to a substantial cut in Advertising be helpful? How long will it take to re-build brand awareness and image? 

Is outsourcing an option? Companies have often outsourced their non-core staff to outsourcing organisations. How would it help? What functions or people can be outsourced? 

Long range business plans may not be ideal in the current climate? Then what is? Would medi-um or short term be helpful? 

All the above require answers and TMC thought it fit to “invite” answers to all these questions from the membership and the public, which can be published in the Daily Financial Times pa-per for the benefit of all managers and leaders. Email your answers/comments to [email protected] 

TMC had planned to hold an interactive session with the responses received on the 11 May at the Galadari Hotel, and analyse and evaluate how management and leadership can move for-ward. 

However, due to the prevailing situation in the country, as the focus of most managers and leaders is to overcome immediate challenges the response has not been encouraging. There-fore, until the current serious economic climate eases somewhat, the event to physically meet has been postponed indefinitely.