We live in a connected world with businesses now operating vast networks of supply chains, logistics support, and just-in-time delivery to make sure that goods are where they need to be for the manufacturers and the suppliers. This of course works very well unless there's a disruption in any part of the supply chain and we are seeing that in the current crisis with the impact of coronavirus.

There is going to be anticipation that there's going to be a challenge in the supply chain. However, what people could do is let's work together and see if there's something that we can do in order to deal with this short to medium term, the crisis will be over and people will want to continue to do business. However they might need some assistance and they might need some guidance on how to do that, they would need a process and emotions are running high, they potentially might not be able to provide that process themselves. So, therefore it's always useful to have the assistance of a professional facilitator to provide the guidance and shape of how the business is going to be crafted in order to reach some agreement.

What businesses could do? they could use the services of a mediator or facilitator to enhance the creative problem-solving, manage the emotion that will surface, and provide a way forward. This mediation or facilitation process can happen in a variety of different ways either can happen in person over the phone through video conferencing or whatever mechanism is most appropriate.

The most important thing though is to provide people with an opportunity to share some of their concerns, but also to think about creative ways of maintaining the relationship and seeking effective solutions. The suggestion is is to engage proactively have a process to manage the emotion, manage expectation, and ultimately engage with individuals and we recognize there is an opportunity to maintain this relationship and by having a collaborative dialogue we can certainly find a way forward.

Song Song
Lemasky.com