Anxiety leads to progress
Bad things can be good too
An anxious mind is an innovation workshop
During the pandemic, entrepreneurship became a rage. People had time and anxiety in abundance. They were anxious about their health and their job. Working from home helped them gain time. It also made owning broadband internet and setting up a home office part of the lifestyle.
The heady mix of time, anxiety, and the internet led many to start a business. Not necessarily an online or e-commerce business. But any business that they could get started with.
I realized that an anxious mind was an innovation workshop.
At that time, I was building a start-up myself. Before the pandemic, the entrepreneurial bug had bitten me. I quit my job as a senior brand manager in an established apparel retail brand to build a healthcare social enterprise. A few months into the job, the pandemic hit.
Like the rest, I too had plenty of time and anxiety.
Back in college, I was the captain of my college basketball, football, and hockey teams. Thinking back, I realized I enjoyed leading and guiding people.
I also enjoyed explaining the topics of the syllabus to my fellow batchmates during my postgraduate studies. I could simplify complex topics and explain them in a simpler manner.
I cared that people were able to get into action mode through my explanation and guidance.
Hence, I decided to leverage my experience of 12 years in management to teach business and brand building.
Action removes anxiety
Volunteering is one of the best ways to test one’s interest in a task and the ability to perform it. If one derives happiness and starts increasing one’s fan base, one is likely to stick to it.
Volunteering also prepares one better. It helps in learning how to offer a service in an organized manner.
Hence, I registered on micrometer as a business mentor. Being a first-timer, I didn’t expect many responses. Contrary to my thinking, I received plenty of responses.
Individuals, from African countries, Latin American countries and the USA reached out. Due to the difference in time zone, I was able to mentor after my regular work.
Most had their micro businesses or wanted to start their own. Of the people who wanted to start a business only a small percentage was sure about their idea. The majority of them had vague or no idea.
Most had very limited or no experience in management. Nor were they familiar with concepts of business or brand management in ways they are implemented in an established business.
Hence, I started mentoring with brand and business management concepts I had used in my previous work.
That proved futile.
Initially, most mentees sat through the first interaction session. Claimed that they liked my approach. But most didn’t complete any of the given tasks. Some never appeared for the 2nd interaction. Those who came back asked for simpler tasks.
They were unable to relate to most of the concepts and frameworks I had exposed them to. Given their academic and professional backgrounds, many frameworks and tasks were irrelevant.
A mentee from Cameroon wanted guidance on developing a skill-building program for the youth.
A mentee from the USA wanted guidance on how to get started with an adult counseling service
A mentee from Kenya wanted guidance on how to build an NGO to help teenage mothers to lead better lives.
To them, the standard concepts of brand & business management made less sense. They needed concepts that were relevant to their situation. Also, the concepts had to be comprehensible by them.
I learned that access to knowledge doesn’t lead to implementation. Along with access, relevance, and comprehension are critical.
An action ensures progress.
When one experiences progress one takes more action. But taking the first actionable step to accomplish a task requires encouragement. That comes when one is able to relate to tasks, understand them, and implement them.
Hence, I took a break for 2 months to redesign the concepts.
I made them less academic. I also made the tasks and frameworks more practical. The curriculum was designed based on their need and the resources available to them.
I used the ‘3 layers of learning’ as the guiding principle throughout the curriculum redesign process.
After that, I got back to mentoring with key objectives in mind.
Mentoring people from various countries and backgrounds made me good at spotting individuals who were less serious about entrepreneurship. I was offering free guidance. But I worked hard to remain accountable for people’s progress.
Hence, I demanded accountability from my mentee. Individuals who didn’t complete their tasks were discontinued from the sessions.
I decided to guide fewer mentees and deepen my interaction with them. I paid close attention to understanding the gaps in the curriculum and improving it.
My mentees started to stick longer to the program. They became more regular in completing their tasks. They began engaging more deeply.
They were taking action. And they were progressing. So was I.
Therefore,
Remain anxious and you will innovate.
Take action and you will progress.
