Adapting not collapsing

In business and in life, the ability to adjust our course to suit our new circumstances is crucial for success. This past year, many businesses had to change their practices to accommodate a world that was no longer suited to close contact. Healthcare, in particular, changed dramatically, with providers finding new ways to help patients receive the treatment they needed at a distance. For business owners, this often meant making adjustments to their benefits plans, including:

• Implementing telehealth options
• Setting up remote meetings with advisor and employees
• Helping employees access their medication through faster, more convenient means

Employers who made the effort to prioritize their employees during this tough time have demonstrated just how important it is to be able to adjust and move forward in the face of adversity.

No wasted time

One of the major challenges presented by life-altering events like the pandemic is the feeling of progress grinding to a sudden halt. While it's natural to feel frustration and even grief in the face of these obstacles, making the conscious choice to adapt to these circumstances can present you with new opportunities and ideas, ensuring that none of your valuable time is wasted.

Consider how this might apply to your business in the face of adversity. The decision to continue running things just as they are might be tempting, especially when so much uncertainty and change is already happening. In reality, though, working with an advisor to make positive alterations to your benefits plan can help you create savings that can grow your business or simply act as a safety net if needed. Time moves on with or without us, and if we can move with it, we can create impressive results.

Looking back with pride

Even the toughest times have to end at some point, and when they do, we should be proud of how we responded to them. Adapting to the changes in our lives rather than allowing ourselves to remain at a standstill keeps us from looking back with regret, wishing we would've seen those perceived obstacles as opportunities.

What do you want your business—or your life as a whole—to look like in a year's time? Do you think you're on that path now, and what changes do you need to make to achieve your goals until then? You deserve to be happy and satisfied with how far you've come, and though it can be difficult, the best way to achieve this is by being open to change.

A show of strength

Our resilience is shown in how well we can adapt to change. Whether it's a global pandemic or another obstacle standing between you and your goals, your desire and ability to search for solutions can help you make the most out of an undesirable situation. By being willing to change in response to challenges, you can find opportunities for yourself, your family, or your business that you may not have discovered if life had continued as normal.

Jim Blachek flipped his traditional brokerage model in 2017 to focus solely on consulting and building value-based health plans. In 2019 he co-founded a consulting only firm Dynamic Benefit Solutions and founded Local Script a transparent pharmacy and marketing organization focused on reducing employer and employee costs while supporting the local community.

Read more: 

• Why you shouldn't wait another minute to make changes to your benefits plan
• Meeting the leadership challenges of 2020
• Leadership lessons from Antarctica: Advice for the 'new normal' from the world's most extreme workplace