What’s Your Business in Our Changed World?

June 5, 2020 | COVID-19 crisis Becky Coady, Vice President, ABI Foundation, rcoady@iowaabi.org

Not to state the obvious, but it’s not business as usual.

While a pandemic was not incorporated in any of our plans – clauses in contracts, steps in procedure or dates on the calendar – there is a reason we’ve been using ‘pivot’ to describe our next move. To recover dependability, we must return to the fundamentals to recognize the one foot we have on the ground.

You prepared for this, and we prepared for this.

Earlier this year, I traveled across the state to discuss with leaders about how their company and community uniquely meets the needs of Iowa’s global economy. In reconnecting since, despite the rapid developments of the world, our network remains strong and optimistic. Each of us has our own opportunities and challenges as we continue to evolve. The core components of who we are can be found embedded in the foundations of our mission, values and partnerships.

MISSION As you work on your business, why you do what you do continues to be as important as ever. Missions are meant to see us through disruptions and downturns, and now we refer and rely on it again.

VALUES A constant throughout our state is the desire to take care of each other, Iowans helping Iowans. Employers and employees are neighbors, friends and family, wanting what we already strive for – trust, commitment and teamwork. We mean business here in Iowa.

PARTNERSHIPS Consider how the businesses, organizations and communities have come together in unprecedented ways during this unprecedented time. Not only can none of us do this by ourselves, but that isn’t the expectation. We’re better together.

This is business at its best.

As a mission-driven organization developing Iowa’s leaders to strengthen companies and communities, the ABI Foundation activates individuals in accelerated learning to advance our state. Business and industry provide vocation and vision, and you and your organization can do your part to provide these opportunities to those within your sphere of influence. Together, we can fortify our state, now and for the future.