Every company faces a crisis – this is how you can adapt quickly

When I think of great founders and entrepreneurs, they tend to be Obsessed with problemsnot just a solution. Why? It’s simple: When you’re obsessed with solutions, you end up prioritizing the wrong things; however, if you focus on the problem, you’ll constantly evaluate where you can make the most impact – for your customers and your business. The great entrepreneur keeps asking himself: “Know what I know today, what is the problem solved? How should I solve it?”

In January, this is especially true Wildfires destroy Los Angelesmy company’s fieldheadquarters. The field has been focused on a single destination for making the largest family decisions for homeowners. Historically, this is addressing complex renovations and homebuildings like homebuildings such as major kitchen remodeling or adding ADUs. But when wildfires broke out and the entire community was destroyed, homeowners suddenly faced an incredible challenge – we had to act quickly to support their needs.

We see similar tech companies as the world is looking for new ways (almost overnight) to communicate with each other. The pandemic has enabled people to see zoom in new light: The tools that once were businesses are now used in most people’s homes, on mobile phones and used in schools, helping them stay connected without requiring anyone to be tech-savvy. This shift in Zoom products makes it a solution to the crisis while enhancing brand visibility and long-term relevance.

Very similar Zoom adaptation To meet urgent needs while staying true to its core strengths, we have had to reevaluate how the field best supports homeowners after a wildfire. Our experience has taught us valuable lessons on identifying new client needs, engaging our teams in transition and adapting quickly while ensuring long-term sustainability.

Regardless of the problem you solve, the lessons learned below can help your business strategy the next time you need to quickly redirect your business strategy.

Related: Success is the greatest benefit of adaptability

Identify emerging needs and align with the core strengths of the brand

When the fire started on January 7, it forced me as the founder to step back and ask myself three questions:

1. What are we uniquely good at? For us, this answer remains the same – helping homeowners navigate through expensive, emotional and long-term home projects.
2. Where do we uniquely do this? In addition to being our headquarters, Los Angeles has always been our largest market.
3. Who are we good at helping? This is the answer to change overnight. Now, the most urgent need is not to focus on homeowners planning renovations, but from homeowners who just lost their homes and have been hanging upside down for life.

It is crucial to keep the problem (not the solution) during challenging times. Going back to these key questions helps us stay on track, but it is also crucial to understand what you are not good at. Knowing your limitations will help you avoid dealing with unsolvable challenges.

We Align Us Brand Advantages There are urgent homeowners needs such as navigating the insurance process, understanding the reconstruction permit, and finding reviewed contractors when a natural disaster may be rampant when it comes to scams. By shifting our priorities to supporting affected homeowners, we not only address the most pressing challenges, but we also demonstrate our ability to quickly mobilize resources and strengthen our community-driven mission. Similarly, Airbnb By expanding the open housing program, free temporary housing is provided for wildfire evacuators and first responders, wildfires also move after displaced wildfires.

How to engage your team and customers during transition

Once we understand the transfer needs and strengths, we must ensure that our team and our customers are aligned. In our team, this requires three key steps:

1. Set the tone: Clearly need to take action, not optional. Your team needs to understand that the company is not thinking about doing something, but that is happening and you will figure it out together. Speed ​​and agility are critical, so ahead of the speed of change required by all team members.
2. Explain the reason: Details your specific reasons and make sure they are always focused on Customer impact First, create business value second. These are often closely linked – helping customers in meaningful ways often brings value to the business.
3. Know what you don’t do: With extreme examples like wildfires, it is obvious that we are already easily overwhelmed. It is important to be clear about what we are doing, but more importantly to be clear about who we are no Doing it. It could be like saying no to what was once a priority and shifting the focus to something straight.

By aligning urgency with clear reasoning, you can promote commitment and smooth execution of your team. With customers, clarity is equally crucial. Customers need to be sure you are perfect for this new focus. Even if you haven’t solved the exact challenge before, you can emphasize the relevant expertise and experience that your company is ready to step in.

In a crisis, those affected may be skeptical and fear being exploited. That’s why it’s crucial to be transparent about your intentions. Communicating openly and honestly why you care and how to connect with their success will build trust and strengthen your commitment to real help.

Related: I’m living through California Wildfires – This is how every business can prepare for natural disasters

How to adapt quickly but sustainably

when Navigation changesspeed is essential. One thing we often say in our company is that you have to think about changes in days and hours rather than weeks and months and drive change, so it is crucial to the learning and outcomes of the schedule. Adapting to a crisis will require you to take risks and experiment in areas that have never been before. If you do this without knowing exactly what succeeds and how long it will take to get there, you end up taking an open plan that slows everything down. Instead, set a clear time range – how to test an idea in 24 hours instead of two weeks? Accepting speed will sacrifice some accuracy.

When changes happen quickly, it creates confusion and confusion, so it is crucial to establish clear ownership. Make sure team members know exactly what they are responsible for and have the ability to overcome obstacles.

Adaptability is more than just reacting to change – it’s about proactively identifying the right, urgent and centralized vision. By staying true to the strengths of your company and staying connected with your customers with transparency and balanced speed and sustainability, you can turn challenges into opportunities while keeping your business resilient and having deep connections with the people you serve.