I have referred before to a tremendous article called “Titans of Transformation“. I love the opening section, which is so pertinent in the age of corona.

When it comes to disruption on the modern business landscape, company size is no safeguard. 88% of Fortune 500 companies in the 1955 -2017 period 1 have either gone bankrupt, merged with other firms, or dropped off the list for other reasons. What’s more, it’s estimated that digital disruption will wipe out 40% 2 of today’s Fortune 500 companies in the coming decade.

The message is clear. You do not know when something is going to come along that will knock you off your commercial pedestal – competitor or ‘the force’ like a virus.

A prime part of my working life is playing the role of business coach and mentor. I have been rushing around my clients – phone, zoom and the rest – over the past few weeks. The typical conversation starts of with a despondent review from their side but often ends up with a cautiously optimistic outlook.

Why? Well, as someone said to me: Corona is offering us all a chance “to press the reset button”. So true!

For example, I was speaking yesterday with Oded Barel-Sabag from the Jerusalem Development Authority. He told me that there are at least a dozen companies in the city working on a solution for the corona virus, several of them have either switched direction or just opened their eyes what their tech could do.

This morning, I had a new Facebook feed about a fruit seller from Jerusalem’s main street market. As old fashioned as they come. If you had asked him a couple of months ago to contemplate home deliveries via WhatsApp, I can only assume he would have laughed at you. But this week ……

I can give you anecdotes from numerous service providers and high-tech companies who have begun to rethink their strategies. Many of them are using outside consultants. And the reason for this is that it can take a fresh or neutral approach in order to rediscover that spark of hidden genius.

And this applies equally to the field of geopolitics:

Palestinian health care professionals have received training in Israeli hospitals. Israeli labs have analyzed Palestinian COVID-19 diagnostic tests, and doctors on both sides are sharing data…..The collaboration on the Coronavirus includes the health ministries of both governments, along with the Israeli military liaison. Israel in recent days delivered 250 virus test kits to the West Bank and held training sessions for Palestinian medical workers on how to protect themselves. Israel’s Civil Administration, the military-run authority in Palestinian areas of the West Bank, promised to supply medical equipment and training as needed

Corona is awful. The health, financial and social impacts will only be fully understood with the passage of time. That said, we can use the opportunities that it presents to make our commercial lives that bit stronger.

Corona is not an excuse to stop moving forward. It should be your motivation towards further innovation.