Shafie is introducing a series of videos detailing his insights learned during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A TIME of crisis presents a choice. One can either sink, swim or sail when confronted with an unknown catastrophe.
However, in a business setting, staying put in hopes of weathering the storm may not be the ideal strategy, said former Aeon Co (M) Bhd managing director and chief executive officer Shafie Shamsuddin.
Shafie, who is currently PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd senior independent director, decided to create a series of videos to help organisations steer through a crisis.
Brought on to head Aeon in January 2020, he said he had gleaned insights over the past two-and-a-half years of navigating through a challenging period such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shafie, affectionately known as SS among his staff, has collated these insights and learnings into a series of videos, aptly titled “Sink, Swim or Sail”.
The analogy came into play because instead of sinking and succumbing to challenges, he opted to swim and sail with his people, helping the organisation navigate through the choppy waters.
“The way I look at it was as though we were going through a war. The pandemic hit fast and not many businesses were prepared or had a contingency plan for the global disruption it caused.
“I knew we could not afford to take a ‘wait and see’ approach as we did not know how long this crisis would last.
“Looking back, there were many takeaways and retrospective lessons that benefitted me in navigating the disruptions caused by the pandemic,” he shared.
Through this series of videos, the 51-year-old hopes to provide a framework for businesses and brands to prepare for the future, especially in the event of a crisis.
“I highlight five key points to consider when dealing with a crisis. Essentially, companies must be adaptive to change. They must ask themselves what works and what doesn’t. Besides that, they must also be able to pivot when needed.”
One notable experience that Shafie related was during the movement control order when loaves of white bread were “flying off the shelves”.
“We could not keep them in stock and customers were not happy. We were able to quickly mobilise our Aeon La Boheme bakery to start producing white bread until supply stabilised.
“This taught me how vital it is to identify customer pain points so that we can deliver best results,” he said.
In whatever circumstance we must continue to be grateful, he advised.
“When we are grateful, we can take stock of what we do have and look at situations from a positive perspective. This allows us to have a clearer picture and make better choices.
“I hope this series will be beneficial to many and they can be inspired by it,” he said, adding that the details of the video release would be announced in due course.
Although Shafie left Aeon in June this year, he is grateful for his time there.
“It was the most challenging period of crisis. However, I must say I was blessed to be the chosen one, steering the organisation through that period. I have no regrets.
“I have to express my deepest appreciation to all my dedicated ‘Aeon Warriors’ for their support and belief in my stewardship,” he said, acknowledging the various partners and vendors for their trust.
