As we processed the last payments for services delivered in 2020, we were grateful for having created opportunities for others. Thanks to these, they managed to stay afloat. And even thrive perhaps a little.

We learned to read each other on the screen. We compensated the missing clues by asking more frequently: “What do you mean?”

We got frustrated by the 10th email on something we could have solved in 3 minutes by walking into each others’ offices. And we picked up the phone to air it.

We acknowledged that while many of the processes this year were global, the way we felt their effects is individual and highly personal.

We learned the art of planning to re-plan and plan again.

We loved the “mute all” button. And “camera off”, which let us stroll unwatched to the kitchen for yet another bite of cookie.

We felt like naughty grandchildren shouting into grand-dad’s ear: “Can you hear me?”, still grateful for all the technology we have to connect.

We learned some things about our neighbours’ routine and know now not to accept video-calls during certain hours while teleworking.

We managed our time-in-the-office and teleworking and learned by heart the schedule of our partners and team members spread across the continent. Only to learn that it changed again.

We dropped the “all-or-nothing” approach. We allowed for complexity and different shades or nuances. We sought what was possible to do and went for it.

As externalities of travel and sanitary restrictions kept proliferating, we stopped should-ing on yourself and team members. We replaced the constriction of “should,” “ought to,” and “must” with “can,” “choose to” or “decide to”.

We thanked each other more and reinforced the gratitude at work.

We will keep at least some of these in mind as we enter a New Year. We will continue to learn, as we’ll navigate the course, that life is change and change makes life, in projects and beyond.