I have known Ennio Armato, Global CEO of FFIND for over 10 years.When he presented me with his project of webinars dedicated to telling the story of the COVID phase 1 experience, and asked me if I wanted to participate, I had no doubts.

Together with his team, of great professional and human value, Ennio conducted a study on five European countries and the USA to detect people's experiences, fears, and hopes.

In Talent Up's vision, summarized by the strategic model I promote, everything starts with people and active listening. To generate awareness, empowerment and positive impacts on business and personal performance and well-being. Therefore, how could I miss the intercultural opportunity to be allowed to listen to people and  analyze the social evolutions, needs, and expectations through the lens of the innovative research approach promoted by FFIND?

Ennio, do you want to tell us something about the research methodology used?

We live in a historical moment in which conducting research is not simple: think about what it means to conduct individual interviews in person or focus groups with social distancing! Technology has enabled new modes of interaction, and we decided to leverage them, starting with social media. 

Our listening solution (it is not just data collection because it allows real-time interaction!) is called Cube Survey and can reach people worldwide through simple posts.

Cube Survey makes the impossible possible: with sponsored posts, we can intercept targets that usually cannot be found on market research panels. And the retrieval amplifies its power thanks to user resharing with those who have similar characteristics and interests.

There is an important study in post design, from the image used to the call to action: everything must work in a coherent and synergistic way to encourage the target to interact.

For this specific study, "Quarantine Voices," we involved the five major European countries and the USA and administered two open-ended questions and one closed-ended question aimed at measuring the level of "optimism" in relation to the future. And we used the image of the Decathlon mask in the post, rather evocative of the period!

How did we read the research data in Talent Up?

We decided to proceed qualitatively to bring out the essence, the big picture. And to pave the way for the other protagonists involved in FFIND's digital marathon, so that they could focus on numerical details and vertical insights.

Many interesting pieces of evidence have emerged, including:

1) 70% of respondents indicated at least one positive aspect of the quarantine period!

What does it mean? That we naturally have the ability to transform problems into opportunities and manage to broaden our perspectives and see beyond and something else. 

Cultural differences exist, but there are aspects that unite us as human beings:

• the need to find our center, our balance
• tuning in with the context in which we live, with the one in which we work;
• adopting rhythms and ways of working that respect nature: ours as human beings and the one that receives us, in which we are immersed. The energy available is always the same, and if we do not recharge it, it exhausts!
• the relevance of having a work context in which, as individuals, our personal expression can find adequate space, as well as the management of time (for example, through the integration of smart working and digital tools for distance management);
• the deep discomfort that the limitation of our freedom causes us;
• the possibility of giving up even spaces of freedom as long as there is a reason to do so, and this reason is shared and not a pretext.
•  

So what?

• empower yourselves and empower the people who are the beating heart of your teams and companies! Start with genuine, deep, and active listening because it is from there that you will see opportunities and build the cohesion and engagement necessary to perform and generate well-being! 
• introduce models that recognize the value of everyone in your companies and families. Leave the command and control logic behind: it is no longer effective (except for rare exceptions), and it can be harmful
• communicate clearly and directly 

2) For 12% of respondents, social relationships will worsen at the restart.

Perhaps there is a fear that "others" will not respect the rules and that there will be another lockdown, generating spirals of aggressiveness. Or of finding oneself in situations of risk for health and even life itself. Or maybe there is a fear that the hugs will no longer be the same as before.

The choice of how the relationships will be is up to us. To each of us.

I have never believed in the slogan "Everything will be fine." I believe very much instead in "it will go the way we make it go." With our commitment, our courage, our civic sense, and as far as our sphere of influence is concerned.

We have the opportunity to rebuild relational and cultural models, to give a perspective of life and prosperity to ourselves and our children.

Carpe diem.