In 2020, managers across the globe faced unplanned change due to the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns and restrictions causing significant disruption to traditional business models. The effectiveness of the response depended on several key managerial skills and abilities.

1. Which skills and abilities do you consider essential for a manager facing unplanned change to manage effectively?

2. Do you believe the management response in your organization was effective in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic? Why or why not? What could have been done better in hindsight?

3. Are you or the managers in your organization actively scanning the external environment to identify potential threats or opportunities? What tools or methods are used for environmental scanning, if any?