Transformation is often more about Unlearning than Learning”” – Richard Rohr

As Covid-19 changed so many aspects of life, it propelled the creative to think ‘outside the box’.

Many people thrived by their innovative means whilst many more struggled under the weight of the restrictions. Why such contrary responses? What did one have that the other didn’t?

YP Gold Coast created the City Leaders Forum to connect the professionals driving innovation to the whole of the business community.

Committee President, Mary Gant, said this year’s theme of “Learning to Unlearn – a post-COVID-10 Gold Coast that’s better than before” would showcase and share the positive changes industries made to operate during the pandemic.

“As a committee, we felt it was important to connect our city leaders with the business community, to share their insights into how different business and industries have adapted and changed the way they market and deliver their services,” Ms Grant said.

“This adaption to our current environment has fostered innovation in industry to ‘do things differently’ and in time, I believe this will deliver social benefits to our workforce and [the] wider business community.”

The need is evident as entire workforces were reduced to skeleton structures, or in some cases, completely shut down. Many people had to make career changes or return to previous industries, but how can these transitions be made more efficiently? How can communities of industry professionals change their entire perspective?

Deputy Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism, Dr Sarah Gardiner believes that this change in perspective will be the key to creative and innovative developments. “We are discovering a different marketplace. The survivors will be the businesses that reorganise new and different resources, restructure their module, and are adaptive to the environment.”

‘Learning to Unlearn’ and adapting to the new marketplace might just be what we need to succeed in the future. Ground-breaking industry firsts all from our piece of paradise here on the Gold Coast.

See you on Friday 13 November 12pm for this year’s City Leaders Forum at Glasshouse at the Island, Surfers Paradise.

Written by Samantha Gray, Student – Griffith University.