How are you doing?
I have been quiet lately because we are flooded with information, but today, I want to drop by and ask you, “How are you doing?” Did you ever think that such a simple and familiar question would carry such weight? I hope this find you healthy, at home, with a full fridge, and surrounded by people and things that bring you comfort and joy.
Phew, what a ride! The topsy-turviness of the past weeks leaves us a bit dizzy, just like when walking off a merry-go-round as a kid. The news, daily updates, the prediction graphs, recommendations, revised recommendations is enough to make you want to hide under your duvet until further notice. But the thing is, in the words of Brené Brown, “We are hardwired to connect with others. It’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” So, we lift the duvet because we want to get out and help, which we cannot do without taking risks for ourselves and others. A bit of a conundrum, isn’t it?
Today, I want to share some of the my thoughts as well as information I have come across over the last weeks with the goal to give you strength to carry on, assurance that you are not crazy, and most importantly a sense that you are not alone—you are seen, heard, and loved. And, to be clear, I will not be telling you what you can, cannot, and should do! And who knows, there may be a chuckle in there too…
First, an answer to the question, “What the hell is going on?” I truly enjoyed and valued listening to this 50-minute Ted Connect session with Bill Gates—thanks Bev for sharing this with me. It provides a pragmatic outlook and understanding of the current landscape. It left me wanting to keep washing my hands, keep my distance, and helped me understand the importance of testing, especially as a tool to plan to resume our activities. I know it’s long, but be honest, you probably have the time to watch it if you want to.
Remote work. There are now people Zooming that would have sworn they’d never do it a month or so ago. I am grateful for the ability to stay connected online. I have connected with a wide range of family members whom I had never met, including my friend Shayna’s cat who enjoys putting his butt hole on camera! I also see some hardcore dead-set-against-remote-work leaders experiencing the merit of this type of work setting, and they are coming around. I hope this wakes organizations up and opens the discussion about such practice when we get to the other side! There will still be a need for face-to-face interactions, but here is to hoping blended approaches find their way to our organizations permanently.
Leadership. We are witnessing the best and the worst right now. I’ll focus on the best. First let’s talk about Dr. Bonnie Henry, who has now become Dr. B for many of us. Whenever she speaks I think, “Oh she’s here. We’re good. She’s got this.” A friend of ours suggested that it would be nice to have her voice as an option for Siri. I also enjoy the fact that Adrian Dix truly comes across as closely collaborating with Dr. B. Neither is trying to hold on to the spotlight, and by doing so, they have managed to create a giant beam of light! And then there is Dr. Tam and Dr. Fauci—so impressive, all of them.
Our politicians. I am impressed by our politicians, full stop. They are stepping up to the plate and are relentlessly coming up with plans to mitigate and get us back on our feet as a country as quickly as possible. Let’s just say I am thrilled to be a Canadian right now.
The tipping point. Over the past few months, I have held conversations with thought leaders in the leadership, people, and culture space. We agree that some things have to change in our way of leading our businesses, and we have been feeling momentum building. My hope is that what we are going through right now will be the tipping point. Here are some of my thoughts on the topic.
Kindness: This is the one of the things we have unlimited supply of. Now is the best time ever to sprinkle it everywhere we go (between spray of hand sanitizer, it blends nicely).
Our four-legged family members. Based observations on my daily walk, our furry friends are having a blast and getting their best walks ever. My friend Susan shared the following pictures with me. The first is her dog taking advantage of her humans being around.
This second picture is what happened when she was asked to go for a walk. Perhaps we are over doing it, not sure.
Stay well, be kind, and reach out any time!
