Come gather round people wherever you roam...

I don’t think I’ve heard the term “radical hope” before – in this context, I suspect it means hope that is complete, far-reaching, and passionate.  That kind of hope is what’s needed during this pandemic – for  communities and schools, and companies too, to find just the right balance between the competing demands of all of their stakeholders. At the end of the day, it comes down to reasonable accommodation, emphasis on “reasonable”: everyone involved in these decisions has to be reasonable because there are no guidelines for this kind of unique and enormous challenge. Whatever side of the argument you’re on, take a moment to step back from the emotional part of it and put yourself in everyone else’s shoes. All of those perspectives are important and the key to figuring out what’s best is collaboration.  That’s the only way we’re going to figure out these vexing issues; we’ll make mistakes along the way, but if everyone’s patient and reasonable, we’ll ultimately find the appropriate solutions that everyone is “radically” hoping for and which will help us to be better prepared in case something like this happens again. Preparation for tomorrow starts today.

Sharon Contreras (born 1970): Superintendent of Schools, Guilford County, N.C. 

Don't do something you might regret...

Some of my nieces and nephews have college-age children who recently went back to school. They’re all smart, fun, and full of life but, unfortunately, three of them have already tested positive for Covid-19. They all are very outgoing and social and most likely got conflicted about what to do when they got back among friends: I suspect they’re sorry they didn’t wear their masks and practice more social distancing. I don’t know how these kids will fare with their cases, but I suspect they might come to regret the choices they made. Part of me remembers being in college and doing things that in retrospect weren’t that smart; part of me knows that they, like all of us, will probably cringe when remembering some of the things they did. That’s when it becomes painfully clear that while we may wish to cross out our past, it can’t be erased. At my age, I appreciate that, in the best of circumstances, life is short.  I hope theirs, and those of so many other young people, aren’t cut short because of this pandemic. Think about how to be smart and safe if and when you decide to participate in things today.  

 

Elwyn Brooks White (1899 – 1985): American writer (Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web and The Elements of Style)

Find a little balance...

 My granddaughters started back in school this week – their classes are all virtual. Two days into this new routine and their parents are already organizing neighborhood activities to take the place of recess, PE classes, and other activities that let the kids ‘run off’ their energy and balance their learning time.  Those extracurricular activities have always been important and many things in the world of work seek to emulate them – like breaks and sabbaticals. Leaders today have to get creative in finding ways to get employees engaged in challenging and fulfilling and balancing things. The whole “all work and no play” thing needs to be managed from afar like everything else, and because people can’t get together physically doesn’t mean activities can’t be safely planned. Virtual games, book clubs, pizza parties and other activities are becoming more common among workers, blurring lines between work and personal time. Talk to your employees about their need to find balance and explore ways to get more involved without being too intrusive. Maybe only one out of a dozen ideas will find a foothold in this concept, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. Everybody needs a little something fun to do today.

 

Mohamed Salah (born 1992): Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Liverpool and the Egypt national team.

And you will come around...

 

Yesterday the President of the United States pardoned my friend Jon Ponder, the founder and CEO of Hope for Prisoners in Las Vegas. With a mind-boggling singleness of purpose, Jon built a reentry program for people exiting the judicial system, helping them reclaim their values and lives, and becoming a model for other prisoners coming out of that system and other reentry programs around the country. I’ve written often in these messages about Jon and H4P and am thrilled that his record has been wiped clean.  He earned it, and he deserves this. Jon’s story is both amazing and inspiring – to go from the depths of despair to a national role model is the thing that stories are made of; to take a single thought and build it into such a successful program shows what people are capable of, even when it’s least expected; and to turn his own life around and then those of so many others is an incredible testament to the power of faith and change. Hard work is indeed its own reward and this pardon is the icing on the cake: it will further encourage other men and women seeking to rebuild their lives, their families and their communities. In these crazy times we all need some good news – Jon Ponder is that story today.

 

Jodi Picoult (born 1966): American Author

Find someone who's turning...

 

Some of the leaders I know are winging it during this pandemic and the re-opening of their businesses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing them: winging it in this context is throwing out the old rule and play books, improvising on the fly, being more transparent than usual, and discovering new and heretofore unknown processes.  They study and read voraciously, and network with everyone  who might have some insight or perspective or experience: what they’re finding is the importance of problem solving, planning for change, and project management. Leaders who are really into their businesses treat this like saving a family or family member and are working hard to remain balanced while being a little emotional, stressed, exhausted, and depressed. None of them went to school for this, they’re just figuring out how to get this job done by doing it: engaging their team in collaboration and brainstorming, inspiring them to be as committed and involved as they are, and working diligently and effectively with everyone. Network as far and wide as you can in order to find others who can help you get the job done today.

 

Bruce Brown (1937 – 2017): American documentary film director, known as an early pioneer of the surf film. 

Don't let it bring you down...

 

And Covid-19 just goes on and on. Companies are finding their new normal business levels, having to lay off staff, trying to maintain new safety procedures, attracting customers back to the fold, and looking for ways to engage and motivate employees. Many leaders I talk to speak of depression – theirs and their employees, and they know that they have to deal with and overcome these bad times and feelings. They are finding that their leadership style and efforts are both changing and becoming how they may be defined going forward: they’re aware how fragile this all is and fighting hard not to let this destroy them and their businesses. Some are faltering, but many more are growing in stature and fortitude. This last may be one of the silver linings hidden in this pandemic: it’s making fighters and motivators and survivors of them. Every week that this continues presents more opportunities to hone your leadership skills, not the least of which are hand-on involvement, communications, coaching, integrity, transparency, and professionalism. Dig deep into the well of your resiliency and provide the hands-on leadership needed to overcome these challenges today.

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991): AKA: Dr. Seuss - Writer, Cartoonist, and Animator

Watch what you say...

 

I once worked with a guy who referred to slackers and other ineffective employees as “slugs”: he was a good ole boy and so we knew what he meant.  Over the years, terms like that become far less tolerated as businesses came to understand and appreciate that words matter. Today, we watch what we say very carefully as we seek to create the right impressions and tone.  But there still are things that have to be said so learning and practicing effective communications is an absolute necessity. Meet with your employees regularly, let them know what’s what, and listen to what they have to say: speak to and about them the way you want them to speak to and about you. Today, as we call employees back to a significantly changed work environment with different rules, it’s really important to practice good communications, carefully saying what you mean, using simple and respectful terms, allowing time for questions, and providing straight-forward answers. Don’t use slang, or words that can be misconstrued, and take extra time to re-cap what’s expected. Your words – once spoken – are a reflection of you. Words, like potions, can be magical: use them appropriately to get everyone going in the right direction today.

 

William Peter Hamill Jr (1935 – 2020): American journalist, novelist, essayist and editor.