The Magic of...the Pandemic?
I remember the first time I realized that maybe…just maybe…Santa was not real. As a child, my brothers and sisters…all 9 of us…would line up on the stairs anxiously awaiting what was behind the red curtain my mother had hung. We had been told for years that Santa had not left yet, hence the need to wait. One year, my brother used some excuse to go to the other room where there was no curtain and the look on his face was a sure giveaway. I held out hope for the magic of believing as long as I could, but the truth was things had changed. I could not go back.Reflecting on the year past, I can’t help but wonder if all of us collectively are me – that little boy whose magic bubble was burst innocently. We have seen in the past year both the best and worst of public figures, corporations, government agencies, human behavior and of each other. We have seen a pandemic completely redefine what teamwork looks like and how it functions. Strategic plans were replaced with sideline chalkboards. We have witnessed a new dawn of functionality in remote work that has been a boon for some and an absolute mountain of challenge for others. No matter how hard we may try, we cannot go back. Normal is not what was, but rather what is. Is the conclusion therefore that all is lost? Are we to think this experiment was all of not? I do not think so.There are areas of human connectivity that we need. Simply, the diversity in each other that not only keeps us thinking and alert and connected to our coworkers, but helps us respect and appreciate the unique character of relationships we have at home, is missing and necessary. There is the need for our kids to not lose out on the life training they get from interacting with each other in close proximity. A Zoom or Meet will never be the same as a conference room of like minded thinkers. But when I reflect on what we did…how we responded…why we cared and what we were able to produce, I am encouraged. For my own team, we set more than 4000 people to successfully function remotely and, in doing so, drove ongoing positive results for the company with minimal downtime and impact to a highly functioning business.Undoubtedly there are individual stories of hardship and loss that do not appear in that success. This would be the case for any massive change like the one brought on by the pandemic. However, the very thought that this many workers…in fact, the entire global community of professionals …were able to correct course in real-time as we faced immense change in our work and home lives tells me we are a people of resilience and vision. We are a people who can respond and build bridges and solutions in times of need rather than escape into the hovels of selfish demands. Hopefully, for those who had less positive experiences, we have learned how to do all of this even better should the need arise again.Too many of the self-help empowerment gurus out there preach about giving up. They don’t call it that – they call it empowerment and taking care of yourself and leaving the toxic people who have no place in your lives. They look at success and attainment as something you do alone and not something you do with those you work with or those you love. They do not add that nuance. They do not talk about hard work and selfless assessment. They do not tutor on the power of communication and the unspoken conversation that happens between those words. They do not consider compassion and empathy, but rather abandonment of anything that creates a pause in your own personal flow. The pandemic should have taught us, however, that those messy, toxic, difficult, and flawed people are often enough, be it on a Zoom meeting or at the kitchen table. They are the ones who, when everything was grand, sat by your growth and needs and helped you shine. They were the ones who showed up when everyone else went home. They are the ones who believed you and in you and pushed you to meet your goals. In this dire time played out on little screens, they were the ones despite screaming children and looming deadlines, who showed up asking if you could hear them ok. Imagine what our world would be like now if everyone facing the challenges of the past year had followed the advice of the preachers and prophets.The magic of Christmas may have have morphed into the seasonal cheer of adulthood, but the magic of the human spirit remains. The hope that we see in each other possibility long before we see a closing door. Cheers to the #resilient. You will inherit the earth.
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You can also change the title listed above and add new blog articles as well.
Edit your Blog articles from the Pages tab by clicking the edit button.
This is a generic blog article you can use for adding blog content / subjects on your website.
You can edit all of this text and replace it with anything you have to say on your blog. You can also change the title listed above and add new blog articles as well.
Edit your Blog articles from the Pages tab by clicking the edit button.
This is a generic blog article you can use for adding blog content / subjects on your website.
You can edit all of this text and replace it with anything you have to say on your blog. You can also change the title listed above and add new blog articles as well.
Edit your Blog articles from the Pages tab by clicking the edit button.