What Now?

We’ve heard it in every COVID response email, every LinkedIn post, and commercial. 

“This is such an overwhelming moment in time.”
“It’s unprecedented, surreal, and terrifying.”

This is not normal, it is unwise to pretend that it is. 

There are wide-spread demonstrations of support to thank the medical workers on the front line. People are dying alone. Partisan arguments over what is best for the country fill our feeds and airways.

We are physically separated from our loved ones, our communities, our teams, and all of the “non-essential” businesses and activities we loved most.

At this moment we are in a cave, not in a tunnel. There isn’t a light at the end yet, we’re surrounded by the dark.

We’ve met with entrepreneurs and community members almost every day for the last 7 weeks. Through all our conversations, we have learned: As leaders, it is not our job to be a light in the darkness, but our eyes are trained to adjust quickly. We can continue to lead if we can see the way through the shadows. 

So how do we navigate existence in a cave? 

• We must continue to show up every day, even in the smallest of ways.

• If and when we do succumb to the fear, we must give ourselves permission to live there, to wallow, to feel it. And then take a deep breath and come back to focusing on our path forward.

• We must adjust our pace from the series of sprints that we were racing before, to a marathon pace. Acknowledging that we do not know how long this marathon will last.

• We have discovered what is essential: our home, our health, our family. Now it is time to switch the perspective: what do we need to be whole? What do our employees, teams, stakeholders need to be whole?

If you are feeling, lost, alone, scared, or you’re having all sorts of creative genius and want somewhere to share, we invite you to join us at our Open Forums or a Virtual Happy Hour.

Just send us an email.