Over a year into a global pandemic is seems there may be a dim light at the end of the end of this very, very long tunnel.
Thanks to science and technology vaccinations are becoming increasingly available across the country and around the world. But we still have a long way to go. As of this newsletter writing only 2% of the worldwide population has been vaccinated and just over 22% of the US population has received a shot.
I am thrilled that I and some of my closest family members have received vaccinations over the last few months. When you have the opportunity to be vaccinated, I encourage you to do so. Each one of us who is vaccinated helps brighten the light at the end of the tunnel just a little more.
Seth Berkeley, an American medical epidemiologist and a global advocate of the power of vaccines said it best,
“With infectious disease, without vaccines, there’s no safety in numbers”.
I hope that in the near future we will all be able to see the family and friends we have missed so dearly. In the meantime, stay safe and take good care of yourself!
This brings me to today’s newsletter topic – the importance of leaders to take care of themselves. In essence, to put their oxygen mask on first.
While vaccinations promise to help put an end to the pandemic, they will also bring on new challenges for leaders to manage.
Sorry if you thought you were going to be allowed to finally take a deep breath!
We are going to start figuring out how to….
Open schools, offices, and public spaces.
Require or not require vaccinations for certain scenarios and situations
Update policies, procedures, and operations for work and workplaces
Whether or not to continue virtual settings and events instead of or in addition to in person experiences.
This is just the short list! I’m sure you could add plenty of your own.
So, as you’re ramping up into phase two of the pandemic (aka “the how do we live with a vaccine" phase) you will be asked to lead into yet more uncharted territory.
To do this successfully you must pause regularly and ask yourself two very important questions.
First, how am I doing?
Second, how is my team doing?
You must focus on your essential well-being as the stress and strain of leadership can be enormous during difficult moments. Healthy diet, proper quality as well as quantity of sleep, exercise and staying connected with others are crucial. You should also encourage your team to follow these practices and always remember that you serve as perhaps the most important example for your team.
On June 5, 1944 General Dwight Eisenhower spent the day watching troops embark from Portsmouth, England. Later in the day he visited the 101st Airborne Division near Newbury, as they were making final preparation to depart for France.
The photo of that visit (seen here) is iconic. Many of the soldiers had already donned blackened faces and camouflaged helmets. Eisenhower in contrast is wearing his dress uniform. He seems intent on seeing how these men are doing and communicating to them a sense of optimism by both his words and actions.
In the evening, Ike returned to his headquarters at Southwick House near Portsmouth to reassess and reflect. He wrote one of the most famous undelivered messages in history. It was known as the “In Case of Failure Message.” It began, “Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops.” Ike continued, “My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air, and the navy did all the bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”
But where was Eisenhower in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944 as the first troops were landing on the beaches in France? He was in bed at his headquarters, reading a book, and smoking cigarettes since he could not sleep. He knew at that moment there was nothing he could do to affect the outcome of the invasion. But he also knew he would be required to make critical decisions in about six hours and wanted to ensure he was in the best frame of mind physically and emotionally at that moment.
Essential well-being may also require a change in “mind-set” or cognitive reframing. The ability to see the good in an inherently challenging situation is the EQ competence called Positive Outlook. It refers to our ability to see the best in people, situations, and events:
See the “glass half full.”
Cultivate positive emotions in midst of challenging moments.
Pursue the organization’s goals no matter what life throws our way.
Focus on what is working.
See the best in ourselves and others!
Leverage strengths to solve problems and create productive outcomes.
This is not only good for you as the leader but may also serve to better motivate your entire team.
John Adams once said that “facts are stubborn things.” You have to accept the hard truth that the months ahead will be difficult for you and your team. The challenges are enormous and how we collectively negotiate this watershed moment will determine the future of the nation and perhaps the globe.
But there are many reasons to be optimistic. America prospered in the aftermath of the Revolution and expanded to the Mississippi. The Civil War accelerated the movement westward as well as technological developments such as the railroad and telegraph. In the aftermath of World War II, the nation achieved much higher standards of living and expanded educational opportunities to a broader cross-section of the population.
Clearly there is cause for optimism today. Some experts believe we may be poised on a new technological revolution. For example, Moderna scientists had designed the first Covid-19 vaccine by January 13, 2020. They had created a vaccine prior to many people even believing it was going to be a threat. In similar fashion, the success of leaders across the nation is essential not only for us to weather the current crisis but also take advantage of what the future offers.
As a leader, you will find it invaluable to learn from the past as you prepare for the future. Winston Churchill is reported to have once said, “the farther back you look, the further ahead you can see” and doing so suggests the long-term prospects for humanity are very good. Leaders must not forget that the principles and concepts of good leadership illustrated by historical events are enduring. The choices we make as leaders today are the lessons learned in history books tomorrow.