Amidst ambiguity and crisis, leaders are forced to act and prioritize – and to act in an agile manner.
The level of caring and connecting is palpable in our “new normal.”
By Rebecca Orbach Glick, Heidrick Consulting
As we approach the end of two weeks of quarantine/social distancing during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, I have taken a few moments to reflect – which in itself is often a rarity for all of us with busy, fast-paced lives – to just stop, look around and reflect. While this time has been filled with added stress, anxiety and fear, as well as taking on new roles like teacher/homeschooler, I have also observed and experienced some really positive things in all the roles that we play – which help ease this time of uncertainty and represent habits that I hope we all continue to model post Corona to become our new normal.
Personal Connectivity – Despite being sequestered from face to face social contact, I have been in touch with more friends and family on a regular basis than the norm and it’s a nice change to actually speak with others live on the phone or FaceTime. With colleagues and clients, there is a different level of connectivity in checking in on each other with no other reason than to just say “how are you?” or that “I’m thinking of you and available to listen.” There is a different sense than the norm of being able to “pick up the phone at anytime.” And with almost all calls conducted via Zoom video it completely changes the focus and attentiveness of meetings and time together – and begs the question of why when so many of us work across the globe we didn’t use that more before. The level of caring and connecting is palpable.
Authenticity – With increased personal connectivity coupled with new vulnerabilities in times of uncertainty and changing dynamics on the work and home fronts, there is a different level of “keeping it real” – instead of the usual shooing away of my kids when I’m on calls or videos, they were welcomed to stop in to say hello during a “virtual happy hour.” We are bringing others in who may not otherwise be as close into our personal lives – sharing children, spouses, pets and living rooms. It’s refreshing to get a glimpse to see others in a different, more personal context.
