How each of us can help in the time of the Coronavirus

About a year ago, I retired from my Agile consultant role because I was nearing the age of 60 and I wanted to travel while I was still healthy.  However, throughout most of my career I was a leader and have coached others how to lead during times of uncertainty and change. I've had roles in being a communication manager, including for crisis (which in my business at the time was mission critical outages) as well as roles in which I helped people learn how to effectively communicate and collaborate from a distance, whether that was for an important meeting or a fun virtual team-building event.

I still write the occasional article, and in early March, I'd written an article for TechBeacon which was published today, "Why agile leadership is key in these uncertain times."  At the time I wrote that article, I had no idea what the next few weeks would bring.  The article was really rather generic about leadership style rather than leading in a crisis. Though accurate, the content seems embarrassingly trite compared to the magnitude of what's happening in the world today.

Whether your business is booming, holding steady, or is suffering huge losses, every leader is setting an example for their teams and for people who are looking to them for guidance.  Every person, including those of us who are retired, can demonstrate leadership and a positive example, which is one of the best ways we can help one another.

Here are ways we all can demonstrate leadership during this time of massive uncertainty.

Take care of your health

Make containing the virus and staying healthy a priority. Be radical and vigilant in efforts to contain the virus.  Get exercise, sleep, and get fresh air while practicing physical distancing.  Though it may seem extreme, act as though you have the virus. Since we know it is very contagious, even with no symptoms, we can't be 100% certain that we don't have it, and a radical approach will help us adapt habits designed to prevent spread of the virus.

Recognize that mood is contagious

Whenever the future is unknown, there are those who predict the worst, which spreads fear and panic. I've been baffled by the toilet-paper shortages, but it's an example of how unfounded panic can spread like wildfire, particularly with social media, and cause unnecessary consequences.

If you present yourself in a manner that demonstrates transparency, hope, gratitude, resilience, and compassion, others will follow your lead.

Utilize social media and technologies to your advantage.

Passing along positive stories and resources can also spread quickly via social media. I've long been a proponent of how influential a leader can be, thanks to social media.  I am extremely confident that our economy will recover and our country will thrive because the best thought-leaders and scientists are working together like never before. In the same way that we see how quickly the coronavirus can exponentially grow, we have seen that kind of exponential growth in our technologies and our abilities to find solutions to the world's worst problems.  We WILL beat this and come out of it stronger and more prepared.

Care for each other

One of the most important things we can do in times of massive change and fear is to listen with compassion and understanding.  There is generally more stress when a fear is unknown than even if a fear is realized. When people are afraid and feeling a lack of control, they can act in ways that may seem irrational.

Listen to the people who are afraid and help brainstorm with them about ways they might be able to alleviate or mitigate their fears. Remember that we all process things differently and try not to judge, or criticize, but to understand from their point of view, even if it's different from your own.

Don't play the victim, yourself, or place blame on others for the problems you're encountering. Face the challenges head on, taking it one day at a time.  But if you need help, be vulnerable to ask for it from someone you trust.  If you or others make a mistake or are misunderstood, forgive quickly and move forward, learning from it.

Find ways to thank and show appreciation to all the valuable people who are keeping our world going.

Share helpful resources

There have been so many wonderful resources, including lists of lists, that have been passed around. Here are a few that I've found particularly helpful:

ChatterPack's list of free online resources including art, culture, learning, and well-being
Staying Connected and Entertained  (full disclosure.. this one was written by my brilliant daughter-in-law, Stella Min)
Kindness Resources from Random Acts of Kindness
Positive.News This UK-based publication has some great information for the UK, including information about local mutual aid groups
Caremongering groups are being set up to help one another

Encourage creativity and innovation

I'm always moved at the creative ways people find to help one another or comfort one another. Just because we are physically separated, doesn't me we can't comfort, play, communicate, and collaborate together! In fact, some people are feeling more  connected than ever because they're communicating with people all over the world.  Rather than our usual hustle and bustle, we are being forced to slow down and in many instances, using that time to communicate with friends and families.

In business, some organizations are pivoting, providing services to help during the crisis. Teachers, entertainers, and service works are finding heart-warming ways to help one another. Here are a few examples I've read about, with more coming each day:

Distilleries are making hand-sanitizers
A choir concert sang remotely
CNN's good stuff newsletter has several examples of people finding creative ways to help
People are pitching in to make face masks


Working Remotely

I've been strongly encouraging businesses to enable work-from-anywhere technologies for years because it provides so much more flexibility in the workplace. I know there are limitations and down-sides, but the benefits are enormous as well. Those businesses that are now enabling work-from-home capabilities may find that they enjoy more modernization, flexibility and better streamlining of their business, better setting them up for the future as well.

If you're a leader who is not used to having a remote team, it's important to remember that this is not the time to expect or monitor productivity.  Give people freedom to do what they can, recognizing that focus may be impossible and help guide them with understanding.

Finding Ways to Help

Most of us really want to help.  Doing something to help provides us with a semblance of control. It's the lack of control, or the feeling that we're unable to help, that adds to our anxiety.

By setting a positive example to those who look up to you, know that you ARE helping.

If you find you have time on your hands and want to help more,  think about the skills you have and whether or not you might want to offer those to others, perhaps via social media.

Here are some ideas:

* Set up a Caremongering group or a Mutual Aid Group

 * Find ways to get those elders who are technology-challenged a way that they could still get visits from their loved ones. Maybe we can get the tech companies to donate voice-activated devices into assisted living or nursing homes.

* Create hot-lines or resources to match up people who need help with those who can give it.

I'd like to brainstorm these and other ideas and will be hosting a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, March 25th at 4pm ET.

In the mean time, if you, or someone you know needs help, please contact me at yvette.francino@gmail.com