How was your first week?

Hello, fellow stay-at-homers. How was your first full week of working from home? I thought I'd share some of my observations from this new workplace normal.

My highlights for the week were:

- Critiquing the various rooms and environs of those I interacted with via Zoom. It was interesting to see where others were setting up shop--makeshift desks, dining room tables, a space in a bedroom. It reinforced that the suggested "find your space" is being adapted by most.

- Assisting the rookies navigating the Zoom platform for the first time. I, for one, found Zoom to be an incredibly easy user experience. And, I wish I had a buck for every time someone referenced The Brady Bunch given the gallery view when multiple attendees are on the meeting platform.

- Smiling at the various interruptions on Zoom meetings, from the creative director with the toddler son showing off his bottle to the various pets sitting by their owners to - the best - the colleague whose 7-year old daughter was singing, loudly and oblivious, in the next room. (Think the scene of Julia Roberts in the bathtub in Pretty Woman...)

- Yelling downstairs to get someone to tell my 3-year old grandson to quit incessantly ringing the doorbell.

- Sitting on the deck, smoking a cigar, having a cocktail, all while conducting an end-of-day meeting. (And, yes--it was at the end of the day.)

What was very gratifying about the past week was seeing others consistently communicate with their co-workers and friends. There is recognition of the need for checking in, saying "hi," asking how you're doing, and being in tune with the needs of others. It felt like everyone had injected an extra dose of empathy into their being.

The stay-at-home ordinance is a leadership challenge unlike any that we have universally faced. If week one is any indication, I'm encouraged by our ability to lead and manage through, to have a heightened sense of connection, and to be empathetic to the needs of others.

Be well. Stay safe. #AloneTogether