That's the word that I keep thinking of as I try to make sense of what's going in our world right now.
Empty parking lots.
A coffee shop without people, save for the two baristas.
A noticeable drop in traffic commuting to work.
A church sanctuary without a congregation.
Absolutely no live sports on television.
Movie theaters with screens that are dark.
Patients with names of "Hanks" and "Durant" who have contracted the virus.
A shift from the "paradox of choice" to "I need toilet paper and I'll take whatever scent and ply you've got"
The current end of "let's go grab lunch" or "how about meeting for coffee?"
Pick-up service at upscale restaurants.
"Social distancing" in the age of social media.
Brands trying to figure out what in the hell to do.
Workers coping with their new normal--virtual meetings, diminished in-person interaction and the challenge of business as usual.
Where do we go from here? What becomes our new normal when, hopefully, the curve has been sufficiently flattened and we actually can have coffee with a co-worker, in person, again?
None of us know what will happen next. What I do know is that now is the time when true leaders step up and lead. Now is the time when your team members want assurance, validation and a caring voice on the other end of the phone. Now is the time when listening is more important than ever before.
My advice is this--over-communicate, listen, check in regularly, and don't hunker down in your remote workplace such that you forget those who are depending upon you.
Let's get through this together. Stay safe.
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