I previously wrote about what leaders should do to guide people through the global coronavirus pandemic. I still believe leaders need to work to build a shared understanding of the present and to inspire a shared vision of the future. But what should that vision look like? Should we focus on a return to normal life? Or should we embrace all the changes with open arms and make the best of it? What are the consequences of each approach for us, our co-workers, and our families?
I don’t think there is a single answer but these are important questions to think about.
This too shall pass
A sense of normalcy can be a source of strength in trying times. We all have responsibilities that don’t stop because we’re battling a pandemic virus. As individuals, we still need to eat and sleep. We still need to and certainly want to manage our stress through the activities or hobbies that we normally enjoy. If as leaders we know we need to continue those basic human endeavors ourselves, we should probably work to enable other people to do them as well.
In our professional lives some people can stay at it, others are adapting to work at home, and many people are unable to continue their jobs at all. For some people focusing on work can be a way to find calm in the storm. Other people may be grateful they still have a source of income while millions are applying for unemployment. Aside from the mental benefits of work as usual, those who can continue to produce often provide critical services to others. Their work provides a sense of normalcy in that there is food on the grocery store shelves or someone available to fix the leaking pipe in your basement. Normal work benefits others, and as leaders we should probably be encouraging that where we can.
As a parent I feel the urge to maintain normalcy most intensely for my children. My very young children know they aren’t seeing their teachers and classmates, even if they don’t understand why. Perhaps out of a desire to spare them from the fear or worry that we’re experiencing, I think many parents and teachers are doing everything they can to continue education or just everyday life at home as normal as possible. That can be reassuring for the children as well as the parents and teachers.
There is clearly some benefit to building a sense of normalcy. In an unusual time like now, I think in some ways leading others to a sense of normalcy is the same as leading with optimism. Continuing with some aspects of normal life is perhaps the best way to show courage during the pandemic. For those in roles essential to others, a normal mentality may help them do what needs to be done.
But I also think there are dangers to overemphasizing normal. The idea that everything is fine, if taken too literally, may be a denial of the physical danger we all must confront. A leader who tries to inspire others to share in a vision of normal life may be perceived as blind to the fear others are experiencing. If people think a leader is too detached from their own experience, they will not follow them. Rather than inspiring people to a better place, the leader could just be out for a walk by themselves.
Focusing on life as normal may only be a temporary mental bandage on the emotional wounds people are suffering. Even if keeping eyes on the horizon with a sense of normal purpose inspires someone through the difficult time, it could set the stage for emotional trauma that only comes to the surface once the danger has passed. That could leave someone in extremis even as the rest of the world settles back to post-pandemic routine and societal support for struggling people begins to turn off.
Resiliency comes not standing firm, but adapting to whatever happens
Perhaps the right strategy is to embrace the new and unusual without mourning the normal. We can’t carry on exactly as we did a few weeks ago, so why maintain a mental investment in that lifestyle? Maybe if we can look closely, we can find there are little silver spots in the coronavirus storm cloud.
Most importantly, embracing a mostly isolated way of life may improve physical safety, both for individuals and for the larger population. Leaders should always be first focused on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their people, at a time like now that means physical safety. If it inspires people to adopt practices likely to prevent the spread of the virus, a leadership vision that moves away from normal is an excellent idea.
Acknowledging the unusual may be the best way for leaders to calm others’ fears. At the outset of the pandemic, people in my normally fearless response organization were worried. They were less afraid of the pandemic as they were afraid that leaders weren’t recognizing the unique challenges the pandemic created. They were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to continue our important, normal work if we didn’t take unusual actions to protect ourselves. When we did that, clearly setting expectations for how we would guard ourselves in order to ensure we could still guard the coast, there was a tangible reduction in stress. It could be that the best way to maintain the normalcy of our purpose is to abandon some of our normal attitudes and behaviors for new ones.
Designing a new way of life without public gatherings creates opportunities for productive work. It is work that allows for innovation and creativity, and it’s a way for everyone to contribute to something greater than themselves. People may be finding inspiration through internet sharing of music, art, kid’s activities, or whatever else they’re in to. Or they may devise new ways to deliver food or other essentials to those in need, without exposing them to danger. Giving up on normal and embracing the new, unusual world may unlock previously untapped creativity or motivation or care for others. As leaders we should certainly encourage those things.
I’ve written about the benefits of leaders embracing new and different ideas in the past. I’m fairly certain that we are living through an event that will fundamentally redefine our relationship with work. I hope that we learn ways to reframe our work-life balance in physical terms. Many of us are figuring out how to do our jobs from home to a degree we never previously considered. Many of us are together as families all day instead of separated at multiple workplaces and schools. Even if we’re not going to all shift to working and schooling from home, perhaps there is some new balance we can find that allows more time together once the pandemic ends. Why should leaders strive to maintain normal life, if there is something new and better we can move towards?
We all need to find our own answers, leaders should help others find theirs
I don’t know if leaders should share a vision of returning to normal or of embracing the new and unusual. I do not think there is a single correct answer for everyone. In some regards normal life seems extremely desirable right now. I realize now how much I’ve taken for granted the sense of community we gain from physical interaction in our neighborhoods and our workplaces. I know I want that back as soon as possible. But on the other hand, longing for what we can’t have right now is not a way to see ourselves through a difficult time. Holding on too tightly to our routine from a month ago may deny people the chance to express their fears in a healthy way, leading to emotional pain now or in the future. And embracing the craziness of the present may unleash a wave of creativity, helping us to emerge from the pandemic in a better place than where we started. As individuals and as leaders, I suppose we just need to find the right balance between normal and new and figure this out as we go.