And now you know...

There is a question that we ask ourselves every so often, particularly when we are being reflective — “How will I do when the situation gets difficult?” Or as people who put memes together like to say, “when the going gets tough”.

Say for example a novel coronavirus has entered the human population and quickly rises to the status of a pandemic; as a result measures have been put in place to minimize transmission and reduce the deaths that come with this sort of thing. Only essential services are available, only essential travel is advised, and social distancing and isolation are recommended, and where resolution has gone from weeks to months. Health, economic wellbeing and our social fabric, all under threat.

I suppose you could characterize this as one of those times.

I am 99.5 % certain there is a list of some sort that outlines the optimal way to act (and what to do) when crisis hits, and 100% certain everyone has an opinion on this. I would also suggest that most people would say they are handling the situation fairly well — sure it would be nice to go to a restaurant or take in “a ball game” but other than that I’m on top of it. After all, we have to be the hero in our own story don’t we?

The one consideration I believe is imperative regarding our story is to honestly reflect on the situation and how we are making our way through these rough waters. Can you honestly say, with a critical eye, that you’re asking yourself how you are doing?

It is in this question you know how you will handle the situation when the going gets tough. It is by asking this question that you know you can handle the situation when the going gets tough. It’s in this reflection you will identify what you like (and what you don’t like) about how you are handling everything. It is in this tally that you will find insights into successfully adapting to the situation and ultimately progress to the time when Covid 19 is just a story shared across the dinner table.

And don’t you want your story to be colourful?

iamgpe

PS — as part of my own reflection I have found I am spending too much time waiting; waiting for the statistics on confirmed cases; waiting to see if we are flatting the curve; waiting for this to be over. Waiting is not a particularly good story, although it does allow me the opportunity to switch gears and do other things more productive, and colourful.

PPS — Dr Suess was right about the waiting place. (Oh, The Places You’ll Go!")

Reflections in crisis

“Do you think we are in a crisis?”

The answer came through the lens of a man who was born into the depression, knew what it was like not to have food on the table, survived polio, knew the impact of rationing on the home front, and from someone who had earned his wings as a paratrooper (with a couple of night jumps under his belt) — I think it’s safe to say a unique perspective by today’s standards.

His answer was ultimately, “No”.

There was an explanation that he’d never experienced anything like this before, and that not being able to get to his doctor’s appointments, unable to check in with the boys, unable to get ready for the upcoming golf season, and not wander to the store without concern of infection, was starting to weigh on him. A surreal situation that made it easy to loose track of time and difficult to pull away from the endless COVID 19 news. It was not a crisis from his perspective but then again something far from normal — something insidious that was draining both physically and mentally. Ultimately this question offers an insight into personal context and perspective because it’s very true to say front line healthcare workers or a family wrestling with the economic reality of a mortgage that’s due at the end of the month are very much dealing with a crisis.

This is an academic question that scratches at how we perceive the situation, are prepared for the situation, and how we are dealing with the situation. Covid 19 will follow the path of all infectious agents as it makes its way through the population, and as a community, we’ll work hard to change the trajectory of that curve by social distancing, good hygiene practices, and self isolation. Our actions are a direct effort to save lives and prevent our institutions from becoming overwhelmed — and are also a direct reflection of how we are handling this unprecedented situation. This is an inescapable reflection of who we are and our character in the face of a challenge. In the context of my small sphere I have seen people make re-usable face masks, donate to local food banks, help someone when they can’t make it to the pharmacy, and have watched people offer a supportive voice when the silence of self-isolation is deafening. All character traits to be emulated in my mind.

There are already whispers of us coming to the top of the curve, how we will turn society back on to something reflective of the way it used to be, and how the last eight weeks will echo into the next eight or nine months. We will all have a Covid 19 story that we’ll be eager to share or maybe just keep to ourselves upon reflection. As I mentioned to someone today we need to “gut this out for another three weeks” before we’re closer to having a conversation that doesn’t include a bubble of two meters. I will be very curious to ask what’s been learned for the next time.

Because most likely there will be a next time — probably around October or November.

iamgpe.

The importance of character when it's important...

I am not trying to be flippant when I say we are all in the middle of a very large Virology 101 classroom — as COVID 19 infiltrates the populations of the world we are all better understanding virus morphology, modes of transmissions, R naught ratings, progression of a disease, et cetera, et cetera. A new virus has entered the population and based on current data, if not put in check, may kill up to 2 % of the population before a vaccine and therapeutics are available. By any definition we are dealing with a crisis and now faced with what is affectionately called “flattening the curve” — implementing activities to slow the transmission rate of the virus, and by doing so, protect our institutions from becoming overwhelmed by those who become very sick. This is a situation where no one person can sit on the sidelines and everyone needs to take this seriously. Success will be the result of an effort of community and the character that comes with it.

We have all had difficult situations to work through, and like Covid 19, some came with ramifications that were life altering. As I contemplate the current situation (and past situations), there are aspects of character that reflect who we are, and more importantly, reflect our standing when the dust settles. The character for success.

Curiosity and Adaptability — ask questions to understand the situation. Be curious about the situation; understand the situation; know the situation. Seek out knowledge and be willing to adapt to the circumstances you have to work with. Knowledge will inevitably bring change and It’s important to embrace it — no matter how uncomfortable.

Honesty and Transparency — speak truth and be willing to share that truth. Full Stop

Compassion and Kindness — be willing to help others. Offering a helping hand is important, but remember empathy for how someone is feeling (or how they are reacting) can help with connection and understanding, and this will most likely lead to a more successful outcome. It’s possible that unexpected response was not because the person is difficult, but rather because they are anxious.

Grit and Determination — “I will not stop until it is done”. This is the birth place of all those good things we like to talk about: “New ways of doing things”, “Creative ideas”, “Overcoming obstacles”, “INNOVATION”, “Out of the box thinking”, “Success”, et cetera.

Courage — introduce a new virus into the population that disrupts the way we live, makes people sick, and causes death — it will cause anxiousness, anxiety and fear to be sure. The only way to check these feelings (and deal with the situation) is with courage. Even if you are just pretend to be courageous, that will work too.

Rising to the challenge, putting your best foot forward and bringing out the best in people — definitely important when it’s important, but then again, shouldn’t that be every day.

iamgpe