How Will We Rise? COVID-19 and the Need for Compassionate Leadership.
The applause begins at 8pm. From the balcony of my apartment, I take in the sound of clapping hands and cheers along the narrow street. I hear the echo across the city as Parisians cheer the first responders, healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, garbage collectors, government bureaucrats and the countless others who spent the day combating COVID-19 on their behalf. It is a moment that brings together all that is good and terrible about this crisis: how we can, as a collective, rise to the occasion and how irrevocably our lives can change in a matter of weeks.
It has been three months since the first case of COVID-19 was reported to the WHO, and only two weeks (and counting) since being declared a pandemic. In this short time, our ways of life and work have been turned upside down, and we’ve entered a period of uncertainty we won’t soon forget. My heart is with those suffering the worst of the crisis: those who are sick or who have already lost loved ones; those without jobs and the security of a steady paycheck; those businesses that have already closed or face an uncertain future.
We are at a crossroads. How will we rise from this turbulent time? And not ‘how’ as in: will we? But the big ‘HOW’, as in: what path will we choose to take?
In times of crisis, the spirit of countries, companies and individuals fully reveal themselves. We’ve already seen this in foul ways with the headlines of half-wit spring breakers, selfish hoarders, the sharp spike in gun sales, and the US government’s feckless response in downplaying the seriousness of COVID-19. Thankfully, though, there’s been beauty and inspiration out there too, with uplifting stories of communities in solidarity and individuals innovating and leveraging their strengths and assets to bring support where they can. On their surface, the images of a deserted Times Square, Piazza San Marco, and Champs-Élysées seem eerie. But take a closer look and you see people staying home, caring for others by staying apart, and contributing to our collective health. There is always a choice in the matter.
How we change as a result of the coronavirus will be determined by our (in)actions; not just what we say our values are. The decisions we make now will determine the future for generations to come. Getting “back to normal” can’t be the outcome. Normal didn’t work; we need to rewrite what normal will look like. To do this, we need purpose-driven & compassionate leadership in our companies, communities and most especially, in our governments. We need to reimagine constructs and evaluate how to further place people and their well-being at the heart of everything we do. We need bold, brave, and urgent responses to get through not only the immediate threat but those of the future. No red tape, no politics, just humanity. Now.
And to be clear, the threat extends beyond the coronavirus. We also need to address issues like the climate crisis, skyrocketing inequality and a broken healthcare system, amongst many others. What this crisis has shown is that our national and corporate systems have failed the stress test. Now is the time for honesty and humility, for listening and making people feel heard and part of the solution. Our efforts won’t be perfect, we will fail along the way. What’s most important is that we don’t settle or cease in this pursuit. That we step up to create systemic changes that allow for shared prosperity and protection. And if we don’t take the necessary steps in the face of this crisis, when will we?
But there is hope. Society has shown we are capable of enormous disruption to our status-quo, in times of crisis. Our fear of the coronavirus moved the entire workforce home, put millions of students online, and engineered new innovations/changes from companies in a matter of days, not months or years. Our fear of the virus outweighed our fear for change. It hasn’t been perfect or easy, but already individuals and organizations are learning & adapting. This crisis illustrated that our individual prosperity truly relies on the collective well-being, globally. Imagine what we could achieve if we embraced this moment? If, rather than being forced into action, we chose to act, to lead. To rise.
We won’t ever be the same; and that could be a good thing.
