Pushing the Reset Button

Updated 10/2020

Things are different. They actually kind of were before 2020 even started.  Smart, confident people have been trying to impact positive change for quite some time, knowing we cannot continue doing the same things we used to and expect to have different (better) results.

How do you change entire infrastructures?

Enter “the virus”.

Enter the hard stop on “business as usual”.

Yes it’s serious.

That doesn’t mean we need to panic.

Nothing beats an in person interaction – I think most of us feel that way. Perhaps, though, this is a chance to review how to maximize and truly value those in-person moments. We have access to each other “all the time” because of our smart phones, video conference, webinars, etc. It’s easy to get lazy and not focus attention because we are constantly connected this way. We can value digital interactions as much as we do the in person moments. Purpose, outcomes, and goals. Agendas.

This might mean we allocate some resources to enhanced digital assets.

This might mean we need more training on how to be awesome in online presentations not just “live” on stage.

This might mean we need to be brave enough to try new tools and let go of how we used to do things. This doesn’t mean they were bad. It just means we have more options.

This might mean we stop doing some things that, in the back of our minds, we wondered if we should keep doing, but we always did them because we didn’t know how to pivot or quit.

This for sure means we have the power to raise the question: if we need to do things differently, how can we maximize and create a new way forward that could be better?

Think of this as having nothing to do with panicking about germs. Don’t panic. Let’s wash our hands properly and frequently, clean ourselves and our surroundings regularly, and then we can have a new conversation about “business as usual”.

What is your wish list that balances health, professional success, and at the same time, takes other people and resources of all types into account? Now is your chance to take action on it!

I can’t –  and won’t – give you play by play instructions on how to change because only you know all your details.

I will encourage you to consider other people. If you are sick, staying home is about caring for others as much as yourself.

If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth. No one cares if it’s allergies, you swallowed wrong, or whatever. If you do not do this, you are gross to pretty much everyone around you. Don’t be gross.

If “everyone” is pushing pause, cancelling in-person activities, and you are in charge of some – take heed and make yours virtual right now, too. It doesn’t mean you are giving up or panicking. It means you are acknowledging the situation and using alternative ways to get the job done while understanding the current state of travel and related details.

Review your personal skills – are you sleeping enough, moving enough, eating nutrient-rich foods, mastering your computer and video meeting options? If not, this is your new checklist.

Deep breath. One foot in front of the other. No to something that doesn’t seem right. Yes to new ways of doing things that are better. Yes to continuing on with good things you already do.

Don’t be afraid. Be aware and ready.