Jeffrey Sumber

Please LEAD by EXAMPLE as you LOVE in the Time of CORONA...

What an unprecedented moment we are all experiencing right now in our world! A few weeks ago the term “social distancing” held a very different connotation for many of us. Today, however, it is understood to be the very practical, physical precaution many see as our best defense against a more devastating outcome from this current health crisis. Whether you believe you are at personal risk or not of contracting the coronavirus, I feel it is essential to protect the larger community by protecting ourselves. Based on current data, many of you are correct in understanding that the mortality risk if you were to become ill is low. However, social distancing is as much about the strangers, friends and family members you might come into contact with that we must be most concerned about. There is nothing valiant in blowing off a health crisis. There is no strength in undercutting the simple steps required to protect those less powerful than you. Humility is an opportunity and this is a historical moment. I encourage us all to be humble right now and do what we can to save others from pain and suffering.

This is an opportunity for all of us to think about others. It’s a chance to truly make a difference in the world simply by instituting physical distance. What I can’t stress enough, however, is how in these times it is even more crucial that we stay connected emotionally to the people we care about. Social distance must not translate into emotional distance. Reach out to the people in your lives and check in on them. Tell people you are thinking about them, that they matter to you. Stay home, yes. Work, play, breathe…from home. Issac Newton quarantined himself when Cambridge University closed in 1665 because of the PLAGUE. It was the most creative, productive time of his life. I suppose you can catch up on Netflix, but what else could you do? What have you been complaining about not having enough time to do? Do it! Get creative. Journal. Paint. Discover new music.

I know many of you are leaders at work, at home and in your communities. This is a test of your leadership. I believe there is a significant difference between panic and preparation; a major chasm between exaggerating a “potential threat” and making decisions to mitigate the possibility of an even greater crisis. Choosing to be a bit more cautious today may very well be the reason we do not need to stay physically distant in the near tomorrow…Enjoy a staycation, plan your garden, take walks, read a book…and support our healthcare system by not inserting yourself into it unnecessarily. Reach out to others and be sure to stay emotionally connected!

Staying engaged in your emotional, relational process during these difficult times is essential for your overall well-being and also supports your ability to be strong and supportive for your friends, co-workers and family members.

Let us defy the odds together by setting a higher bar for our own integrity.

To our collective health and well-being,

Jeffrey

Such a good book.