Leaning into the Fight

“I’m better in the third round of the fight,” I recently told a friend. I haven’t actually been in a fight since a pre-teen tussle in the middle of Huguenot Road, but I've seen my share of personal, social and economic adversity over the years. Enough to know that I'm not always at my best early in a fight.

In the case of the Time of Covid, what began seven weeks ago as a fast battle is shaping up to be an unpredictable, but long, slog.

In our work with leaders, we often use a model called Situational Leadership (SL2) that helps diagnose Competence and Commitment around a given task.

I won't say I was an Enthusiastic Beginner (incompetent, but eagerly committed) during Round One of Covid. I had some transferable skills from previous disruptions, and entered the fray with a reasonable amount of confidence that our business (and my family) could navigate this challenge. The morning of March 10, I felt like I was ahead of the Covid curve. By March 12, I found myself, dazed and blinking, as the bell rang for Round Two.

Hello, Disillusioned Learner. During this phase of engagement, I find I benefit from two things -- an opportunity to retreat (and pretend the fight has ended), and some guidance and direction from people who are smarter than me.

In the case of the last several weeks, that has meant a lot of walks with my family, planting a garden, girding myself for infrequent grocery runs, meeting with the Floricane, and talking to the smarter people (and smarter organizations) -- Gelati Celesti, Sperity Ventures, Eventful, the Federal Reserve Bank, Elevation Advertising, The Hodges Partnership, Luck Companies, the Community Foundation serving greater Richmond, Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula, and others. To say they stretch my thinking would be an understatement.

The breathing space, and the perspectives and guidance of others, means that by Round Three I am more able to set my stance and find my rhythm. That feels important right now when it appears that Round Three may extend for several months.

And maybe that's the other thing I'm learning from the conversations I'm having -- the organizations that are in the Third Round, mentally and operationally, are not staggering around the ring. They are leaning into what's happening with strategic intention andemotional confidence, and they are prepared to adapt to whatever curves lie ahead.

Taking the time to reach out to others and process what's next, to test your assumptions and map out your organization's strategic scenarios, may be the most important use of time you have right now. (Also, walks, connecting with your team, groceries.)

However you are spending your time, I hope that you are well, and you are as centered as the moment allows.