Be The Calm

I heard a great phrase in yoga class. Find the calm in the middle of the tornado. Timely and fitting in light of everything (commentary and information) swirling around about the Coronavirus. Well, not only find the calm. Be the calm. 

Be prepared. I’ve never lived in tornado country, but I understand they come on suddenly. With no advance warning, you don’t have time to prepare, as in stockpiling. But you prepare by understanding the dangers and acting accordingly. Hurricanes and snowstorms, however, are disasters I’ve lived through and that do have some warning. You prepare for some disruptions. That doesn’t mean panic and hoarding. 

Be informed. I lived in Northern California for over a decade. There was never an earthquake when I lived there, but there was plenty of available and credible information about what to do when one struck. That information came in handy when I was eventually in more than one earthquake many years later.  Know where to obtain credible information from medical experts and follow it. 

Be sensible. Wash your hands with soap. Avoid shaking hands or physical greetings, etc. etc. etc. You know the drill. Practice the Wai, the Asian greeting. With a warm smile, the person will press their palms together and slightly bow the head forward until their fingers almost touch their nose. It is a slight bow.

Sensibility also extends to workplace decisions. There’s plenty of credible information about that as well.  Allow people to telecommute, but keep a few things in mind.

• Set clear expectations and guidelines.
• Make sure your technology works.
• Teleworking equals flexibility.  Let employees manage their schedules, recognizing that the current situation is unique.  Kids may be home from school, which isn’t a usual situation for teleworkers.
• Help team members prioritize their work.

Hillary Clinton reminds us, “You’re not just protecting yourself when you’re working from home, minimizing travel, and washing your hands. You’re protecting people in your community. We’re all in this together. Let’s act like it.”

Amidst the tornado of (all the) information, be the calming influence to those around you. 

Cornelia Gamlem