As a military officer, I lead a group of people and other officers (my colleagues) lead other groups of people. We all belong to a larger group and this cycle repeats until you trace our collective all the way up to the President of the United States. Every single one of us must find a way to determine our place in this collective and move the mission forward…because we are all on the same team.
There is likely to be nothing in my lifetime that will prove our “one team, one fight” more than COVID19. As entire families are isolating at home, many of my coworkers and I are still going to work, making sure people can be tested and those who are tested are tracked. Everyone, no matter what their personality type or feelings about each other, has gotten down to business and focused solely on taking care of our patients. And something unexpected has happened as a result…
Our team has become more energized, happier, and morale and spirits are actually higher. I’ve seen crises bring people together, but this is different. What is happening to people is transforming my team. The irony of this is how we have to practice “social distancing”, and it is bringing us closer together in ways we needed all along. When you can’t rely on the typical customs and courtesies of handshakes, fist bumps, and high fives, you strangely begin to lean on the unprecedented alternative of asking each other, “how are you doing?” And not casually in passing, like we used to just a few months ago. You ask, and you really listen. And people really tell you. We are connecting for the first time on a level that humanity should always be connecting.
You know someone, nearby or far away…what does that matter now? Call, text, FaceTime, them, and ask them how they’re doing. And then listen. And connect. It’s the way we can all take this tragic time and restore the human team.