Hot Topic Friday: March 13

Happy Friday! Here are my March 13 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership.

Hot Topic 1: Transparent, Frank, Honest Leadership and Credibility.

What It’s About: Angela Merkel, Germany’s outgoing Chancellor, is known for her straightforward, even blunt way of leading. When communicating the state of the COVID-19 situation, she leveled with the German people: “On Wednesday, when she addressed her fellow Germans, flanked by the health minister and the head of the public health institute, she took pains to say that the information she was sharing had come from the experts. And that information, she said, informed the public health decisions being made by the authorities.” Merkel explained that in a worst case scenario, up to 70 percent of Germans could be infected and then outlined a very specific call to action. This is in stark contrast to how many other countrys’ leaders communicated to their citizens, including you know who.

Why It’s Important: Crises are moments of incredible truth, and test leaders at every level. It demonstrates in clear light what you stand for and really believe. The best leaders develop confidence in their followers by outlining the situation with factual clarity and calm, yet an urgent call to action. In the end, followers must believe that you have their collective greater good at heart, or your followers will choose other forms of leadership. If you have the privilege to lead now, what are doing to truly LEAD in the best, yet imperfect way?

One Millennial Response: I couldn’t agree more. We don’t necessarily live in a time of amazing political speeches or quotes anymore. Once upon a time, Teddy Roosevelt said this powerful quote, which I’d just like to share for all of us to contemplate as this thing passes: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” How’s that for a leadership quote?

Hot Topic 2: An Effective Weapon Against the Virus!

Source: Mashable.

What It’s About: COVID-19! Ugh! We don’t have a vaccine yet. However, according to this article, perhaps we do have a bit of an antidote available to all of us. We know the virus is most potent because people spread it without feeling sick. So one thing that has not been in our daily lexicon is: Social Distancing. People need to stay one meter or three feet or so apart. If we do that, wash our hands, stay out of large gatherings, we can slow the virus down and that outcome is important.

Why It’s Important: Ideally, we will learn a lot about keeping ourselves more physically and psychologically healthy from this virus and social distancing may be something to consider as a new normal. I’m a natural hugger and it feels awkward and protective to keep my distance from others. However, perhaps we can become closer by being just a little more distant physically? And conventions like hand shaking, cheek kissing, etc. may just have to change. The challenge: Become closer together yet respectfully distant.

One Millennial Response: Alright. But we still have to live our lives, people. I still want to believe and value that a firm handshake can be as solid as a signed contract in many cases. I don’t want to lose that, do you? If that kills me, well, that’ll be really annoying, but I think it’s better to live in a world unafraid of a little contact than in a universe where social distancing prevents us from social norms. Remember the “don’t let the terrorists win” phrase? Well, don’t let the virus win either. Social distancing is great for now, but perhaps something like “put ‘er there then Purell” will just have to be the future. I still want that handshake though.

My Weekly Wine Recommendation.

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Lara & Rand Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

And finally! Here’s Cecil’s Bleat of the Week!

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“Remote workers aren’t trying to escape doing work. We’re trying to escape the Day Prison. We want to use technology to make better use of our time. We want to spend more time on things that matter to us and less time stuck in traffic.” - Lisette Sutherland

Bye for now!

— Lorne Rubis

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Happy Friday! Here are my March 13 Hot Topics and how they relate to advancing culture or leadership.

Hot Topic 1: Transparent, Frank, Honest Leadership and Credibility.

Hot Topic 2: An Effective Weapon Against the Virus!

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