Learning and Listening

Life goes on even when everything goes upside down.

We are beginning to move forward into new phases of the virus wondering what is the new normal. I ran a bunch of errands yesterday donned in my mask of the moment and every time I do that I think how strange this all is.

Last night we social distanced with friends and talked about the times. It is the constant topic of the moment. We all hope that we will look back at this time as the point where everything changed. That our country began to go down a new path, one that makes amends for our history.

How do you change a history of racism and hate particularly when it comes to the foundations of how the police department was built. We need strong Government leadership across the board to make budget changes, to set expectations, and to toss the bad players out and send others to jail. We all need to go out and vote to get the people we believe can make those changes into office. Pressure for change must continue. Education on these issues must continue. Our history is just not that pretty but it is built on top of laws and a Government and through that is how change is made. We are at a seminal turning point and there is no going back. People want change.

In our companies, we can make diversity a priority. Diversity from the bottom up. That means every single company in this country including the boards that have fiduciary responsibilities must make those changes now. One change makes a difference and over time it all adds up.

What is important now more than ever is to learn and listen. Being in lockdown with our families has been amazing and also stressful. As my brother put it, we are all living through this time very much alone yet together. Each of us has our anxieties and thoughts about what is happening yet we are all living under one roof together. We have learned to more respectful of each other’s feelings and listen more. I know I am working on that myself.

We all must rise together.