Using the F-Word During a Pandemic
During this past week, we have heard a lot of new words like “social distancing” or “shelter-in-place” and some words that we had hoped to never hear like “pandemic.” However, what we need to hear more is the f-word. Fortitude.
Fortitude is the strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage. Merriam-Webster Dictionary
The word fortitude is not used very often and rarely when the conversation turns to business or institutional practices. However, fortitude is what we need to reinvent our business practices, to bring comfort to those who are hurting, and to help meet the needs of others where we can. Managing these unprecedented times with fortitude requires saying no.
No Fear. When faced with circumstances of this magnitude it is easy to only see the impossible. But really, the little voice we are hearing is fear. Change tends to present itself coupled with fear, especially when abruptly brought about by unanticipated economic and global shifts. What we actually fear is the lack of control in an increasing world of unknowns. If we can separate change from fear, we can open the door for innovation which paves the way for resilience. We need to push aside the pervasive paralysis and see the possibilities before us to give where we can, to share our knowledge, and to pool our resources to support others.
No Flak Jacket. Sometimes we need to feel pain in order to reconnect with what is important. The anticipated pain of loss makes us face those processes that are no longer working. The threat of pain causes a need to reevaluate areas of weakness in order to mitigate and protect against them. We have people globally who are suffering more than most of us can imagine. We need to use our talents to rethink how we can improve the things we have always done to create new opportunities.
No Fault. During an unimaginable crisis, there is no room for blame. This is a time to refocus and seek input because there is not one single answer. This is an opportunity to hear suggestions and listen to the opinions of others. Those ideas that may have seemed frivolous or foolish before might just be the solution needed for today.
Fortitude is about facing the unknown with determination and courage using known strengths. Effective solutions are not always the ones with the biggest price tags. Sometimes the solutions needed for survival are found by shutting down fear, understanding the pain that forces us to grow, and realizing that progress is not brought about by blame. In the end, it does not matter why things happened, what matters is that we respond with fortitude and never forget that we are better together.
From our families to yours—stay safe, sanitized, and sane…let our humanity define us during this time.
