Sentiments like "how are you" and "stay well" seem trite and insufficient right now, when the world as we knew it has fundamentally changed.
We are more connected than ever, more separated than ever.
I read somewhere that perhaps the world is closed for renovations, ready to emerge anew.
I'm trying to find meaning in the suffering.
This pandemic has unearthed social inequities on a global scale. There has been a fundamental lesson in why inclusive leadership matters, from countries like Singapore, where the virus was initially well-managed until it started impacting those in its margins. We're all confronting what happens when you don't consider the needs of the ones who are always overlooked.
In the U.S., it has unleashed a leadership crisis beyond repair.
How has it impacted us personally?
In some circles, I hear frustration of having to give up weekly date nights or business travel or the boredom of having to shelter-in-place in a house that can more than accommodate a family.
In other circles, I'm hearing acute pain of losing paychecks, of experiencing racism and xenophobia at unprecedented levels, of pain, sorrow and suffering.
I sit at the intersection of both worlds. I have so much. And yet I'm grieving so much.
This isn't a time to rank suffering, but accept it, find gratitude where we can and relentlessly speak up and show up in support of others who are struggling more than us right now.
Social equality is crucial right now
What we cannot afford to do is push pause on our efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable society. Our complacency is what got us here in the first place.
This crisis has truly ripped apart the façade (frayed as it was) of a world where success is linked to hard work. We cannot now deny, no matter how deeply we've tried to argue against it, that privilege has everything to do with your ability to survive.
It has pried open the threads of illusion that working mothers can have it all – we didn't have the societal support in place before the pandemic, and now many of us are barely surviving.
The privileged must center the voices of the most vulnerable and marginalized –– our collective healthy and safety literally depends on it.
We can't get out of this without inclusive leadership
This truth is mirrored in our workplaces.
If you're a manager, now is the time to check in on your people. A virtual environment can create even more disparities –– who does not have access to technology or a quiet office space, who has to shoulder more caregiving responsibilities, who might be misinterpreted as "angry" when they were being passionate.
Many of us are conjuring up the illusion of being productive while managing toddlers or homes or sick family members. In some cases, there's constant anxiety about food supplies or access to healthcare or making rent. Even people in high-paying jobs can live in financial or food insecurity. That's amplified right now.
Start every meeting by asking – honestly – how everyone is. Take time to listen. Look out for signs that people aren't feeling included or heard – they're more withdrawn than usual. Look out for those who report that they're very overwhelmed.
Ask what your team needs to succeed right now. Push deadlines and relax expectations.
Listen.
Take action to show you've listened.
Ask again.
Repeat.
Your people will remember how you treated them long after we're on the other side of this.
The only way some of us will make it out of this crisis is by being human.
By connecting. By caring.
By creating cultures in our society, in our workplaces and in our homes where there's enough room for all.
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Select Candour News from 2020
- I wrote about how to be an inclusive leader in crisis, for HBR. I hope it will come in handy.
- Candour is still focused on giving away 10% of annual profits to Washington organizations that improve the lives of women and girls. We also care deeply about freedom of the press, which is under siege right now. Some of the nonprofits I'm supporting are KUOW, which made a difficult decision to stop live-broadcasting White House briefings as they couldn't be fact-checked for misinformation in real time. Musang's Community Kitchen, which is doing incredible work to feed our most vulnerable, and API Chaya, which has dramatically stepped up to support survivors of domestic violence, a terrible crisis already, which has escalated in our current situation.
- I'm inspired by my friend Laura Clise's startup, Intentionalist to support small businesses that are owned by immigrants, women, people of color and LGBTQ founders. Please #SpendLikeItMatters by supporting underestimated founders in your area – they may not be able to survive the crisis without our patronage.
- I am a proud DEI advisor for the Emerge Program, an innovative new startup accelerator by SoftBank Investment Advisers and WeWork Labs. We'll be welcoming our inaugural cohort this week. I'm so excited for that!
- I've been fortunate to pivot some of my presentations virtually. Most are within organizations, but I'll share public events as they become available.
Thank you for reading! I'm so glad you're in my community.
Stay safe and stay healthy,
Ruchika Tulshyan
Founder and CEO, Candour
Distinguished Professional-in-Residence, Seattle University