Perhaps the nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche captured the essence of the COVID-19 pandemic best when he said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Truer words were never spoken about our businesses or ourselves, especially during these uncertain times.
Shortly after this pandemic hit and our Ohio governor pretty much shut down the state, I was talking with an old friend of mine who is a business owner. He was telling me what a struggle he was having being told by the governor what he could and could not do. (Doesn’t that sound just like a business owner?!) We laughed about it as we tried to decide if it was his need to control things or an ego issue that was troubling him most.
As I thought more about it, I realized just what a spoiled bunch we are as business owners. We’re used to calling all the shots, having things our own way, and acting like we own the place. And now, suddenly, this belief system is being challenged.
Maybe the important lesson here is that we’re really not the Lone Rangers we like to think we are. Maybe the lesson is that we can usually make much better decisions when we listen to and collaborate with other people—especially when those other people have information we may not have or when they can bring different perspectives that might broaden our own world view and help us make more-informed decisions. Maybe the most important lesson of all is that other people can help us be better versions of ourselves, but we first need to be open to asking for their input and then listening to it.
What are you learning about the pace of your life and your priorities? Have you found that it’s not so bad slowing down just a bit and sharing a meal around the dinner table rather than in the front seat of the car on your way to the next event? Or watching a movie with loved ones? Or having a game night with your family? Maybe it’s that life doesn’t need to be lived as a maniacal race from one event to another.
I’m sure I’m not the only one learning something about my own impatience or intolerance or the ability to stay focused on one thing for longer than ten seconds.
Despite some of the negative things we continue to hear through the media, for the most part we’ve been fighting this pandemic together as a global society. We have been working together by sharing information and resources and enduring a universal suffering. When was the last time we ever experienced that?
We are still very early in this pandemic, and I’m concerned about the dark days that may still lie ahead. But after we’ve come through it, my hope is that we will have learned just how interdependent we are as global citizens. Whether it’s nations, businesses, or individual human beings, I’m inspired by the great things we can accomplish when we work with each other rather than compete against each other.
Just this week I had a chance to ask another friend, an engineer in his 70s who is also a business owner, what lessons he is taking away from the pandemic. He said, “Never get comfortable,” and then mentioned, “Don’t spend time doing things you don’t feel fulfilled in.” I think that is some sage advice by which to live our lives at any time, pandemic or no pandemic.
