Curated Resources for Leading and Living in a Time of Coronavirus

Update: September 2020

Wow, times are certainly strange, at least from my vantage point. Every region of the country is managing this crisis differently, which means more complexity. In our area of the country, we have some schools in full-remote mode (with the possibility of an in-person return sometime), while other schools just down the street are back in person full time. This can be confusing, anxiety provoking, and influence how we measure our own risk.

One way we are measuring risk in our family is looking at what we’re calling a “risk budget.” We first look at how much risk are we willing to tolerate and then make choices about which activities we can fit within that risk budget. If you want to have a try at that – check out this model. 

Explore My Risk

In more typical times, we often find it difficult to feel fully resourced to lead our teams, classrooms, or organizations. In the time of Coronavirus, it is even harder. It is harder for at least a few reasons, which may include:

  • We are generally more scared and anxious as we’ve been abruptly kicked out of our normal, natural rhythm of life.
  • We are navigating the many possible losses like: jobs, “firsts” (like hugging your newest grandchild), “lasts” (like prom, graduation, senior skip day…), and in-person, human connection happening to us and around us. (and for some many are crashing down simultaneously)
  • Many of us have lost the feeling of control we once had, in a world that once felt more certain

With each passing day, we are beginning to find a new rhythm. Some days are better than others. Some days include more work avoidance (and comfort seeking) than others. My form of work avoidance includes browsing social media, snacking, consuming webinars and podcasts with wild abandon, and reading anything that seems like it might help in a time like this. On this page you’ll find the resources clients have found most beneficial, including a small summary of how it might serve you. Enjoy!

Leading and Teaching in Uncertain Times

  • Estimating Your Risk: A team at Georgia Tech created a useful tool to help people estimate the risk they may come in contact with an infected person. Select the event size, and look up your State and County to see an estimate of your risk. 
  • The Blog at Cultivating Leadership: You will find a decadent buffet of cleverly written leadership articles exploring just about every aspect of leading in this uncertain world.
  • Three Specific Actions to Take for Managing Teams: this is a straightforward piece offering you three specific actions to take with your team now that you are managing in the time of Coronavirus. The context setting is especially helpful to understand why these are recommended actions.
  • Taking Care of your Self: To be at your best as a leader, you need to put your own oxygen mask on first. For many of you, this isn’t a native skill set. These resources from University of California San Francisco are amazing. You can watch recorded webinars or grab a specific resources from the right hand side of the page. Navigate to the resource you need most. 

Adjusting to Remote Work

  • Adjusting to Remote Work: Tsedal Neeley, a faculty member at Harvard Business School and expert in global communication, offers practical (and easily doable) tips for you to make this adjustment seamless. You can listen or you can read, if that is more comfortable for you. She talks about maintaining routine, with a healthy dose of flexibility. Even if you’re several weeks in, I bet you’ll find a nugget or two in this piece.
  • Making Zoom Feel More Like the Office: Okay, so you can’t really make zoom feel like the office. But hopefully this article gives you inspiration on ways you might recreate the feeling of a water cooler, break room or cafeteria. This one is also relevant as you create virtual happy hours and cocktail parties.

The Collision of Work, Home and School

  • College Admissions Woes: Well, the high school class of 2020 will no doubt have stories to tell, from their porch prom to graduation at the drive-in. They’ll also no doubt be stressing their college decisions. This post by former Stanford Dean of Students, Julie Lythcott-Haims is amazingly detailed and outlines important considerations as you weigh your options.
  • Working from Home, With Kids: If the shock of sudden remote work wasn’t enough, why not add kids (those doing distance learning, and those too young for it). You will find this piece full of clever, time and sanity saving tips to help you and yours adjust more easily.
  • Pandemic Companions Podcast: Genuine, practical, real-life conversations about living a day during the time of pandemic. Topics include hope, parenting, and falling back.
  • Living a Smaller Self (Despite a Bigger One Existing): Exploring the lived experience and theory of fallback in human development, including reflections on Grown-Ass-Woman-Meltdowns.
  • Apollo-13 ing Teaching During a Global Pandemic: This is a brilliantly written piece that shines a spotlight on what is happening for our students and teachers in this abrupt shift to remote learning (for many). Parents and teachers, you won’t be disappointed if you take the time to read this.
  • Hours of (Independent) Art Fun: The art tutorials offered by McHarper Manor (Milford, OH) have been fabulous for kids of all ages, and many kids age 6* and up can do these independently, while you whisk yourself away to your happy place

*My best guess on age … perhaps you have a precociously independent 3-year-old. Go you!

Bonus Material

The creativity and out-pouring of free resources has been A-Mazing! There are too many to list, so I’ve included just one that is absolutely (in my opinion) worth the watch. Some Good News with John Krasinski (and special Zoom Guests. Hint, it’s the cast of Hamilton). This is 18 minutes well spent.

An interview with Bob Kegan: Seeing the pandemic, through the lens of Adult Development Theory.

I’ll come back in and update as useful resources pop up.