What we are experiencing right now is a complete unraveling of everything we've depended on - consciously or subconsiously - as a society. As the death tolls rise and the bottom of the economy falls out from under us, almost everyone's brains are in crisis mode.

Right now, we are witnessing the trauma of the immediate: the daily infection rate, death count, and the helpless frustration of watching (for some, awakening to) the machinations of a system that was not set up to support We The People, but rather, the rich, white and powerful.

Once the quarantine is lifted, we will be dealing with the trauma of the aftermath. We are looking at a generation of trauma recovery work, at minimum.

I hope for many cultural shifts to come from this global experience; how businesses relate at a human level is a big one.

There has never been a more critical time for compassionate, human-centered, trauma-informed corporate communications practices.

I'm a mental/emotional health nerd, so this is #1 on my radar right now. I think this article, by experts from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, is excellent. It is specifically geared toward supporting students, but this is information is applicable to everyone and a must-read for anyone who is trying to run a team or host zoom meetings.

This piece from Harvard Business Review is also good. It talks about the collective trauma we're feeling through the lens of grief.

If you are a leader in any capacity, whether it be the SAHM trying to get her kids through their schoolwork packets, a suddenly-work at home parent who is juggling All The Things all at once and all in one place, or a manager or CEO leading a team of overwhelmed, traumatized, anticipatory grief-stricken people, it is essential that you understand and integrate into your leadership the depth of emotional travail this pandemic is causing in your people's lives.

If you are struggling to find your bearings, Leslie and I can help you. Between the two of us, we have the skillsets to help you navigate your circumstances. I'm a certified professional coach, he's been consulting CEOs on compassionate business operations for decades. We want to help. Please reach out!