As a leader, you probably feel a strong urge to take control of this situation. After all, that kind of "take charge" attitude is what got you into a leadership position. But how do you control something that changes by the hour? How do plan and execute a policy when the ground won't stop shifting?
In short, you can't.
Many states and local governments have begun ramping up constraints on gatherings, public services, and other facets of daily life. As a result, many businesses have been forced, or chosen, to temporarily close or curtail their offerings. That's a hard position to live in. They don't know what tomorrow will bring, so how can they know what to do to prepare? I've talked to many company owners and CEOs over the last few days, and none of them see a clean, straight path.
But the most effective ones are asking their team for input, and they're talking to customers to see what they can do to meet their needs. Fortunately for some companies, they have the ability to have their teams work remotely and isolate. In this way, they can maximize efficiency without jeopardizing the health of themselves or their employees. But most don't have that option, and they feel the pressure to keep doors open or risk closing them for good.
Navigating these conditions will require us to stay on our toes, communicate often, and pivot when new information comes to us. Let me know what choices you're making for your organization. I'll start compiling these together and pushing them back out to the community so we can all find solutions together.