April 17, 2020: A month into the pandemic and it was clear everyone was suffering. As a leader, how do you connect with your crew, share common experiences, to let them know you’re impacted, too. And without being pessimistic. Being relatable builds credibility which is instrumental when navigating challenging situations.
Being in command is the most challenging and rewarding tour of a military career. My last US Coast Guard tour was as both Commander, Sector Columbia River and Commanding Officer, Air Station Astoria. I was in command from June 2018 to August 2021 and it was during this tour that the Covid-19 pandemic struck. As we all know it changed our lives in the most fundamental of ways.
While many companies were able to adopt a remote work strategy, the Armed Forces were required to continue to provide in-person response services while moving non-mission critical activities to a remote environment. While we continued to operate in siloed teams, the unit could no longer meet all together, in person. I recognized I would need to find another way to connect with my over 500 unit members.
I would need to find a new way to communicate. Leading without meeting, establishing a connection and creating a common bond with each of the over 500 members, was my new challenge. How was I going to lead without being able to meet in person? I took to the written word to not only communicate professional updates but also to connect with members on a personal level.
These thoughts were on my mind when I wrote the following to my unit.
April 17, 2020: PowerPoint Friday
Not sure who needs to see this, but I now own a pair of work pajamas. You’re welcome.
My kids wanted to watch a movie the other night. Without missing a beat I said, “What? No. It’s a school night.” Then we all had a good chuckle and of course they picked Groundhog Day, that early 90s classic with THE Bill Murray. Last night I was flying (yes, sometimes Kyle lets me fly, but only when the weather is really nice, which it was) and I was reminded that today is Friday. I remember when I used to look forward to Friday. As a kid and more so as an adult! Friday was the end of the week and on the weekends we relaxed. With physical distancing (I’m going to start calling it that, instead of social distancing, because humans are social creatures and we need to keep in touch- from 6 feet away of course), every day can seem like Groundhog Day and Friday seems to have lost its luster. What other gems are beginning to lose their luster because of the pandemic?
BC (that’s Before Covid, I feel like we’ve entered a new time era), every Sunday evening my sons and I would walk down to get Thai from Bob and Sopa at the Mai Tong Thai Truck, grab a beer (Kombucha for them) from Chris at Reach Break, and play a game of cribbage. We’d go over the next week’s calendar, look at their school activities, and figure out what needed to get done that week. It wasn’t much but it was a ritual we enjoyed together. The truck is now closed on the weekends so we adapted and now have Thai Tuesday. Yeah, it bumped Taco Tuesday but everyone has to sacrifice during a pandemic.
My children have decided on a new family-time ritual that borders on demented. In a further attack on the sanctity of Friday they have created PowerPoint Friday. I don’t look forward to Friday as much but they had so much fun we did it Friday and Sunday night. The first round I don’t think my 15 year old got the memo. He spent all day creating an “A” worthy presentation on the ‘Anthropology of the Various Pokémon Legends.” He was dumbstruck as I presented his and then when he had to present mine (I googled images for ‘2nd batallion weekend safety briefing’ and threw that up on the TV). The 18 year old created ‘Who is Nick Cage (or is that Nicolas Cage)’ and ‘How Doofenshmirtz is Actually Phineas’ Father.’ My daughter is a History major and in a Catholic sorority. She created ‘A Brief (and inaccurate) History of the Vietnam Conflict’ and ‘The Historical Accuracy of The Pirates of the Caribbean and the Role of Catholicism.’ I think I already said this, but I no longer look forward to Friday. I’m not sure which circle of hell Dante would put PowerPoint Friday, but I have no doubt it is in there somewhere. Probably the Eighth Circle of Fraud, but that seems pretty severe so maybe it’s just the First Circle of Limbo. In either case I’m bringing back Thirsty Thursday.
There is no doubt this pandemic experience has changed our society in lasting ways. Some we know, many more are still to be determined. But we’re an resourceful species. After solving that really hard math problem, graduating from M.I.T., and then becoming an astronaut, when stranded on Mars after a freak windstorm forced his crew to strand him in the HAB, Matt Damon perfectly summarized his situation in a brilliantly concise manner as “I’m pretty much [expletive],” but he wasn’t giving up and realized he’s “going to have to science the [expletive] out of this” to make it home. And with the help of a good roll of duct tape, he did just that.
So, grab a roll of duct tape and do whatever necessary to prevent PowerPoint Friday from invading your home.
With admiration, gratitude, and another week of optimism,
your Sector Commander