The Human Spirit, Consequences, & Culture During COVID-19

To our Hero’s and for our coworkers Enduring COVID-19  

Four hundred new cases were reported yesterday here in Virginia, Dulles Expo Center around the corner from where I live is going to be a new staging medical facility in the coming weeks. The first quarter of the new decade is officially behind us, and with it came disruption, transformation, and a global pandemic. I typically reserve writing articles on LinkedIn to talk about talent management, diversity recruitment, human capital stuff like are we in the dark, bronze or golden ages of big data and HR technology which these days seems kind of frivolous and trivial as so many are faced with the real-life consequences of COVID-19. Even Josh Bersin is citing Maslows’ Hierarchy of Needs. Given how current events are unfolding so fast, taking a moment to reflect on what have we learned from history? I am an optimist and would like to think that it teaches us is that this too will pass. How we get through it however and how to move forward from this will be our legacy. 

Let's take the example of the Plague of Athens which was an epidemic that devastated the city-state of Athens in ancient Greece during the second year of the Peloponnesian War (430 BC) when an Athenian victory still seemed within reach. The plague killed an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 people and is believed to have entered Athens's main city through Piraeus, the city's port and sole source of food and supplies. The disease infected most of the inhabitants of the city over the course of three years and around 25 percent of the population died. At the time the Athenians believed themselves to be invincible. Today one might say Western Democracy, not unlike Athens is at a critical juncture and what is playing out in major metros like LA, New York and major cities around the world have not been seen for close to a century.  

Having a greek father that served as a combat medic in the civil war of his home country, he taught me the ideas of Philotimo. The importance of having a sense of duty, honor, and love of humanity. As the COVID 19 pandemic impacts us more and more on daily basis, I hope we can all use Philotimo to not only help others but to help those who will come after us, just as my father did for me. 

His chosen profession was healthcare and to those in the field today we should all take the time to reach out to and for them and to recognize them as our heroes on the front lines. 

I have often thought, how did the old man ever do it, he was born in a Greek peasant village and pulled from his first year of medical school and found himself in a mash unit that was struck by a mortar. Navigating the rocky hillsides at the battle of gramos with stretchers carrying the wounded. Only to find himself at the epicenter of a mash unit hit by a mortar shell, that left more than just a cleft in his chin, but an indelible mark that he carried with him for years which I suspect was PTSD. But from all of that with the aid of a strong work ethic, the goal of education and the fulfillment of his dreams to become a doctor, countless nights and hours of study, he learned the English language through medical textbooks and worked as a veterinarian. Given the help of grants and student loans upon coming to this country to study medicine, he rose to the ranks of Chief of Staff at Cedars Sinai Hospital in OB/GYN. 

It was the power of potential, dedication to learning, and a strong work ethic with a thirst for knowledge that empowered his transformation and ultimately led to my very existence. One could say that had that small piece of shrapnel hit him a centimeter higher or lower I would not even be here today.  Consequences, culture and the human spirit played out in a lifetime exemplified in what many Greeks might call Philotimo. A sense of duty, honor, and love of humanity. My cousin John a dentist, asked him once how did you do it, Theodore, how did you manage to survive through the German occupation, suffering from extreme poverty, dealing with your struggles with the Greek civil war, and yet manage to become a Doctor.

His response was simply this: 

"When you pass through the fires of hell, he said

you turn to stone. 

But it is our love and laughter that saves us. "

So whether you ascribe to the notions of Fear, Flight, or Fight! or Diagnosis, Prognosis, & Remedy. Let us all show some empathy and philotimo. I may carry the guilt of not being a doctor like my old man or my cousins but I can take great pride in the actions of my company these past two weeks. I have the satisfaction of knowing that the technology I work to share with government agencies and represent can help those that are helping millions.

No matter what the consequences we are facing, we should all take pride in bringing forward a culture of learning and the values that are lived by those in the fields of healthcare, public and civil service, teaching & education and the military for their humanity and dedication to civil service. 

The fact that I work for a company that is on a mission to educate the world rings true for me and gives me purpose. I am luckier than most but I am so very humbled when I learn of the great work being done by my peers and so many in these fields. #CornerstoneCares so if I can impart anything of value please visit, share and engage with some of these resources.  

Cornerstone Cares - Free Online Public Learning Platform

Cornerstone Cares is a free website for anyone looking for essential training resources to help them through the Coronavirus crisis. It features 3 playlists of online courses and helpful materials. The Coronavirus playlist focuses on materials for protecting yourself and others, the Stress Management playlist has tools for practicing self-care and managing stress and anxiety, and the Working from Home playlist provides helpful content for staying productive while working remotely.

Sign Up Now #CornerstoneCares as close to 800 of our clients have pulled in this content into their learning management systems and close to 50,000-course registrations in the first few weeks have benefited.

#TeachForLearners.org 

White House OSTP Leads Effort to Increase Access to Online Education Resources

3/19 Last week, as part of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s COVID-19 technology initiative, American technology companies were called on to make online learning resources more accessible for teachers, parents, and students as more Americans are encouraged to stay home amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The technology industry rose to the occasion with the launch of TechforLearners.org, a new resource for educators, administrators, and public officials who are turning to online learning as coronavirus response disrupts the school year

#LearningNeverStops

United Nations agencies, international organizations, the private sector, civil society representatives engaged in advancing COVID-19 Education Response from around the world at global, regional and country levels. The Global Education Coalition is an open partnership, and UNESCO is inviting expressions of interest from organizations interested in joining our COVID-19 response to ensure the continuity of education for all learners. What binds the coalition is a commitment to help countries assure the inclusive and equitable provision of distance education. Interested organizations should specify what free support, tools or services they can offer countries that might help them extend educational opportunities during periods of school closure. Emphasis is placed on ‘free’. The coalition seeks to broker solutions with country needs and, in the current emergency context, all solutions listed on the coalition platform should be available free of charge. Please send the relevant information to [email protected](link sends e-mail), clearly indicating a focal point. 

A collection of resources from the Training Officers Consortium Community to help with the current crisis. 

"Every once in a while we are put to the test of how much philotimo is within us. Let us be motivated to continue to learn how best to deal with pandemics, #Inspire2Serve and support those today in healthcare and sciences persevere to practice positive behaviors that will end this crisis and allow everyone to move forward through learning and education to build a more connected, caring and better world. 

Notable Tweets from Last Week @JohnBersentes

A Few Inspiring LinkedIn Posts from My Connections, Thank You for Sharing!

Some moments ask more of us. Those moments need heroes. #ThankAHealthcareHero

Over 5000 Meals Donated for Healthcare Professionals on the Front Lines of This War

Crew cheers for Captain Who Values That Loyalty Is a Two Way Street.

Team Rubicon volunteers have stepped into the arena and are out giving the coronavirus a one-two punch. Greyshirts are already serving their neighbors in areas around the country as we continue to expand our response. This is what we’re built for. #NeighborsHelpingNeighbors

Articles of Interest

Dr. Tom Frieden: There's a long war ahead and our COVID-19 response - CNN

Interview With Francis Collins of NIH - The Atlantic

Coronavirus: Leading through the crisis: Insights on how organizations can respond, and what happens next by McKinsey

views expressed are my own. 

#ChooseToCare