"...It's Always Something."

As the famous American Comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) character, 'Roseanne Roseannadanna' (portrayed by the late, great Gilda Radner) was known for saying in the 1970's:

"...it just goes to show you, it’s always something — if it ain’t one thing, it’s another."

...and her more sharply focused and to the point comment:

"...it's always something."

Seems fitting today, as I sit at my desk and try to process the latest headlines.

The thought I have is how terribly apropos; indeed, that seems to be the very nature of the human condition. Gilda's character was also known to exclaim:

"...it’s always something, you either got a toenail in your hamburger or toilet paper clinging in your shoe."

Now I am certainly not trying to minimize the Coronavirus situation, nor treat such a serious threat in a lighthearted way. However, I do feel that we need to put things in a bit more realistic perspective. And - it is also okay to employ a bit of "gallows" humor to deal with things as well.

It certainly feels that there's always one thing or another that our interconnected globe is fighting against at any one given point in time in history. From diseases such as the 1918 Influenza pandemic, Zika, West Nile, SARS, Ebola, and now Coronavirus - we've gone through a lot as a global community. And those are just the diseases. If we really want to scare ourselves silly, let's also include the 9/11 World Trade Center, London bombings, Paris nightclub attacks, Chernobyl – and the list goes on and on. 

The longer I live, and the more of these global events I live through, the more I am reminded that we will get through them. It’s interesting that there’s always a similar pattern of progression:

Ignorance => Awareness => Detachment => Denial => Acknowledgment => Belief => Panic => Fear => Resolution => Acceptance => Reorganization => Integration => Complacency

For people in their late teens or early twenties, the first real global event (such as COVID-19) may seem truly catastrophic and world-shattering. I say this, not out of lack of respect for younger people, but as an acknowledgment of how a few more years on the planet should provide a bit more wisdom (e.g. wisdom = information + time). 

It is our role as leaders of a certain age to offer a sense of context, as well as a solid action plan.

As of this writing, the latest information from the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that the COVID-19 virus has an 8-10-day window when the virus is contagious. World governments are wise to go into lockdown; a comparison of various cities during the 1918 Influenza pandemic demonstrated that by implementing “Social Distancing” the resources of hospitals, staff, and medical supplies were prevented from spiking, and the death rate percentages were dramatically lowered. 

The recent example of China and South Korea’s lockdown appears to demonstrate that – although the near-term economic cost may be a challenge, a swift and decisive action leads to a faster return to normalcy and economic stability. The jury may still be out, but all indications seem to be suggesting that this is the best course of action for the rest of the world to adopt.

So how does this impact industry, and specifically – our industry? What should we do? How do we move forward?

First – Do what your government says to do, as they are placed in positions of authority.

Second – Follow as many recommendations as possible, provided by the latest scientific information. (Be sure to use reliable, verifiable sources!)

Third – Help other less fortunate people in your community, wherever that may be. Are there seniors or infirmed that need to be looked after? Make it your responsibility.

Fourth – Become more creative. Ask yourself how you can leverage/lean into the challenge. In other words, how can you and your company/organization become a problem solver, and differentiate yourself from everyone else? As an example – how might you substitute face-to-face gatherings and use your social media or corporate online presence to provide immediate solutions? 

Fifth – Remember that this isn’t a forever thing. In a few weeks, or a couple months, the globe will be back to business as usual. A pause in your activities and business is a small price to pay, and “losing your marbles” solves nothing. Begin planning and preparing RIGHT NOW for the return to normalcy. You will be further ahead of your competitors. 

Sixth – REMEMBER. As things settle back to complacency, the lessons learned from this global challenge should be applied to the next global challenge.

Presently, I am working hard with my entire team, so we are as prepared as possible when things get back to normal. 

We are deliberately looking for ways to distance ourselves from our competitors. 

We have specific objectives we are pursuing and are being as proactive as possible. At the very least, having a flexible action plan provides the best sense of control for a team, and certainly lessens the fear factor. 

In a small business, we are constantly reminded that there’s always one challenge or another we need to be ready for…   

…Roseanne Roseannadanna had it figured out - if it ain’t one thing, it’s another - it’s always something.

And that can be turned into a positive thing.