Running Fast, Hard....and Smart

The COVID-19 outbreak has changed the way so many of us work and forced us to think in new, creative and strategic ways. It has also reminded us of what matters – our health and well-being, and that of our loved ones, colleagues and communities.

As government and industry work through next steps for safely restarting segments of the economy, one thing is clear: this crisis will continue to challenge us personally and professionally for the foreseeable future. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

The first long-duration crisis I managed as a professional communicator was in the early 2000s, when I was the press secretary for NASA. For two and a half years between the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia until the shuttle’s return to flight, our response team worked long hours, nearly every day. It wasn’t just the hours that drained us. It was also the sensitive and complex, life-and-death issues. Back then, many on our team were young and without families. And still we experienced fatigue. Older and wiser now, with four girls doing remote learning while I work from home, I recognize the need to pace ourselves for the long and winding road ahead.

It’s important for us to stop and consider our most significant resource: our people. I am so proud of the way our Lockheed Martin Communications team has come together to support each other and to deliver outstanding work, despite the challenges of a fast paced, ever-evolving crisis, adapting to remote work and increased responsibilities at home. As a leader, I need to match their commitment with the resources they need to rest and reset.

 Here’s the questions we're asking ourselves:

• How will we keep our teams going strong for the weeks and months ahead?
• Do we have backups identified and work continuity practices in place?
• How do we support teams working on important projects or deliverables outside of crisis comms?
• Are we balancing the load throughout our organization?

I am also working to make sure our team feels appreciated, supported and heard. In addition to my longstanding open-door policy, we have created channels for our colleagues, like Zoom check-ins, to ask questions or express concerns.

So often our crisis communications planning focuses on the critical first hours or days. And usually that’s enough. But the coronavirus disruptions are unlike anything we’ve seen before. As we begin a new month, let’s focus and prepare for the next leg of this marathon – and protect the well-being of our people in the process.