Stay Calm, Stay Safe, Communicate Well

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It’s been a stressful few weeks for everyone. Many people, myself included, are trying to juggle many shifting priorities—preparing for remote work, stocking up on necessary supplies, keeping family members calm or even leading a team at work.

What has helped me stay focused is considering the people my actions can affect most—my family, our employees, our clients, our partners, and those in need. It gives me a clear sense of purpose and an outcome-oriented mindset.

I thought I would share a few resources that have been helpful to me and others during this time, including the two sites I have found most helpful for the most accurate up to date global data:

• Worldometer - An up to date count of cases worldwide, showing growth and recovery in each country.
• Information is Beautiful – A very helpful page of graphics related to the virus.

The Stay-Home Economy

The spread of COVID-19 is changing our daily behavior and creating rapid changes in our economy as we all do our part to help flatten the curve of the virus’ spread. There will be both short-term and long-term impact as we are entering a new reality: the stay-home economy. Many industries are well-positioned to thrive in this new normal—I discussed 10 in a recent LinkedIn Newsletter.

Working from Home

Millions of workers have already been instructed to work from home, and while there are great benefits to remote work, it’s definitely an adjustment. We’ve been 100 percent remote for 13 years at Acceleration Partners, so I thought it would be helpful to share some guidelines that could be useful companies going remote for the first time.

Keeping Busy

First, for parents at home with kids, here are three great resources:

• Busy Toddler: Great indoor activities, especially for young children.
• Khan Academy: A valuable educational resource that has daily schedules and educational livestreams for kids who are off school.
• Ideas for Social Distancing: If you’re looking for ideas of how to pass the time with your kids, this is a great crowd-sourced list.

For adults, here are a few things that can help you stay occupied during long days at home:

• Parents Who Lead by Stew Friedman and Alyssa Westring -– This is a new release that helps parents bring leadership lessons into their homes. The current situation is a perfect testing ground for these concepts.
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – This is a gripping, powerful memoir from a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist that has sold 10 million copies. I recently re-read it, and find it as relevant as ever to help us consider what is most important in our lives.  
• The Elevate Podcast –The most popular episode—my interview with Philip McKernan on finding clarity and purpose in life—may help you keep some perspective during these challenging times.

While many people face high risk from the virus, a majority of us will only have to deal with major disruptions to our lives. At times like this, keeping perspective on our own situation and extending our help to those who really need it is crucial. Each of us has an opportunity to lead others by being clear, honest and empathetic in helping others adjust to this crisis.

Stay calm, stay safe, communicate well.

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Robert Glazer is the founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, an award-winning partner marketing agency ranked #4 on Glassdoor’s best places to work. Robert was also named twice to Glassdoor’s list of Top CEO of Small and Medium Companies in the US, ranking #2 and was recently named one of Conscious Company’s top 22 conscious business leaders. He is a member of Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches initiative.