This is a test. It is only a test.
It's a fire drill. Folks are panicking, sounding the disaster alarms, and running in all directions.
Don't get me wrong, the need to act urgently and reduce harm is real. There is real damage happening.
But let's learn from this, as a practice test.
Because there's more coming. This is the beginning. It's a test to see how much action we take and how we respond.
They're learning what they can get away with, who is gonna challenge them, and how.
One of the first things you learn in emergency/crisis/first response is do not panic.
You miss things when you do.
If we stop to treat a broken leg and we miss the fact that an avalanche is coming... we're doing more damage. If we're keeping our awareness, we throw the person with the broken leg on our backs and gtfo of the way before we start any treatments.
This situation is more challenging, because it's probably more like a series of avalanches and earthquakes combined with tsunamis of bullshit.
We're not gonna fully know what's coming next or what's gonna hit us, because their goal is to create a whole lot of chaos.
I'm jumping on a live zoom this Friday afternoon for a session called "don't agonize; organize: let's get it together".
I'll run thru some tactical and practical strategies that we can all use to make our personal plans for how we navigate these times while balancing job searches, workplace challenges, community leadership, and social unrest.
We need leadership of all kinds in these times; your form of leadership is needed.
First for you, because we all need to lead ourselves, and the struggles are real. And also for our families, friends, loved ones, and communities - because the need is real, and it will grow.
My hope is that we can create a space where we can keep it real, be honest, be kind, grieve losses, and adjust our strategies so that we're moving forward with power and purpose.
I want to know what we can do to keep inspiring each other, keep moving forward, keep our courage up, and become the leaders that we need now.