Culture + Covid = ?

Where were you working on 9/11? When Diana died? When John Lennon was shot? When Harvey flooded the Gulf Coast, or when the last round of forest fires got a little too close to your home in California? In the years to come, we will add... where were you working during the Pandemic. And when that question arises, emotions, beliefs, and thoughts about your organization and you as a leader will be relived.

Months have passed - Like most, I have been in a whirlwind trying to keep up with the day to day changes surrounding this pandemic. I have a daughter working in a VERY busy ER who keeps me as current as possible about real-life on the front lines. It is not pretty, it is not pleasant, and it is not easy. It is not a time of PTSD - for many, it is CTST - Current Traumatic Stress Disorder - There is no "normal", but at the same time, there is a "new normal". The shock has passed and the emergency measures are in place. At this point, caregivers and leaders should know how to manage the daily ins/outs of pandemic life.

For front-line staff, many are still in survival-mode. Survival doesn't only mean staying Covid Free. It means staying mentally capable of showing up every day to care for sick people - including those who choose to believe that Covid was/is a hoax or the mastermind of a political party - those who ignored every safety measure put out by the CDC, and yet are now seeking healthcare, and those, who beyond their best masked efforts, are now suffering the symptoms of Covid-19.

It means very difficult conversations with family members who are not allowed to visit. It means being emotionally present and being the only connection between a patient and their loved ones as the patient ends this journey on planet earth. It means working extra shifts while their colleagues recover from Covid. It means going home and praying that they don't pass Covid to their family members. It means the countless tracings that require testing due to exposures. And for those who are parents, it means figuring out how to be their child's teacher on top of being mom/dad after giving 1000% to their patients every shift.

And in all this crazy - where most organizations struggled with culture before the pandemic, living in the pandemic has magnified the struggle. Anyone, who for a second thinks this pandemic has "fixed" their culture or eliminated incivility or that disruptive behaviors are not that big of an issue, is not paying attention. Any leader who believes now is not the time to deal with disruptive behavior has strayed too far from the front-line team. If incivility was a struggle before, it is a bigger struggle now, and more than ever - zero tolerance for incivility is a necessity!

What our teams need more than anything... they need SAFETY! Safety in terms of PPE, Safety in terms of Covid-19 best practices, Safety in terms of protection from abusive/toxic behavior, & Safety in knowing that their leaders are concerned and actually do care about them.

Times are tough - even as leaders, we are worn down. But this, of all times, is the time to dig deep, to give it your all, and to take care of your team So many options to choose from...

• Option 1: Be Visible - Where are you spending the bulk of your time on a daily basis? If you are still sitting in the board room trying to figure out next steps in Covid management, maybe, as leaders, factor in some time to get out of the boardroom and find out what your team is struggling with. Ask questions, connect, be encouraging, give positive feedback, smile!

• Option 2: Make the EAP more than an email reminder with an 800 number. Set up on-site debrief meetings with counselors who have experience working with PTSD - knowing that are teams are dealing with current traumatic stress disorder. Bring these counselors to the units. Let staff schedule one-on-one time to meet with the counselors and be supportive.

• Option 3: Increase your organization's spirituality support. During Hurricane Harvey (in Houston), we created a prayer wall where staff and patients could write requests for prayers and we had daily prayer gatherings open to all where we prayed for our team and for each prayer request posted. This meeting area grew daily as we prayed for our colleagues, our families, and our patients.

• Option 4: Have some fun - "Tea-time" is cheap - a box of tea bags, some hot water, and your time - Talk about anything but Covid! Have your team talk about what they will do when this pandemic ends! Have them write quick notes about what their first vacation after Covid will look like, and then in a few months (as in when this is over) - mail that letter to them - to remind them about their vacation plans and that they did survive. But then again, don't wait for Covid to end... mail letters to their homes now - tell them how much you appreciate them and how much value they bring each and every day!

• Option 5: Be real, be present, be you. Empathize - care - be the leader you would want to work for - and be the leader that 5, 10, 20 years from now, your staff will say, "During the pandemic, it was tough, but I worked for the best organization, and my leader worked hard to help us get through it".

Covid will pass - but culture will live on - Make sure, as a leader, you have done what you need to do so that when your team talks about "the Covid Days" (and you) ..that you added value, you made a difference, you stopped the incivility, and you helped them survive.

You are stronger than you think you are, you can make a difference! #SickofCovid!