“Can I change it? No. So I won’t worry about it!”

That’s what one of my ten year old daughters told me this weekend as she was preparing to go back to school and we were comparing notes about what we each knew about how it would work.

It occurred to me, there are plenty of leaders who could benefit from taking Naomi’s advice!

We are on day 365 of lockdown as you read this publication. March 11 2020, precisely 365 days ago, schools shut down in Los Angeles and this morning one of my ten year old daughters gets to go back to school part time.

Teachers will be teaching remotely into classrooms. Students have selected whether to join remotely or in small cohorts of 7 on campus.

There was a trial run for 90minutes last week. Teachers, administrators, and parents are all doing their best to juggle weighing up the risks and upsides of their choices for teachers, families, and students as the vaccine is rolled out.

Monday morning the four half days start back on campus for one of my ten year old daughters with so many unknowns. So many questions. So many changes. So many routines broken. So many new habits to form. So many unknowns. (...and so many pick ups for the Wrights with three kids in two schools and three schedules to manage!!)

Weekly testing. Daily temperature tests. Can’t hang out with friends outside of your 7 person cohort. Still have to do 50% of learning on line. Everyone is learning new ways to adapt and build resilience.

Ever been back to your favorite restaurant or hotel and your memories shattered by the current disappointing reality? That’s what back to school will be like for many kids. That’s what back to work will be. That’s what we all with experience as we shift from current routines to new routines. —-how we remember it would be our reality for a while.

So what do you do as you lead your company and your team through the next wave of change?

Perhaps listen to Naomi’s advice....

“If you can’t change it...don’t worry about it”
—-which means you DO have to change what you can

CEO of retailer Francesca’s, Andrew Clarke who I have been working with for the last year as they shifted from NASDAQ to private equity ownership, says it well: “control what you can control”

I’d love to hear your favorite soundbites and catchphrases for leading your team through the unknown. - I might even feature you in my upcoming articles—- or even my 3rd book which I will be announcing later this month.

Meanwhile...wishing you all patience, strength, resilience, and energy as you lead through this next layer of what is next.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

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