This is the time of year when, all over the world, we traditionally pause to reflect on the past months to review what we learned and what we’re grateful for. This year, however, is a little different. Wouldn’t you say? If we were to run an imaginary video of the scenes from the year through our mind, we’d see a succession of images we couldn’t have imagined this time in 2019.

In a recent blog post, I had the pleasure of introducing you to Col. Nicole Malachowski (USAF, retired), the first female fighter pilot in the Thunderbirds, who inspires the principle to “fly loose,” advising us leaders to resist the urge to micromanage when conditions start getting, shall we say, “off plan.”

In stressful situations, people tend to want to micromanage more than they had in more normal times. If you’re intentional with your boundaries as we discussed above, you are better equipped to resist the emotional compulsion to “take the wheel.”

How do we keep our corporate cultures distinct and alive when everyone’s closest coworker is a screen and a keyboard? Where is the bonfire? Where is the spontaneous reveal of dreams, anxieties, hopes?

When you look back at the year 2020, will you see it as a time of loss, fear, and stagnation? Or will you see it as a time of growth, expansion and a deepening of your wisdom and resilience as a leader in your company? As of this writing, we’re still in Q3 of 2020, so you have plenty of time to shift gears and resolve to use this year as a time of enrichment and learning.