Newsletter – November 4, 2020
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Post-election resources for managers and leaders
Hi friends,
What a whirlwind these last few days (and weeks and months) have been.
For those of you who are grieving,
For those of you who are cautiously optimistic,
For those of you who are angry,
For those of you who are relieved,
For those of you who are disappointed,
For those of you who are celebrating,
For those of you who are scared,
For those of you who are (hoping to be) hopeful,
For those of you who are tired,
For those of you who are unsurprised,
For those of you who are some or all of these at the same time…
We see you. We’re here for you. We hope you’ll take a moment to feel all your feelings.
To those of you who have been working tirelessly—to defend democracy, to fight climate catastrophe, for schools where all children can thrive, towards liberation for Black and brown people, and so much more… Thank you.
We know our work isn’t done, but we hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on what brought you to your work and celebrate what you’ve accomplished.
The events of this election season and the obstacles of this year have made the simple act of showing up more challenging, especially if you’re Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, queer, trans, non-binary, a caregiver, an essential worker, a sex worker, undocumented, a migrant, a refugee, sick, chronically ill, living with disabilities, poor, working-class, or any combination of these things.
Still, you are here. And you’re not doing this alone. We hope you’ll take a moment to take stock of your community—your supporters, co-conspirators, hype people, and stakeholders. The people that you show up for and those who show up for you.
We’re here for you, and we will keep showing up for you. Here’s what we have to offer today: a round-up of resources to help you (and your staff) get through this time with as much grace as possible.
What We’ve Written & What We’re Reading
From the TMC archives:
- Managing Towards Resilience and Results: Create Your “PAC”
- If you’re planning to bring your team together this week, check out our Post-Election Day Debrief.
- How to Manage When Things Are Not Okay. While this article was written for managers looking to support their Black teammates after the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others, much of the advice applies to this moment.
- How to Actually Reprioritize. Many of us are feeling unfocused and scattered even as we recognize the urgency of this moment and the importance of our work. It’s hard to get your work done when you’re refreshing the news every fifteen seconds, when you’re feeling called to pour your time and energy into so many places, or when you simply have too many demands coming at you. Help your people focus on the truly essential, and get clear on what can be “gold star” vs. “good enough.”
- 5 Tips for Better Check-ins During COVID-19 and Managing Through the 2020 Election Season: Check-ins Add-on. If they aren’t already, your check-ins are going to be an important touchpoint for relationship-building and support.
- The 60-Minute Back-up Plan.
From others:
- How to Lead When You’re Afraid (Michelle Kim)
- People Leader Resilience Playbook: How to lead in the midst of uncertainty (LifeLabs Learning)
- Leading during traumatic and triggering events (Diversity Equity Inclusiveness Consulting)
Opportunities to be in community
If you’re looking to share space with others, check out what our friends have to offer:
- Promise54 is hosting a Post-Election Processing and Brainstorming session on Monday, November 9th from 11am-12pm ET. Sign up here.
- Rockwood Leadership Institute is hosting a 75-minute Post-Election Community Call on Thursday, November 12th from 1-2:15PM PT / 4-5:15 PM ET (closed captioning available). Register here.
Other resources
If you need a brain break:
- Cynthia Erivo – Stand Up, and a cover from Voices Lesbian A Capella for Justice
- Andra Day – Rise Up
- Rest Supports Grieving: Grief Rituals (The Nap Ministry)
- Rising Appalachia – Resilient
- Prayer from Victoria
If you or your team plan to be in the streets, here are some resources: