Back to Normal-ish

The pandemic lasted another month. We were indeed able to keep our heads above water with the new work, and we never had to lay off any team members. We had needed to maintain the twenty percent salary reduction, and I wasn’t sure how quickly we’d be able to remove that constraint. But we were alive and intact.

It was a big day. Everyone was coming back into the office.

I got to the office very early. The clock on the wall said 5:44 a.m. That sounded right because I had been awake since 4:30 a.m. But it seemed odd because I was in no way tired. I was the most excited I’d ever been to go into the office—six months away will do that to a person.

Making my way to the coffee machine, I thought about how much we’d been through over the last half-year. How much everyone had been through. The world would never be the same. Our business would never be the same. Probably, none of us would be the same as individuals.

I caught up with Charles over the weekend, mostly to check in on him, but of course, he gave me exactly the type of wisdom that I needed.

“So tomorrow’s the big day, back to work and all,” he said.

“Yep, I literally can’t wait to get back to the office! The cleaners are doing a deep clean as we speak.”

“And I’m sure you have big plans for everyone,” he said.

“You know it. Mainly, I want to challenge the team to share what we have learned during this time. I’m eager to see what they come up with.”

“That’s great. I’m excited for you too…” Charles paused. “I have one piece of advice for you, Will. I expect it won’t be easy for you, the way you’re wired.”

I was curious and nervous to hear what he was thinking.

Charles continued, “I want you to try hard to be patient. Be patient with how quickly you try to get everyone back to normal and with how quickly you add more plans and start reshaping things. One of your greatest qualities is your ability to bounce back and turn a bad situation into a positive one. But right now, you need to be patient. Not everyone will be at the same place when you go back to work. Take your time, and as much as you can, ease back into it.”

I was bummed because he’d always been right in his counsel to me, but this wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “Oh man, Charles, that’s the opposite of what I was thinking and the opposite of how I’m feeling!”

“I know, Will. But think of it like this—your company has been through a trauma. If someone on your team had been in a serious car wreck, you wouldn’t be trying to rush them back to work on their first day back, would you? No, of course not, you’d ease them into it, checking in on them to make sure they were okay.

“You have to realize that while you’re eager to get going, most people are nervous for many reasons. The stress they have been feeling isn’t just going to fall away. Take it slow, my friend, and listen. Observe. Be there for your team. You’re in this for the long haul. There’s no reason to rush back too quickly.”

He was right, of course. I would have to work hard to go slow and be there for the team. I actually set a reminder on my phone every morning at 8:00 a.m. that said, “Bro, go slow. No, slower.”

The coffee was ready, so I poured myself a cup and walked over to my desk. I sat down and looked out over the empty office. And I smiled.

Key point: After any major problem, and especially after a crisis, take your time getting back to normal. There’s plenty of time, so focus on how everyone is feeling. Be there for them personally. Listen more, and know that people will progress at their own pace. They, and you, have been through trauma.