A virus is a different kind of enemy. It’s hard to pinpoint. Unlike a tragedy like 9/11 where we had a clear enemy and we depended on the military to fight for us, we are all in this fight together. We all have to do our part. And there are many things that are going on as normal. Essential People are risking exposure to COVID-19 to pick up trash, move products around our country, stock store shelves, pick up and deliver our mail, cook, clean and care for our sick. We need to remember to thank and help all of them.
When 911 happened, I was the commander of the Santa Fe. And we had a clear sense of mission. We had a clear enemy. And there was a clear group in society who was going to go out and deal with it. The military. And I was in the group. This thing that we’re dealing with now, the Coronavirus, to me seems much more uncertain, and much, much scarier, much more unfocused, nebulous and scarier than 911 ever did to me. And I was thinking about how the enemy isn’t quite known and they’re not as crystallized. It’s a virus and it’s sort of everywhere. And who’s gonna deal with it?
Well, we all are. We all have a role to play. And there’s people who we rely on that we might not even appreciate during normal times. people driving trucks, people stocking shelves, giving haircuts. The mailman who shows up to take the mail, the trash guys who come and collect the trash and trash came and went last Friday here in Florida just like normal. In a way it’s amazing that all these things are happening. And I’ve tried to be more appreciative of those people. I try to stay in to do my part not to spread the virus or risk spreading the virus. If I get sick, that’s one more test kit. That’s one more set of protective equipment, one more person that some healthcare worker is going to have to expose themselves to.
Trying to protect myself isn’t selfish. It’s helping that group that’s dealing with the health care, the drug companies that are trying to develop the vaccines and the treatments. The people still moving stuff around the country. Those are the people who we need to appreciate and we need to help and we need to thank. So let’s get this thing together. And let’s beat this thing. So we can get on with getting rid of this social distance, get back together. I’m David Marquet and that’s your Leadership Nudge
